The Challenge
Large volumes of produced water are generated daily from oil and gas operations, making responsible water management increasingly crucial, especially with the continued growth of fracking activities.
While producers are seeking produced water reuse solutions to meet environmental regulations, recover value, and reduce costs, the Middle East faces unique challenges in this endeavor. The region contends with extremely high salinity levels requiring expensive treatment, complex contaminants including heavy metals and NORM, and harsh climate conditions that impact treatment processes. These challenges are further compounded by high energy costs, limited water management infrastructure, strict regulations, and public acceptance concerns. The combination of these technical, economic, and social factors makes the implementation of produced water reuse particularly challenging in the Middle East region, despite its potential benefits for water conservation and environmental protection.
Solutions
Having an experienced water management partner is crucial for successful produced water reuse applications in the oil and gas industry.
Through advanced technologies like ShaleFlow™ and Ross™, along with 24/7 operational support and maintenance services, companies can effectively minimize operational costs and lease operating expenses while ensuring reliable water management. These patented processes provide cost-effective solutions specifically designed to handle the diverse water compositions and geographical challenges across the MENA region. By partnering with experienced water management providers, producers can optimize their water reuse strategies, ensuring both environmental compliance and operational efficiency while benefiting from proven expertise and technological solutions tailored to the Middle East's unique conditions.
Advanced Treatment Technologies
Advanced treatment technologies offer a vital solution for producing water reuse in the Middle East through a multi-stage approach.
The process combines membrane filtration for removing suspended solids and oil particles, reverse osmosis for eliminating dissolved solids, and thermal desalination systems specifically designed to handle the region's high-salinity waters. While these systems require significant initial investment, they effectively deliver consistent water quality, meet regulatory standards, and provide sustainable long-term solutions for water reuse in the region's challenging environment.
Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)
Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) facilities are advanced water treatment systems that eliminate liquid waste discharge by converting wastewater into clean water for reuse and solid waste for disposal.
These facilities employ multiple treatment stages including filtration, reverse osmosis, and evaporation, recovering up to 95% of wastewater while minimizing environmental impact and reducing freshwater consumption. While requiring high initial investment, ZLD systems offer long-term benefits through regulatory compliance, valuable mineral recovery, and reduced operational costs.
ShaleFlow technology
ShaleFlow technology is an advanced water treatment solution for produced water in oil and gas operations.
It operates through primary separation, chemical treatment, and filtration to remove contaminants, oils, and suspended solids. The system's modular design and automated controls enable efficient treatment of high-TDS produced water, making it suitable for reuse in hydraulic fracturing. Its flexible design allows customization to meet specific water quality requirements.
Ross™ Technology
Ross™ technology is a specialized water treatment system designed for handling produced water in oil and gas operations.
It employs a unique combination of chemical treatment and advanced separation processes to remove contaminants, hydrocarbons, and suspended solids. The system features innovative flotation technology and automated controls for optimal performance. Its robust design can handle varying water qualities and flow rates, making it particularly effective for treating complex produced water streams while ensuring consistent output quality for reuse applications.
Produced water reuse features comprehensive treatment systems designed to handle complex water compositions.
Key features include multi-stage filtration systems, advanced chemical treatment processes, and sophisticated monitoring equipment for real-time quality control. The systems typically incorporate automated controls, remote monitoring capabilities, and scalable designs to accommodate varying flow rates. Essential components include oil-water separation units, suspended solids removal systems, dissolved solids treatment, and disinfection processes.
Additional features often include data analytics for performance optimization, mobile treatment units for flexibility, and integrated waste management systems. The technology also emphasizes energy efficiency, minimal chemical usage, and robust safety measures to ensure reliable operation in challenging environments while meeting strict regulatory requirements for water quality standards.
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Daily produced water volume exceedsmillion barrels across the region
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Benefits & Value Proposition
Freshwater Conservation
Veolia enables significant reduction in freshwater usage by treating and recycling produced water. This conserves vital resources, reduces water acquisition costs, and helps operators meet environmental regulations, especially in arid regions where water scarcity is a major concern.
Cost-Effective Wastewater Reduction
Reusing produced water minimizes wastewater disposal volumes, lowering transportation and deep well injection costs. Veolia’s solutions help reduce environmental liabilities while improving economic efficiency, supporting a more sustainable and cost-effective approach to managing oilfield water challenges.
Reliable, Continuous Operation
Veolia’s advanced systems ensure stable performance under varying conditions, delivering consistently treated water for reuse. This operational reliability supports uninterrupted production, reduces maintenance-related downtime, and ensures compliance with stringent water quality and discharge regulations.
Maintenance Performance
Veolia guarantees maintenance performance in produced water reuse through scheduled preventive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and rapid response protocols, supported by expert technical teams, comprehensive spare parts inventory, and continuous staff training to ensure optimal system reliability.
🇨🇦 Canada | Northern Alberta Oil Sands (Central Process Facility)
Veolia engineered and commissioned a modular produced water system (de‐oiling → ultrafiltration → ion-exchange → reverse osmosis → evaporation/crystallization) for a major oil sands site in northern Alberta. Commissioned in 2012, it achieves >98% water recycle, treats ~5,600 m³/day, tolerates high hardness and oil spikes, and uses crystallization to cut solid waste by 50%.
🇺🇸 USA | Arroyo Grande & San Ardo, California (OPUS® Deployment)
At two California oil fields, Veolia installed its OPUS® process to treat up to ~150,000 barrels/day of produced water. One facility—first-ever OPUS® deployment—reuses ~75,000 bbl/d for steam and discharges ~50,000 bbl/d to surface/aquifer, reducing injection volumes, supporting sustainability and performance guarantees (>98% uptime).
🇺🇸 USA | Chevron San Ardo Oil Field, SoCal (Engineer‑Procure & O&M)
Since 2008, Veolia has designed, built, and operated Chevron’s San Ardo facility. It treats ~150,000 bbl/d of produced water using OPUS®, delivering 75,000 bbl/d for steam and 50,000 bbl/d for aquifer recharge. The performance‐guaranteed contract includes on‑site operational support, enabling sustainable water reuse and expanded production.
ShaleFlow™ | Mobile Treatment System
Veolia’s ShaleFlow™ is a modular, truck‑deployable system designed for shale operations. Capable of treating up to 10,000 bbl/day of flowback and produced water, it delivers >98% recovery with zero liquid discharge. The system features transportable modules, filter press solids dewatering, and O&M with uptime guarantees, reducing fresh water demand and disposal costs in hydraulic fracturing contexts
Case studies
Discover the experiences of different players
