Water Infrastructure Analysis 

and Optimization"

Ken Carlson

Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Colorado State University

Stephen Goodwin

PhD Candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Colorado State University

David Ellerbroek

VP, Upstream Oil and Gas Sector

MWH Global

October 29, 2013"

Denver, CO"
Objectives"

• Improve the design and planning of water infrastructure in shale oil and gas 

operations to reduce the impacts to local communities and environment.

• Model temporal and spatial variations in water quantity and quality for a 

hypothetical oil and gas field with intense development.

• Provide an analysis of the impacts

1) demand on water resources

2) truck traffic

3) water reuse potential

• Provide optimized water infrastructure recommendations based on specific 

impacts.
Materials and Energy Balances"
Apply Model Over "

Dispersed Sources - GIS"
Water/Oil Production Model "

Q = f (time, space, frac stages, frac fluid, water source..........)"
Generic Flow Schematic
Water Infrastructure Scenario 1

(One CTF with Injection)
Water Infrastructure Scenario 2

(One CTF with Mobile Treatment)
Buildout Plan

Pond Water Source 

Municipal Water Source 

Input Data

Coordinates

Number of Stages

Date

A06 

(Apr17) 

A05 

(Aug16) A04 A03 (Sep17) A02 A01 (Dec17) 

B06 

(Sep18) 

B05 

(Feb14) B04 (Jan14) B03 (Aug17) 

B02 

(Nov18) 

B01 

(Mar18) 

A07 

(Oct15) 

A08 

(Apr16) 

A09 

(Aug15) 

A10 

(Mar15) 

A11 

(Mar17) 

A12 

(Sep15) 

B07 

(Aug14) 

B08 

(Aug18) 

B09 

(Dec14) 

B10 

(Apr18) 

B11 

(Feb15) 

B12 

(Nov16) 

A18 A17 

(Sep16) 

A16 

(May18) 

A15 

(Oct18) 

A14 

(Jun15) 

A13 

(Nov15) B18 B17 B16 (May14) 

B15 

(Dec18) B14 (Jan15) B13 (Jan17) 

A19 

(Dec16) 

A20 

(Oct17) 

A21 

(May17) 

A22 

(Apr15) 

A23 

(Jan16) 

A24 

(Jun17) 

B19 

(Feb17) 

B20 

(Feb18) 

B21 

(Apr14) B22 B23 (Nov17) 

B24 

(July14) 

A30 

(Oct16) A29 A28 (June14) A27 A26 (Sept14) A25 B30 B29 (May16) B28 B27 (Nov14) B26 (Jul15) B25 (Mar14) 

A31 (Jul17) A32 

(Mar16) 

A33 

(Dec15) A34 (Jul16) A35 (Jun18) 

A36 

(May15) 

B31 

(Feb16) B32 (Jan18) B33 (Oct14) B34 (Jul18) B35 (Jun16) B36 

Year Wells per 

Month

2014 15

2015 20

2016 25

2017 30

2018 35
Annual Water 

Use

2014

2015 2016

2017 2018

High: 150,000 bbls/well

Low: 0 bbls/well
Annual Water 

Production

2014

2015 2016

2017 2018

High: 1,200 bbls/day

Low: 0 bbls/day
Cumulative Water 

Production

2014

2015 2016

2017 2018
Monthly Water Use and 

Production
Water Reuse Potential
30 Year Water Production
Annual Fluids 

Production

2014

2015 2016

2017 2018

High: 2,100 bbls/day

Low: 0 Million Gallons
Fixed Facility and Mobile Sizing
Water Quality Modeling

Frac fluid 

reuse

Produced water 

reuse
Organic Matter Characterization"
Water Quality Modeling
Frac Fluid Reuse Schematic

WATER TREATMENT FOR DISPOSAL

NONE E&P WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY G-2

FLOW SCHEMATIC - OPTION 2

LEGEND

ENCLOSED

REVERSE

OSMOSIS

(TDS REMOVAL)

CHEM

EXISTING

REJECT/BRINE

FREE

OIL

SCALE

DESIGNED

DRAWN

CHECKED

WARNING SHEET

IF THIS BAR DOES

NOT MEASURE 1"

THEN DRAWING IS

NOT TO SCALE

0 1 1

2

REV DATE BY DESCRIPTION

MWH

OIL FIELD TREATMENT PLANNING

TEMPLATE FOR PROCESSES

PROJECT

10602091

File: C:\Users\Nathan W Zaugg\Desktop\Water Handling FlowSchematic.dwg User: zauggnw Plot Date: Sat 26-Oct-2013 - 12:03AM

TO REUSE / LAND

APPLICATION

TREATED WATER

STORAGE TANK

DISSOLVED AIR

FLOTATOR

(OIL & GAS, TSS REMOVAL)

RAPID

MIXER

INCLINED PLATE

CLARIFIER

(HARDNESS

REMOVAL)

WATER RECEIVING

CONDENSATE WATER RECEIVING TANK (OIL & GAS, TSS REMOVAL)

WATER TANK

INJECTION/EVAPORATION

WATER STORAGE

INJECTION WELL

THICKENER

DEWATERING

DECANT

BIOREACTOR

(VOC

REMOVAL)

NF/UF

FILTRATION

(SOLIDS &

PARTICLE

REMOVAL)

FIELD COLLECTION

PIPELINES

BRINE

EVAPORATION

WASTE SOLIDS
Fixed Facility and 

Mobile Sizing
Irrigation Reuse Schematic

WATER TREATMENT FOR DISPOSAL

NONE E&P WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY G-2

FLOW SCHEMATIC - OPTION 2

LEGEND

ENCLOSED

REVERSE

OSMOSIS

(TDS REMOVAL)

CHEM

EXISTING

REJECT/BRINE

FREE

OIL

SCALE

DESIGNED

DRAWN

CHECKED

WARNING SHEET

IF THIS BAR DOES

NOT MEASURE 1"

THEN DRAWING IS

NOT TO SCALE

0 1 1

2

REV DATE BY DESCRIPTION

MWH

OIL FIELD TREATMENT PLANNING

TEMPLATE FOR PROCESSES

PROJECT

10602091

File: C:\Users\Nathan W Zaugg\Desktop\Water Handling FlowSchematic.dwg User: zauggnw Plot Date: Sat 26-Oct-2013 - 12:03AM

TO REUSE / LAND

APPLICATION

TREATED WATER

STORAGE TANK

DISSOLVED AIR

FLOTATOR

(OIL & GAS, TSS REMOVAL)

RAPID

MIXER

INCLINED PLATE

CLARIFIER

(HARDNESS

REMOVAL)

WATER RECEIVING

CONDENSATE WATER RECEIVING TANK (OIL & GAS, TSS REMOVAL)

WATER TANK

INJECTION/EVAPORATION

WATER STORAGE

INJECTION WELL

THICKENER

DEWATERING

DECANT

BIOREACTOR

(VOC

REMOVAL)

NF/UF

FILTRATION

(SOLIDS &

PARTICLE

REMOVAL)

FIELD COLLECTION

PIPELINES

BRINE

EVAPORATION

WASTE SOLIDS
Generic Flow Schematic