Au-TiO2 nanoparticles enabled catalytic treatment of oil and gas produced water in slurry and vacuum membrane distillation systems

• Authors: Chen, L., Xu, P., Zhang, Y., Betts, D., Ghurye, G.L., Wang, H.

• Summary: Au-TiO2-coated ceramic membranes improved distillate flux, removed >99.9% salts and >96% dissolved organic carbon from Permian Basin produced water (~118 g/L salinity). Only 2-butanone and acetone detected in distillates with 70–80% removal.

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Multifunctional photocatalytic membrane distillation for treatment of hypersaline produced water using hydrophobically modified tubular ceramic membranes

• Authors: Chen, L., Xu, P., Musale, D.A., Zhang, Y., R Asfan, Galdeano, C., Ghurye, G.L., Wang, H.

• Summary: Photocatalytic membrane distillation with TiO2 coating reduces fouling, improves distillate quality. UV-LED activation enhanced organic carbon removal from 82.0% to 89.7%, while ammonia and metals removal remained high (99.4% and >99.99%).

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Photocatalytic membrane reactors for produced water treatment and reuse: fundamentals, affecting factors, rational design, and evaluation metrics

• Authors: Chen, L., Wang, H., Xu, P.

• Summary: Reviews the fundamentals of photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs), factors influencing performance, rational design strategies, and evaluation metrics for produced water treatment.

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Solar distillation of highly saline produced water using low-cost and high-performance carbon black and airlaid paper-based evaporator (CAPER)

• Authors: Chen, L., Xu, P., Kota, K., Kuravi, S., Wang, H.

• Summary: CAPER system for Permian Basin produced water is low-cost and robust, achieving high removal of salts, heavy metals, and multiple cations (Ca, Na, Mg, Mn, Ni, Se, Sr, V).

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Biomineralization of hypersaline produced water using microbially induced calcite precipitation

• Authors: Hu, L., Wang, H., Xu, P., Zhang, Y.

• Summary: Demonstrates MICP using ureolytic bacteria to remove Ca²⁺ and toxic contaminants from high-salinity produced water.

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Interplay of the Factors Affecting Water Flux and Salt Rejection in Membrane Distillation: A State-of-the-Art Critical Review

• Authors: Chen, L., Xu, P., Wang, H.

• Summary: Critical review on how membrane characteristics, feed composition, and operating conditions affect water flux, mass transport, heat transfer, and salt rejection in membrane distillation.

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Treatment of Produced Water with Photocatalysis: Recent Advances, Affecting Factors and Future Research Prospects

• Authors: Lu Lin, Wenbing Jiang, Lin Chen, Pei Xu, Huiyao Wang

• Summary: Reviews photocatalysis-based treatment of produced water, discussing influencing factors, efficiency improvements, recent advances, and future research directions.

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Treatment of Produced Water in the Permian Basin for Hydraulic Fracturing: Comparison of Different Coagulation Processes and Innovative Filter Media

• Authors: Alfredo Zendejas Rodriguez, Huiyao Wang, Lei Hu, Yanyan Zhang, Pei Xu

• Summary: Compares chemical coagulation (FeCl₃, Al₂(SO₄)₃) with electrocoagulation for removing suspended contaminants. Also evaluates innovative filter media for refining treated water for reuse in hydraulic fracturing.

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Plant growth, ion dynamics, and microbial communities in soils irrigated with treated produced water for sustainable agriculture

• Authors: Senanayake, P., Zhang, Y., Edirisooriay, E.M.N.T., Lopez, A., Smith, D., Xu, P., Wang, H.

• Summary: Investigates reuse of treated produced water (tPW) at varying salinities on soil, microbes, and alfalfa growth. Moderate salinity (≤1000 mg/L) sustains soil health and enhances forage quality; high salinity (1500 mg/L) causes degradation.

