PRODUCED WATER: PETROLEUM'S QUESTION OR AGRICULTURE'S ANSWER

The balance between water conservation and energy generation is difficult to maintain. Oil and gas (O&G) companies look to dispose of produced water in safe, economical ways, while farmers desperate for water seek plentiful sources to maintain their fields. The solution seems simple—purify the water from O&G operations and deliver it to the farmers for irrigation. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted to date that could provide purification guidelines, risk warnings, or standard methods for how to implement this solution. In addition, multiple barriers to implementation including regulatory, economic, liability, and social license considerations, must be addressed. This presentation contains preliminary data regarding the uptake of compounds in Triticum aestivum (spring wheat) and Helianthus annus (sunflower) irrigated with diluted raw and diluted treated produced water from O&G operations. Differences in plant height, plant color, leaf area, and plant mass will be examined in the plants grown with diluted raw and diluted treated produced water versus the controls grown with tap water. Additional laboratory analysis will be conducted on the plants to detect uptake of salts, metals, and organics. Hormones in the plants will be also analyzed as indicators of plant health.