SW New Mexico News

Water is a crucial resource, especially in arid regions like New Mexico, where fluctuations in freshwater supply pose significant challenges. The state's freshwater resources are projected to decline by 25% over the coming decades, according to New Mexico’s Office of the State Engineer and the Interstate Stream Commission. To address this issue, conservation efforts and the development of new water sources are essential.

One potential solution is treated produced water—water cleaned of natural substances such as salts, minerals, organics, and chemicals from oil and gas production. This resource could reduce freshwater usage for industrial purposes and conserve limited supplies. In 2023 alone, New Mexico's oil and gas industry generated 184,000 acre-feet of produced water.

ConocoPhillips has been supporting research on treated produced water for years. Recently, they contributed $100,000 to New Mexico State University (NMSU) to aid research on toxicity monitoring and cell viability assessment related to this water treatment process.

NMSU hosts the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium and leads studies on treated produced water under faculty members Pei Xu, Yanyan Zhang, Huiyao Wang, and Runwei Li. Their work aims to support regional water sustainability through scientific research.

“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,” said ConocoPhillips Delaware Basin Vice President Aaron Hunter.

Pei Xu added: “As both a New Mexican and a lead scientist in this space, I am dedicated to finding fit-for-purpose solutions to water challenges. 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.”