Engineering and economic optimization of the value of water as an essential commodity and successful management of the overall water cycle are of great interests for the petroleum industry. The general objective is to maximize the benefits and safety in the utilization of water during the oil and gas production operations including for shale reservoirs while minimizing the environmental impact and the cost of operations. Accomplishing this objective requires scientifically guided and engineering prudent approaches. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the various issues of critical importance in optimal management of the water cycle in the oil and gas fields. The present general discussion focuses on a review and an integrated analysis of the water resources, considering the issues of availability, characterization, production, processing, transportation, storage, disposal, reinjection, and utilization for production from the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs with their associated energy involvement and environmental safety requirements.
Exploring the most engineering, economic, and environmentally effective strategies for beneficial utilization of field water resources and optimization of the water cycle in reservoir operations and petroleum production systems requires a comprehensive understanding of the overall field water resources and issues of relevance for proper characterization and processing of water. This paper provides a concise and complete review of the water handling issues of practical importance by including some highlights from the available literature and the previous invited presentations of the author (Civan, 2012, 2013, 2014a, b). An overview of the technical and environmental issues of practical importance in dealing with balancing between the various water resources, water utilization options, regulations and measures, and efforts for informing and educating the public is provided in a concise manner.
Water involving the petroleum field operations is examined in two categories: Natural water sources (availability, accessibility, aquifer, ground, sea, compatibility, and injectivity) and wastewater (generation, quality, quantity, and composition in drilling, completion, and production). Water processing issues are reviewed in terms of three aspects: Water characterization (present and required quality), treatment methods (in-situ and surface, parameters, quality, capacity, separated materials and sludge), and equipment (gas/liquid/particulate separation, storage, transportation, and measurement).
