We have some great news to report on this auspicious day in 2021!
We’ve long maintained “transparency” would be a great equalizer. We’ve predicted a dramatic increase in recycling when New Mexico Operator Water Use reports for Completions made it into the public domain, and that is exactly what is happening. (Keep in minds the data is incomplete; not all operators have reported in yet, and more recent periods are always data-short.)
But we can offer the following report card, based on those operators who have reported thus far, which totals just under 150 million barrels in completion fluid injected between October 2020 and March 2021. Operators represented in these figures are as shown.
What’s impressive is how quickly we have rallied. We managed to get back to work, come out of Covid, adapt to new regulations, and by our tabulations, more than double our recycling volumes in a relatively few short months. Keep in mind, the last time we industry consultants’ estimated water recycling – most of us put it at 12-20% of total completion volumes in New Mexico.
The data tells a more compelling story today; for those operators who have reported back, we are showing an impressive average of 55% Produced Water Recycling across the first six months of reporting – more than doubling of prior recycling volumes.
It is possible these early reporting operators are more likely to be recycling, (so more data may be a little more sobering), but we think this is an excellent start for our industry in doing what’s “right” in 2021!
Stay tuned for more updates with EnergyMakers Advisory Group Industry Reports!