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Economic feasibility of developing alternative water supplies for agricultural irrigation

• Authors: Edirisooriya, E.M.N.T., Wang, H., Banerjee, S., Longley, K., Wright, W., Mizuno, W., Xu, P.

• Summary: Evaluates economic feasibility of nontraditional water sources (municipal wastewater, desalinated brackish water, tPW, seawater) for agriculture. Highlights challenges: cost, energy demand, concentrate disposal, and soil salinity.

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Irrigation of Atriplex species with highly saline produced water for rangelands improvement in southeastern New Mexico

• Authors: Ali, A.B., Armijo, M., Shukla, M.

• Summary: Tests diluted highly saline produced water on Atriplex species. Both species are suitable for reuse of saline produced water for degraded rangelands in SE New Mexico.

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Irrigation with desalinated and raw produced waters: Effects on soil properties, and germination and growth of five forages

• Authors: Ben Ali, A.R., Shukla, M.K., Marsalis, M., Khan, N.

• Summary: Greenhouse study on five perennial cool-season forages irrigated with RO, diluted RAW, RAW, and tap water. Desalinated and diluted produced water could alleviate water demand in arid regions.

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Spatiotemporal Analysis of Produced Water Demand for Fit-For-Purpose Reuse—A Permian Basin, New Mexico Case Study

• Authors: Sabie, R.P., Pillsbury, L., Xu, P.

• Summary: Framework developed for estimating produced water supply and demand for reuse in agriculture, dust suppression, power generation, and river flow augmentation.

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Datasets associated with investigating the potential for beneficial reuse of produced water from oil and gas extraction outside of the energy sector

• Authors: Scanlon, B.R., Reedy, R.C., Xu, P., Engle, M., Nicot, J.P., Yang, Q., Ikonnikova, S.

• Summary: Provides datasets on produced water volumes, county-level water use, and water quality related to oil and gas production.

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Can we Beneficially Reuse Produced Water from Oil and Gas Extraction in the U.S.?

• Authors: Scanlon, B.R., Reedy, R.C., Xu, P., Engle, M., Nicot, J.P., Yang, Q., Ikonnikova, S.

• Summary: Investigates volume and quality of produced water in major U.S. shale plays and potential reuse options (irrigation, municipal, industrial, recharge, hydraulic fracturing).

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Simultaneous Recovery of Ammonium, Potassium and Magnesium from Produced Water by Struvite Precipitation

• Authors: Hu, L., Yu, J., Luo, H., Wang, H., Xu, P., Zhang, Y.

• Summary: Demonstrates recovery of struvite fertilizer from produced water after calcium pretreatment. Recovered struvite is high quality, free of heavy metals and organic contaminants.

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Public Perception of Nontraditional Water Reuse in New Mexico: A Focus on Produced Water from Oil and Gas Production

• Authors: Xuewei Du, Deborah K. Dixon, Jerri Pohl, Louis C. Salazar, Stephen Hightower, Jason G. Herman, Mike Hightower, Pei Xu

• Summary: Investigates public perceptions of nontraditional water reuse, focusing on oil and gas produced water in New Mexico, using survey responses from 657 participants.

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External utilization of oil and gas produced water: Why is the industry hesitant to full-scale implementation?

• Authors: Eyitayo, S.I., Watson, M.C., Kolawole, O., Xu, P., Bruant, R., Henthorne, L.

• Summary: Uses life cycle assessment and cost analysis to explore challenges and hesitancy in the petroleum industry regarding external reuse of produced water. Offers recommendations for long-term environmental sustainability.

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Safe reuse of treated produced water outside oil and gas fields? A review of current practices, challenges, opportunities, and a risk-based pathway for produced water treatment and fit-for-purpose reuse

• Authors: Delanka-Pedige, H.M.K., Zhang, Y., Young, R.B., Wang, H., Hu, L., Danforth, C., Xu, P.

