The Beneficial-Use Water Alliance announces its formation as a resource to facilitate creation of beneficial-use water from the energy community’s by-product water.
Oil and natural gas wells produce water, which can’t be used for anything when it originally comes from the well. Typical methods to handle the water is to dispose of it by injecting into the ground or by letting it evaporate in large ponds, with some being re-purposed for fracking. The Beneficial-Use Water Alliance (BUWA) has been formed to help bring all the stakeholders together in order to take the water and put it to good use.
The solution BUWA insists, is not just new technology, but rather, an urgent need for a new methodology.
The heart of BUWA is that, unlike initiatives of the past, there are not good guys and bad guys wrestling for profits, but rather diverse groups with different interests and goals that can come together for a common goal.
“Look, no matter what side of the political aisle you sit, we can all see that the E&P’s keep this country independent of foreign oil, which strengthens all of us. The landowners, farmers, and ranchers are the unsung heroes, toiling to feed this entire nation. Most states struggle with providing costly services without raising taxes. BUWA is simply saying, let’s put the people together to take something we’re already throwing away and turn it into beneficial-use. This protects a vital natural resource. This is good for everyone,” says Jeff Holder, executive director of BUWA.
BUWA’s vision is to connect landowners, farmers and ranchers, the E&P’s who bear the responsibility of disposing of the produced water, and the individual states who often own significant amounts of land where oil rigs, crops, and livestock sit side by side.
“There’s usually a ‘gotcha’ when it comes to a new program or system of doing things. Often it costs more money for industries already with thin margins. However, the only ‘gotcha’ in turning throw-away water to beneficial-use water is that we must change our minds about it. If done correctly, it won’t cost anyone more money and for some, it will actually be an increase in revenue. But we have to do a hard thing – think about the problem of produced water differently. And then take action. That’s what BUWA is all about,” notes Holder.
For more information or to join this initiative, visit BeneficialUseWaterAlliance.com.