News in brief

A roundup of the main developments regarding water in the oil & gas industry for October 26-November 8
Canadian infrastructure investment firm InstarAGF Asset Management entered the water space by acquiring the US’ Oilfield Water Logistics (OWL) from private equity backer Natural Gas Partners. OWL provides produced water gathering, disposal and recycling services to oil & gas operators in both the Texan and New Mexican sides of the Permian Basin, as well as in the states of Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.
 
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and its partner Bauer Nimr were granted the Award for Excellence in Climate Action at the Qatar Sustainability Summit 2019 for their Nimr water treatment plant. The facility has a capacity to treat more than 1.1 million bbl/d of produced water with hydrocyclones and natural microbial processes in a constructed wetlands environment. The facility has reduced PDO’s energy intensity and carbon dioxide emissions.
 
Following the closing of a financing deal with Macquarie Capital for pipeline construction, Palisade Pipeline signed a water offtake agreement with the city of Lubbock, Texas. Palisade will receive up to 6 million gal/d of non-potable water from the Southeast Water Reclamation Plant, which it will transport to oil & gas producers in the Permian Basin.
 
Water management company Bosque Systems received the Hearst Energy Award for Technology for its Well Shock process, which combines acidization and pressure pumping with the company’s Dionix technology to restimulate wells or improve injectivity. Well Shock can be applied to hydrocarbons production, injection and saltwater disposal wells (SWDs).
 
A new study by Colorado State University researchers has placed a spotlight on the impacts of plant irrigation with treated produced water. The study, led by biogeochemist Thomas Borch of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, found that wheat crops irrigated with the water had depressed immune systems which may leave them susceptible to disease.
 
NGL Energy Partners finalized a $600 million acquisition of Hillstone Environmental from Golden Gate Capital. Following the integration of Hillstone’s assets, NGL’s Delaware Basin water midstream network includes 112 injection wells at 58 facilities with a total of 2.8 million bbl/d of disposal capacity. Additionally, the company’s pipeline network has expanded to 380 miles.
 
The administration of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed a moratorium on new hydraulic fracturing activity in the country based on a report by the Oil and Gas Authority that says the magnitude of fracking-related quakes is impossible to predict. The report was spurred by seismic activity linked to Cuadrilla Resources’ fracking activity in Lancashire. The operator said it would work to gather new data to dispel concerns and overturn the ban.
 
Water services provider Gravity has acquired fellow firm On Point Oilfield Holdings from White Deer Energy for an undisclosed amount. The deal includes active SWDs and permits, expanding Gravity’s permitted Midland Basin disposal capacity to more than 1 million bbl/d.