SW New Mexico News

The Permian Basin Water in Energy Conference recognized the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium for its work in the field of water reuse in the energy industry. The Consortium was awarded the inaugural Pioneering Advancements Award at the conference, which was hosted by the University of Texas Permian Basin in Midland, Texas, on March 6.

A collaborative effort between New Mexico State University (NMSU) and the New Mexico Environment Department, the Consortium was acknowledged for its leadership in water stewardship. "The Consortium was selected to receive the inaugural award by UTPB based on efforts led by New Mexico State University faculty and researchers in developing protocols for the technology testing, chemical analysis, and risk and toxicology evaluations for the fit-for-purpose treatment and reuse of produced water inside and outside the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin," said Mike Hightower, program director of the Consortium, who accepted the award on behalf of NMSU. "The award acknowledged the leadership of New Mexico State University in advancing fresh water and produced water stewardship in the Permian Basin that straddles New Mexico and Texas."

NMSU, a key institution in the study of treated produced water, conducts research under the guidance of research faculty Pei Xu, Yanyan Zhang, Huiyao Wang, and Runwei Li to promote regional water sustainability.

Further information about the Consortium is available at https://nmpwrc.nmsu.edu.