• Summary: Reviews challenges of treated produced water reuse outside oil and gas sectors, including complex chemistry, toxicity data gaps, and regulatory needs. Proposes a holistic pathway for treatment, management, and fit-for-purpose reuse.

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Analysis of regulatory framework for produced water management and reuse in major oil and gas producing regions in the United States

• Authors: Jiang, W., Lin, L., Xu, X., Wang, H., Xu, P.

• Summary: Reviews regulatory frameworks for produced water management and reuse in major U.S. oil and gas regions, including Appalachian Basin, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.

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Produced Water Treatment: Review of Technological Advancement in Hydrocarbon Recovery Processes, Well Stimulation, and Permanent Disposal Wells

• Authors: Eyitayo, S.I., Watson, M.C., Kolawole, O., Xu, P., Bruant, R., Henthorne, L.

• Summary: Details historical development of produced water treatment, disposal practices, and available technologies. Discusses challenges and provides recommendations for integrating emerging technologies into oil and gas operations.

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Comprehensive cytotoxicity assessment of treated produced water from thermal distillation using human cell lines

• Authors: Wijekoon, S., Tarazona, Y., Hightower, M., Wang, H., Xu, P., Zhang, Y.

• Summary: Untreated PW caused cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and estrogenic activity. Thermal distillation reduced toxicity, and subsequent GAC + zeolite post-treatment eliminated residual hormonal and toxic effects.

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A modeling framework for technical, economic, energetic, and environmental assessment of produced water pretreatment from oil and gas industry

• Authors: Lugo, A., Mejia-Saucedo, C., Senanayake, P. S., Stoll, Z., Sitterley, K., Wang, H., Kota, K., Kuravi, S., Fthenakis, V., Kurup, P., Xu, P.

• Summary: Evaluates pretreatment options for high-salinity PW using modeling. Electrocoagulation with activated carbon was most effective, balancing treatment efficiency with environmental and waste considerations.

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Non-targeted analysis and toxicity prediction for evaluation of photocatalytic membrane distillation removing organic contaminants from hypersaline oil and gas field-produced water

• Authors: Delanka-Pedige, H.M.K., Young, R.B., Abutokaikah, M.T., Chen, L., Wang, H., Imihamillage, K.A.B.I., Thimons, S., Jahne, M.A., Williams, A.J., Zhang, Y., Xu, P.

• Summary: Evaluated PMD with/without UV light vs standard VMD. Non-targeted chemical analysis and toxicity prediction effectively assessed treatment efficiency and potential public health/environmental impacts.

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Treatment of produced water from the Permian Basin: Chemical and toxicological characterization of the effluent from a pilot-scale low-temperature distillation system

• Authors: Tarazona, Y., Hightower, M., Xu, P., Zhang, Y.

• Summary: Low-temperature thermal distillation reduced salinity, major ions, heavy metals, ammonia, and organics, but residual compounds caused toxicity, highlighting the need for additional polishing steps.

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Benchmarking produced water treatment strategies for non-toxic effluents: Integrating thermal distillation with granular activated carbon and zeolite post-treatment

• Authors: Tarazona, Y., Wang, H. B., Hightower, M., Xu, P., Zhang, Y.

• Summary: Combining low-temp thermal distillation with GAC and zeolite post-treatment reduced contaminants to below detection limits, achieving non-toxic effluents suitable for reuse and discharge.

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Characterization of Produced Water and Surrounding Surface Water in the Permian Basin, the United States

• Authors: Jiang, W., Xu, X., Hall, R., Zhang, Y., Carroll, K.C., Ramos, F., Engle, M.A., Lin, L., Wang, H., Sayer, M., Xu, P.

• Summary: Quantitative analysis of 300+ organics, inorganics, and radionuclides in PW and Pecos River surface water, providing baseline data to inform PW reuse and decision-making.

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Toxicological characterization of produced water from the Permian Basin

• Authors: Hu, L., Jiang, W., Xu, X., Wang, H., Carroll, K.C., Xu, P., Zhang, Y.

