Innovative water solutions: Oklahoma researchers turn dirty water into a clean opportunity
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Media Contact: Sophia Fahleson | Digital Communications Specialist | 405-744-7063 | sophia.fahleson@okstate.edu
In Oklahoma, the largest byproduct of oil and gas production is produced water. However, through innovative research, Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Water Resources Center teams are working to develop methods to clean the produced water for industrial, agricultural and other uses.
“When we produce oil and gas, water comes out with that because it’s naturally present in the formations,” said Prem Bikkina, associate professor of chemical engineering in the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.
“But when I say water, I mean it’s not drinkable,” he said. “It’s dirty, and loaded with dissolved salts, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and sometimes radioactive materials.”
A common misconception is that produced water is the same product as fracking fluid, said Kevin Wagner, OWRC director.
“That’s a small part of it, but the water produced day in and day out during oil and gas production is where most of the produced water is generated,” Wagner said.
For every barrel of oil produced, up to 10 barrels of produced water are generated, according to the OWRC, which is housed in OSU Agriculture.
“That’s a huge volume,” Bikkina said. “Produced water is the largest liquid waste stream in the United States, far surpassing other hazardous liquid wastes.”
Treated as a waste product, the produced water is often reinjected, evaporated or discharged, Wagner said.
“Injecting produced water back into deep formations has been our go-to method,” Wagner said. “But, when you inject too much too quickly, it can lead to seismic activity, which is part of the reason we’re exploring other options.”
The OSU-produced water research team includes faculty members from multiple departments who are working in different areas, such as water treatment and resources.
“We’re not just looking at one solution,” Bikkina said. “We’re examining everything from extracting valuable metals to treating the water so it can be used in agriculture.”
The research accelerated after seismic events in parts of Oklahoma were linked to rapid water injection, Wagner said.
“When we saw the link between injection rates and seismicity, it was a wake-up call,” Wagner said. “We had to develop treatment methods that could make the waste something beneficial.”
The treatment process OSU researchers are trying to develop involves a multi-stage approach.
“The first step is to remove the oil and hydrocarbons,” Wagner said. “Pretreatment is essential before we move to desalination.”
Produced water contains as much as 10 times the amount of salt as seawater has in it, according to the Hydro Science Journal.
“This extra salt makes desalination harder, requiring lots of energy and effort,” Wagner said.
“Traditional desalination methods like reverse osmosis work, but they consume a lot of energy,” Wagner added. “We’re exploring solar thermal distillation. Basically, we use solar energy to boil the water, capture the steam – which is free of salts – and then condense it.
“It’s an energy-saving approach that could be a game changer,” he added.
Raw-produced water contains hundreds of different chemicals, said Babu Fathepure, professor of microbiology and molecular genetics in the OSU College of Arts and Sciences.
“Some of these chemicals are toxic, and they make the water very difficult to treat,” Fathepure said. “That’s why we’re looking at biological solutions.”
Microbes, tiny organisms that can break down pollutants, could play a major role in making produced water safer, Fathepure added.
“Certain bacteria have adapted to survive in high salt environments,” Fathepure said. “These microbes can eat hydrocarbons, the same pollutants that make produced water hazardous. They can clean the water by feeding on the contaminants.”
Fathepure’s team is testing different microbial strains to determine those most effective in treating various types of produced water, he said.
“Not all produced water is the same,” he said. “Some has more hydrocarbons. Some has different heavy metals. We’re trying to find the right bacteria that can work across different water samples.”
Beyond cleaning the water, the microbes could help extract valuable materials, Fathepure added.
Some bacteria can absorb rare elements like lithium, Fathepure said. Researchers could use those processes to clean the water and recover valuable resources at the same time, he added.
“If we can develop cost-effective extraction methods, we can add value to the process,” Wagner said. “Instead of just treating water, we could mine it for materials such as lithium and lanthanum that are in high demand for electronics and batteries.”
Funding for the produced water research comes from multiple sources.
“We’re fortunate to have several channels of support,” Wagner said.
The produced water project receives funding from the Oklahoma National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
The research team also received seed grants from the Oklahoma Center for Advancement of Science and Technology as well as support from federal agencies like the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Reclamation.
“Our work initially started with internal funding from OSU, and as we demonstrated our results, more grants followed,” Wagner added. “It’s a collaborative effort across many agencies.”
Other potential benefits of treating produced water extend to helping address Oklahoma’s water scarcity.
“Drought is a constant problem here,” Bikkina said. “Even if we can’t make the produced water drinkable, we can treat it enough for nonpotable uses like irrigating crops that aren’t for consumption or even watering lawns in areas facing water shortages.
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” Bikkina added. “We’re dealing with a product with huge environmental implications. By rethinking how we treat produced water, we’re aiming to create a resource to help our communities, especially during drought.”
Public perception of produced water usage is still a hurdle, Wagner said.
“That’s why our focus right now is on safe, economically viable, nonpotable applications,” Bikkina said.
But, in general, people are open to using treated produced water for industrial purposes or irrigation, Wagner said.
“There’s a lot of hesitation about using treated produced water for drinking water,” Wagner said. “We’re not claiming to have all the answers. But, every day, we’re learning more about how to make this process efficient and cost-effective. It’s an exciting time for research, and we’re eager to see where it leads.”
Story by Sidney Whitney | Cowboy Journal