45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

REQUESTING THE STATE ENGINEER, THE OIL CONSERVATION DIVISION, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT TO STUDY THE ISSUE OF TREATING WATER PRODUCED FROM ENERGY DEVELOPMENT FOR RECYCLING.

WHEREAS, the energy development industry generates

tens of thousands of acre-feet of "produced water" annually; and

WHEREAS, the level of hydrocarbon contamination found in produced water can be treated inexpensively with some new technologies; and

WHEREAS, energy developers currently reinject produced water and reclaimed water into the saltwater zone and use other disposal methods, effectively rendering it unusable; and

WHEREAS, the quality of some produced water prior to reinjection has less salt than the Pecos river; and

WHEREAS, experiments in processing produced water for reuse have resulted in water clean enough for industrial and agricultural use; and

WHEREAS, demands for New Mexico water and the increasing scarcity of suitable water for beneficial uses compels us to avoid waste and optimize the efficiency of our exploitation of water;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state engineer, the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department, representatives of the oil and gas industry and the department of environment be requested to jointly study the issues raised by the potential for treating produced water so that it may be put to beneficial use and report their findings and recommendations for legislation to the appropriate legislative committee by December 1, 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the state engineer and the director of the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department.