U.S. attacks problem of 'produced water'
The U.S. Department of Energy has designed a Web program to help oil and natural gas companies solve the environmental challenge of produced water.
The department's National Energy Technology Laboratory, in partnership with the Argonne National Laboratory, developed the Produced Water Management Information System.
Produced water is water extracted from the subsurface with oil and gas. It is also known as brine and formation water.
Officials said PWMIS provides critical information on current technologies and best practices, summaries of relevant state and federal regulations, and a decision tree for technological options to deal with produced water issues.
Small, independent U.S. oil and gas producers typically don't have the resources to pursue such information piecemeal, but need the information when they make water management decisions. PWMIS is an easily navigable Web tool consolidating all the required information in one location, officials said.
The Energy Department said the new tool provides a two-for-one solution that could boost domestic energy security, while enhancing the nation's water supply.
The program is available at
web.evs.anl.gov/pwmis/
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