• Summary: In vitro toxicity assessment using aquatic microorganisms identified high salinity, organics, metals, and ammonia as major toxicity drivers needing removal for safe reuse.

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Occurrence and behavior of uranium and thorium series radionuclides in the Permian shale hydraulic fracturing wastes

• Authors: Thakur, P., Ward, A.L., Schaub, T.M.

• Summary: Detected ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra, dissolved salts, divalent cations, and high TDS in hydraulic fracturing wastes, highlighting radiological risks in PW handling.

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A Critical Review of Analytical Methods for Comprehensive Characterization of Produced Water

• Authors: Jiang, W., Lin, L., Xu. X., Cheng, X., Zhang, Y., Hall, R., Xu, P.

• Summary: Reviews analytical techniques for PW characterization including field sampling, sample preservation, pretreatment, and analysis of organic, inorganic, radioactive, and biological components.

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A modeling framework for technical, economic, energetic, and environmental assessment of produced water pretreatment from oil and gas industry

• Authors: Lugo, A., Mejía-Saucedo, C., Senanayake, P., Stoll, Z., Sitterley, K., Wang, H., Kota, K., Kuravi, K., Fthenakis, V., Kurup, P., Xu, P.

• Summary: Modeled pretreatment technologies (chemical softening, coagulation, electrocoagulation, GAC) for cost, energy, and CO₂ emissions. EC+GAC was optimal for high-salinity PW from the Permian Basin, supporting minimal- or zero-liquid discharge.

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Produced Water-Economic, Socio, Environmental Simulation Model (PW-ESEim) Model: Proof-of-Concept for Southeastern New Mexico

• Authors: Tidwell, V., Gunda, T., Caballero, M., Xu, P., Xu, X., Bernknopf, R., Broadbent, C., Malczynski, L.A., Jacobson, J.

• Summary: Developed PW-ESESim, a GUI-based tool for comparing PW sources, treatment, and reuse strategies. Supports evaluation of health, safety, economic benefits, and risk.

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Analysis and Prediction of Produced Water Quantity and Quality in the Permian Basin using Machine Learning Techniques

• Authors: Jiang, W., Pokharel, B., Lin, L., Cao, H., Carroll, K.C., Zhang, Y., Galdeano, C., Musale, D.A., Ghurye, G.L., Xu, P.

• Summary: Applied machine learning to historical PW data from New Mexico Permian Basin to predict PW quantity and quality across different well types.

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Novel systematic approach for produced water volume quantification applicable for beneficial reuse

• Authors: Eyitayo, S.I., Watson, M.C., Kolawole, O., Xu, P., Lawal, K.A., Wigwee, M.E., Alberto, G.

• Summary: Used decline-curve analysis, type-curves, and historical production data to develop a robust method for PW volume quantification and prediction at basin level; applied to Permian Basin.

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Produced Water Quality Spatial Variability and Alternative-Source Water Analysis Applied to the Permian Basin, USA

• Authors: Chaudhary, B., Sabie, R., Engle, M., Xu, P., Willman, S., Carroll, K.

• Summary: Statistically and geostatistically evaluated geochemical variability of PW from Guadalupian to Ordovician formations in western Permian Basin using USGS databases.

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iDST: An integrated decision support tool for treatment and beneficial use of non-traditional water supplies – Part I

• Authors: Geza, M., Ma, G., Kim, H., Cath, T.Y., Xu, P.

• Summary: VBA-based decision support tool to select treatment technology combinations for various alternative water sources and reuse options (potable, irrigation, discharge, power cooling).

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iDST: An integrated decision support tool for treatment and beneficial use of non-traditional water supplies – Part II

• Authors: Ma, G., Geza, M., Cath, T.Y., Drewes, J.E., Xu, P.

• Summary: Extended iDST application for PW from Marcellus Shale (PA) and Barnett Shale (TX), guiding selection of treatment technologies and reuse strategies.

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