Water produced during oil and gas extraction operations constitutes the industry’s
most important waste stream on the basis of volume. The oil and gas industry produces
approximately 14 billion bbls of water annually [1, 2]. The water varies greatly in quality
and quantity and in some cases the water can be a useful by-product or even a salable
commodity. Produced water is most often considered a waste, but the industry is
beginning to consider this material as a potential profit stream. Whether waste or
commodity, produced water has management costs that need to be kept in-line with each
specific production project and region or it could adversely affect the life of the well,
thereby leaving substantial recoverable reserves in the ground. Produced water handling
practices must also be environmentally protective or the operator could face regulatory
action. Produced water handling methodology depends on the composition of produced
water, location, quantity and the availability of resources.