The proposed reuse of an oil and gas production byproduct is facing opposition from environmental advocates who caution that there is simply no way to properly decontaminate it. The byproduct known as produced water is generated during the extraction process, as a majority of rocks containing fossil fuels also contain water. The quality of that water varies dependent on the rock formation itself, the means of extracting oil and gas, and many other factors. Though the U.S. Geological Survey has conducted studies on produced waters, there remains a major gap in research.
It’s nearly impossible to properly treat produced waters—which are often high in salinity and can contain dangerous chemicals like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene in addition to fracking fluids—without knowing exactly what’s in them from extraction location to extraction location, though the Department of Energy believes most produced water is safe for “for fire control, power generation, vehicle and equipment washing, and even non-edible crop irrigation.” Not so, insist activists who protested along the Rio Grande recently.
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“It’s no secret that the industry’s strategy is to relabel their waste,” WildEarth Guardians director Rebecca Sobel told Source New Mexico. “so that they can more cheaply dump it into rivers, onto crops and into drinking water supplies.” The demonstration Sobel and others participated in coincided with last week’s New Water for New Mexico conference held at the Sandia Resort and Casino in Albuquerque.
The conference was hosted by the 501(c)6 nonprofit New Mexico Desalination Association, which has faced its own controversies in the past due to State Engineer John D’Antonio serving on New Mexico Desalination Association’s board of directors. As state engineer, D’Antonio is responsible for overseeing New Mexico’s water resources. His position on the nonprofit board undoubtedly presents a conflict of interest. Given that information, environmental groups were understandably skeptical of what went on at the New Water for New Mexico conference.
Someone in the water contamination industry insisted to Source New Mexico that produced water could be treated and safely used, though she conceded that much of those waters initially contain deadly chemicals. According to the New Mexico Environment Department, up to seven times more produced water is generated from onshore activity than oil and gas. While all that water “going to waste” sounds bad on its own, its existence should make clear the fact there is no environmentally friendly way to make the most out of the fossil fuel industry.
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