Profitable Waters: Bridging Financial Success with Environmental Stewardship

In the Energy industry, including oil and gas, produced water is a by-product of the oil and natural gas production. The volumes of produced water generated annually is estimated in excess of twenty billion barrels. The produced water in its natural state is a non-revenue generator for operators. Thus far the primary means of disposal (approximately 40%) has been via sending the produced water down designated injection wells. This methodology has potentially been linked to seismic activity and other environmental issues. So overall, the problem is the produced water is a huge resource that could potentially be used in numerous re-use areas which would in turn eliminate the environmentally related issues and drive additional revenue for operators. Our initiative addresses the complexities of Produced Water (PW) management by introducing Sotaog Pareto++, a cutting-edge platform powered by AI and ML. This system autonomously determines the composition of PW and intelligently aligns it with suitable reuse opportunities, incorporating cost and revenue models. This approach not only redefines PW as a vital resource but also supports objectives in environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, showcasing the potential of technology to transform waste into wealth Phase I is set to lay the groundwork for Sotaog Pareto++ by developing cost models, establishing a database for reuse opportunities, and creating an AI recommendation engine. This phase will feature a collaboration with New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium (NMPWRC) for expertise and data pooling. Crucially, we've secured participation from an active oil and gas operator managing over 400,000 gallons of PW daily, demonstrating the industry's interest in our novel approach to transforming PW disposal into a revenue-generating activity. Beyond Phase I, Sotaog Pareto++ has the potential to redefine PW management across the oil and gas sector, promoting environmental stewardship and introducing new revenue models through water reuse in agriculture, industrial processes, and more. This aligns with DOE objectives for sustainable resource use, offering scalable benefits to water-scarce regions and contributing to a circular economy.