Technological advances have revolutionized shale production across North America. Operations utilizing hydraulic fracturing have the potential to consume significantly more water than conventional oil field operations. Water management costs may account for 10% or more of a well’s operating expense, leaving the industry vulnerable to escalating and variable costs in a time of slim profit margins. Operations seek guidance to screen and short-list fit-for purpose water treatment solutions. The access to various competing and emerging water treatment technologies add to the technology chaos and is an industrywide challenge. This paper presents one company’s approach for shale water management to screen sustainable water treatment technologies to meet site-specific water treatment needs. The approach is developed to (1) identify costeffective, efficient, reliable and sustainable operations (2) reduce freshwater consumption and (3) sustain and enhance credibility as a socially responsible operator. The company has developed an innovative technology screening tool to identify and assess fit-for-purpose sustainable water treatment technology solutions for unconventional water management. The tool screens for technology solutions to achieve a triple bottom line addressing social, economic, and technical considerations. This paper will provide operators a systematic and objective way for developing water management strategy for unconventional resources development enabling reuse and reducing fresh water consumption.
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