(DENVER) -The Colorado Produced Water Consortium, an initiative within the Department of Natural Resources, released its first legislative deliverable, the Initial Guidance Documents and Case Studies to Promote Best Practices for In-field Recycling and Reuse of Produced Water Report.
“I am proud to see the collaborative work of the newly developed Colorado Produced Water Consortium begin to bear fruit with the development of the Initial Guidance Documents and Case Studies to Promote Best Practices for In-Field Recycling and Reuse of Produced Water Report. The engagement, diversity of views, and expertise of the whole of the Consortium was utilized in the development of this report, which will continue to evolve as more technology, case studies, and research are incorporated in the future as we continue to implement HB23-1242 and explore ways to reduce the amount of freshwater used and increase the amount of reuse and recycling of produced water used in oil and gas operations across the state,” said Consortium Chair John Messner.
The Consortium collaboratively developed this synthesis report by identifying and reviewing over 130 research journal articles, best practices, and case studies. Key themes that promote best practices for in-field recycling and reuse of produced water throughout the state emerged from the review and will be used to inform the Consortium’s future recommendations. Given the ongoing and evolving nature of produced water research, the library of references is expected to grow over time.
“I congratulate the Consortium in submitting their first deliverable to the Colorado legislature and for working hard to bring together the expertise of a diverse set of stakeholders," said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources. “This first report builds the expertise of Colorado’s policy makers and the public on produced water. I look forward to the Consortium’s continued work to inform produced water policy.”
The Colorado Produced Water Consortium was established in the Department of Natural Resources by HB23-1242 to help reduce the consumption of freshwater within oil and gas operations. The Consortium's responsibilities also include making recommendations towards developing an informed path for reuse and recycling of produced water inside and potentially outside of oil and gas operations within the state and identifying measures to address barriers associated with the use of produced water.
The Consortium consists of 31 members representing state and federal agencies, research institutions, environmental groups, industry, local governments, environmental justice groups, and disproportionately impacted communities.
The full report is available online: Initial Guidance Documents and Case Studies to Promote Best Practices for In-field Recycling and Reuse of Produced Water Report.
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