Water is an essential resource and must be safeguarded and conserved. As one of the driest states in the United States, New Mexico experiences significant fluctuations in its freshwater supply. According to New Mexico’s Office of the State Engineer and the Interstate Stream Commission, the state’s freshwater supply is expected to decline by 25% over the coming decades. It is imperative that the state continues to conserve water, enhance efficiency and develop new water sources for future sustainability. 

Treated produced water – water cleaned to remove natural substances like salts, minerals, organics, and other chemicals introduced during oil and gas production – is seen by experts as a valuable resource that could help reduce freshwater usage for industrial and commercial purposes and conserve New Mexico’s limited freshwater resources. In 2023, New Mexico’s oil and gas industry generated 184,000 acre-feet of produced water, which could support fit-for-purpose applications across the state.

For years, ConocoPhillips has been involved with academic and research institutions to support research and technology development for treatment and appropriate reuse of treated produced water. ConocoPhillips recently contributed $100,000 to New Mexico State University to support this essential work. Funding will directly support research and testing related to toxicity monitoring and cell viability assessment of treated produced water. 

NMSU is a leading institution for the study and research of treated produced water as host to the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium. Led by research faculty Pei Xu, Yanyan Zhang, Huiyao Wang and Runwei Li, NMSU continues to conduct scientifically based research to support and foster regional water sustainability.

“Continuing to fund high-quality, scientific research for treated produced water will be instrumental in developing this critical resource for the state of New Mexico,” ConocoPhillips Delaware Basin Vice President Aaron Hunter said. 

“As both a New Mexican and a lead scientist in this space, I am dedicated to finding fit-for-purpose solutions to water challenges,” Xu said. “Our state has a unique opportunity as a leader in this space, and we must continue to extensively collaborate to develop water resources in a safe, sustainable way.”