Western Midstream Starts Second Permian Water Treatment Pilot

A new Texas pilot project is taking oilfield wastewater and turning it into reclaimed freshwater as operators explore alternatives to disposal in the Permian Basin.

(P&GJ) — Western Midstream Partners and a group of industry partners have started operations at a second produced-water treatment pilot facility in the Permian Basin, expanding efforts to convert oilfield wastewater into reclaimed freshwater for potential industrial and agricultural use.

The facility, located near Red Bluff Reservoir in Reeves County, Texas, is a joint project involving Western Midstream, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Devon Energy and ExxonMobil. The site is designed to process approximately 2,000 barrels per day of produced water and generate about 1,000 barrels per day of reclaimed freshwater.

The project builds on a smaller pilot facility launched in 2023 that evaluated produced-water treatment technologies and generated more than 50,000 water quality measurements over a two-year testing period. According to the companies, the new facility is expected to produce roughly 10 times more reclaimed freshwater than the first pilot project.

Western Midstream said the facility will serve as both a treatment site and a demonstration project as the industry evaluates commercial-scale produced-water desalination and reuse opportunities in the Permian Basin. Potential end uses for the treated water include industrial cooling, irrigation and other non-potable applications.

President and CEO Oscar Brown said the project represents another step toward developing alternatives to produced-water disposal while addressing long-term water supply challenges in West Texas.

"We believe beneficial reuse could become an important part of addressing the Permian Basin's water challenges," Brown said.

Western Midstream currently manages approximately 3 million barrels per day of produced water through sourcing, recycling, transportation and disposal systems across the basin.