Modern Pumping Today December 2024 - 16

WATER & WASTEWATER FOCUS
BETTER DESIGN,
BETTER RESULTS
Using electromagnetic flowmeters for better management of
produced water: Part 1 of 2
BY RON GARCIA, KROHNE
T
he oil and gas industry
is increasingly relying on
electromagnetic flowmeters,
commonly known as magmeters, as
a crucial tool to address the evergrowing
challenges of managing
produced water-the water that is
brought to the surface during oil and
gas extraction operations. Not only
is the volume of produced water
surging, but at the same time, the
industry faces mounting constraints
on its use and disposal.
These growing financial and
environmental pressures have
heightened the importance of
accurate and reliable measurement
of produced water flow at every
stage-from extraction and
separation to transportation,
treatment, and eventual re-use or
disposal. Consequently, the industry
is transitioning from conventional
mechanical meters to intelligent
electromagnetic flowmeters,
enabling more efficient and effective
management of produced water.
SURGING VOLUME OF
PRODUCED WATER
The dramatic growth in the volume
of produced water in North America
follows the overall expansion of oil
and gas extraction activities. As
global energy demands intensify, the
industry continuously seeks out new
reserves and employs methods to tap
into previously inaccessible oil and
gas fields.
Extraction methods now include
the exploitation of unconventional
reserves such as shale formations,
16 | DECEMBER 2024
which often involve hydraulic
fracturing or fracking. This process
requires large volumes of water to
fracture the shale rock and release
hydrocarbons, leading to a significant
increase in the quantity of water
that needs to be managed after the
extraction process.
Another important factor
contributing to the rise is that
as fields mature, more water is
produced for each volume of oil or
gas extracted.
MPT
CHANGING PERSPECTIVES
Previously considered an
inconvenient byproduct, produced
water has begun to be recognized
as a critical component of the
industry's operations. This evolving
view of produced water in part
reflects a broader shift toward
a more sustainable and circular
economy approach within the oil and
gas industry.
Advances in technology enable
more effective treatment and use
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Modern Pumping Today December 2024

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