Purification of Oil Field Production Water for Beneficial Use

Abstract

A method for generating new water with attached water rights comprising identifying a source of production water and treating the water in appropriate ways to provide water appropriate for beneficial use such as agriculture, irrigation, industrial or municipal or potable applications. Appropriate permits are obtained to create the new water with attached water rights.

1 . A method for creating new rights for beneficial use of water, said method comprising:
 identifying a production water source;   
     treating a liquid obtained from the production water source that previously was not placed to any beneficial use and had no rights associated with beneficial use; and obtaining a beneficial use right in the production water based on an executed contract for end user beneficial use. 
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining a right from the mineral operator or working mineral interest owner in the production water source. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising conducting a geological investigation to determine the non-tributary or fossil water status of the production water source. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining one or more discharge permits for point source discharges to surface water or shallow ground water. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining approval from a regulatory authority. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the regulatory authority is a state oil and gas commission. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising securing water rights associated with the point source discharge to facilitate beneficial use by augmentation or exchange. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising using the production water directly for beneficial uses. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is treated sufficiently to render the liquid potable. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is treated using a filtration process. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the filtration process comprises ceramic microfiltration. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the treatment further comprises a process selected from the group consisting of: activated carbon treatment; membrane separation by reverse osmosis; ion exchange chromatography; or pH adjustment. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the liquid is subjected to post-filtration treatment. 
   
   
       14 . A method of generating new water with attached water rights, the method comprising:
 obtaining a liquid mineral mixture from a non-tributary source, the liquid having rights attached thereto and owned by a first party;   processing the liquid mineral mixture to yield liquid waste product including at least a water component and a hydrocarbon component;   processing the liquid waste product to separate at least portions of the hydrocarbon component to produce a separated water component having a higher water quality grade than the liquid waste product;   obtaining evidence in a tangible medium of a transfer of rights in the liquid waste product to a second party; and   obtaining evidence in a tangible medium of a conversion of the rights in the liquid waste product to beneficial use rights in the separated water component owned by the second party and based on evidence in a tangible medium of assignment of beneficial use interest in the separated water component to that second party.   
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 removing volatile hydrocarbons, paraffins and asphaltines from the liquid waste product to create pretreated production water; and   subjecting the pretreated production water to filtration using a ceramic microfilter to produce the permeate water for beneficial use,   whereby the removal of the volatile hydrocarbons, paraffins and asphaltines is effective to a sufficient extent to enable the ceramic microfilter to operate continuously except for routine cleaning and backwashing.   
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the removing of volatile hydrocarbons, paraffins and asphaltines includes treating the liquid waste product with a walnut shell filter. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the removing of volatile hydrocarbons paraffins and asphaltines includes aerating the liquid waste product to produce an aerated production water and then treating the aerated production water with a walnut shell filter. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the permeate water is treated with activated charcoal. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the water passing through the activated charcoal is further treated by a process selected from the group consisting of reverse osmosis and ion exchange. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the filtration with a ceramic microfilter is conducted at a pressure of approximately 20 psi to 75 psi. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the filtration using a ceramic microfilter is conducted using a filter constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, alumina, and zirconium having an average pore size of 5 microns to 10 microns. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the filtration using a ceramic microfilter is conducted using a filter having an average pore size of 0.05 microns to 1 micron. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the pH of the production water is adjusted to remove iron by precipitation. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the liquid mineral mixture is further processed to produce a separate mineral component. 
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the non-tributary nature of the water is determined by at least one member of the group consisting of a state engineer and a Water Court. 
   
   
       26 . A method of generating new water with attached beneficial use rights, comprising:
 identifying a source of production water;   conducting a geological investigation for non-tributary water determination;   obtaining a permit allowing beneficial use of the non-tributary production water;   obtaining water user approval for purchase or lease;   securing water rights for a surface water source including an augmentation plan and/or exchange using the non-tributary production water;   designing a production water treatment plant to provide treated production water;   obtaining discharge permits for surface water discharge of the treated production water;   obtaining any approvals from an oil and gas commission;   constructing the production water treatment facility;   treating the production water using the production water treatment facility; and   obtaining a right in the treated production water based on an executed contract or other assignment so that beneficial use rights may be leased or sold.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the processing of production water comprises a step of microfiltration.