Improving Sustainability Through the Utilization of Recycled Produced Water for Drilling Operations and the Associated Benefits

Abstract In order to improve the global sustainability benchmarks of the drilling industry, there is a need to adopt more eco-friendly practices that will diminish the adverse environmental impact of drilling operations. Responsible energy development should prioritize environmental protection and sustainable practices, including the drilling fluid system selection. An efficient environmental approach involves the recycling of produced water as a drilling fluid to combat its detrimental disposal requirements as well as reducing the usage of freshwater and potentially carcinogenic oil-based mud in drilling operations. While field data have shown that recycled production water can have superior performance and lower costs, the widespread utilization of produced water has experienced slow adoption due to its unique set of challenges. These challenges include variability in ionic composition, increased corrosion, and scaling potential, along with health and safety considerations, which reduce its overall desirability. These factors are further compounded by a general lack of technical knowledge around water chemistry dynamics, treatment, and system management. There is a need for a "playbook" that demystifies the technical complexities of produced water, thereby bridging a crucial gap in the drilling fluids literature and accelerating the adoption of this lower environmental footprint fluid. This paper presents a comprehensive overview and pragmatic insight into the usage of produced water for drilling operations from real-life case studies in Western Canada. This paper is designed as an aid to understand the associated screening, testing, treatment, and practical pitfalls of using production water as a drilling fluid, which is illustrated with real-life data. The aim is to encourage and accelerate the adoption of production water as a sustainable source of superior drilling fluid systems by more operators and drilling fluid service providers. Consequently, improving the environmental sustainability of the drilling industry.