From Disposal to Resource: Field Deployment of a Produced Water Reuse System for Fracturing in the Middle East

Article

E. Lagarrigue1, S. Elazab1, S. Elhanbouly1, C. A. Brown2,  R. Wargo2, W. R. C. Tiban2 , Z. R. Hamidon2, A. Ryan2, A. Alghamdi2,1. ADNOC, 2. Turnwell

Copyright 2026, Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) DOI 10.15530/urtec-2026-4477847

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Unconventional Resources Technology Conference held in Houston, Texas, USA, 22-24 June 2026.

The URTeC Technical Program Committee accepted this presentation on the basis of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). The contents of this paper have not been reviewed by URTeC and URTeC does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information herein. All information is the responsibility of and is subject to corrections by the author(s). Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained from this paper does so at their own risk. The information herein does not necessarily reflect any position of URTeC. Any reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper by anyone other than the author without the written consent of URTeC is prohibited.


Abstract

As unconventional operations expand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), improving efficiency has increased the number of wells hydraulically fractured each year. Water availability is the key component of the unconventional resource development. In an arid environment such as in UAE, the water cost can be a roadblock for an unconventional resource development. Once wells are on production, managing large volumes of produced and flowback water becomes an additional operational constraint. 

To address both challenges, a produced water reuse initiative was deployed for fracturing operations. This case study shows the application of different water treatment and utilization to minimize the water cost in the desert environment. 

A multidisciplinary collaboration between ADNOC, Turnwell, and technology partners was established to evaluate, design, and deploy a produced water treatment and reuse system for fracturing operations. The program involved: Produced Water Characterization- Detailed sampling and analysis of flowback and produced water to assess treatability and compatibility with fracturing fluids. Treatment System Design- Selection of modular treatment technologies for solids removal, filtration, and chemical conditioning to achieve reuse-quality water. Operational Integration- Implementation of a closed-loop water management workflow enabling treated water to be directly reintegrated into fracturing operations without disruption to pad efficiency. Monitoring and Verification: Continuous monitoring of fluid quality and system performance to ensure treatment reliability and chemical compatibility. 

For the first deployment, a filtration system was deployed to capture the flowback water free of solids and oil content. The timeline to capture the flowback water was specified from pad to pad depending on the treatment parameters to get the cleanest water from the flowback operations.  

For water distribution, a set of flexible piping system and booster pumps were deployed to distribute different water sources to fracturing pads. This initiative demonstrated: 

• Operational Impact: Seamless integration of treated water into fracturing operations without adverse impact on fluid chemistry or well performance. 

• Environmental and HSE Benefits: Reduction in water sourcing and disposal requirements. 

• Emission Reduction: Decrease in emissions associated with transportation and logistics.  

• Scalability Potential: The system design allows future expansion. 

Produced water reuse project in the UAE demonstrates that sustainable water management can be effectively integrated into unconventional fracturing operations without compromising efficiency or performance. The approach provided a practical pathway to reduce freshwater demand, lower environmental footprint, and enhance safety by minimizing trucking exposure. 

In a remote desert operation, agile and cost effective water management is a key to develop the unconventional resources. The success of this initiative establishes a regional benchmark for water stewardship in desert. Future work will focus on scaling the system, optimizing treatment costs, and expanding closed-loop water management across the UAE’s unconventional portfolio. 

This paper discusses the approach taken to improve the method for reuse of water and optimize completion strategy. 

Introduction

Hydraulic fracturing is a critical point in developing unconventional wells for production. During hydraulic fracturing operations, fluid containing proppant or sand is pumped into the reservoir to fracture the rock and then the proppant is in place to ensure the fracture remains open allowing hydrocarbons to flow.   

In 2010 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did a study on water and hydraulic fracturing activities. The EPA focused on acquisition, use, disposal and reuse in the hydraulic fracturing water cycle (US EPA, 2016). Defined as the following and shown below in Figure 1.  

  • Water Acquisition – the withdraw of groundwater or surface water to make hydraulic fracturing fluids 
  • Chemical mixing – the mixing of a base fluid (typically water), proppant and additives at the well site to create hydraulic fracturing fluids 
  • Well Injection – the injection and movement of hydraulic fracturing fluids through the oil and gas production well and in the targeted rock formation 
  • Produced water Handling – the onsite collection and handling of water that returns to the surface after hydraulic fracturing and the transportation of that water for disposal or reuse 
  • Wastewater disposal and reuse – the disposal and reuse of hydraulic fracturing waste water 

Figure 1: Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle (US EPA 2016)

As unconventional operations continue to expand and grow in UAE, each of these components of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle will similarly be part of the field development. This paper will focus on water acquisition, produced water handling and waste water disposal and field application in recent unconventional development in UAE. 

Water Acquisition

Water sourcing can come from a variety of sources and vary from different plays even within the same country. Information on two different plays in the US show the difference in these sources. The Marcellus Shale is located in Appalachia where fresh water sources are more focused on surface water instead of ground water. This is different in the Barnett Shale where the fresh water is split between surface and ground. Each of these plays also have a portion of frac water reuse. The reuse in the Marcellus is a higher percentage than in the Barnett. Contributing factors to how much produced water is reused in frac can depend on a variety of factors including but not limited to produced water quality as well proximity and availability of disposal wells. Unconventional completions continues to develop and grow in the UAE. Initially water sources were primarily fresh including ground and municipality water. The transition away from these sources started in 2025 starting to use non fresh solutions (saline water wells) as well as reused produced water.

Table 1: Water Sourcing and Produced Water Handling by play (1US EPA 2016)

 Water SourcingProduced Water Handling
PlaySurfaceFreshWaterGroundFreshwaterMunicipalityFreshAlternative non FreshsolutionsReused Frac WaterReuse in FracInjection Well
Marcellus Shale USA179%7%0%0%14%90%10%
Barnett Shale USA148%48%0%0%4%5%95%
UAE Unconventional 2025 est0%72%20%6%1%4%96%
UAE Unconventional 2026 est 0%28%0%71%2%2%98%

Volume of water required for unconventional wells fracing operations can range – but current average assumptions put the required volume for 4 wells to be completed on a pad at 1.6M bbl (Khan 2025). While this value can vary by location or well design, this would put the water acquisition value at 400,000 bbl per well. In the US, it was found that overall hydraulic fracturing uses a relatively small percentage of water when compared to total water use and availability at large geographic scales. As the UAE grows the unconventional program, focus on ensuring that hydraulic fracturing does not impact the water source by transitioning to non fresh solutions including reused water as an application in frac. 

Produced Water Handling

After hydraulic fracturing job is completed, the direction of fluid flow reverses returning fluid to surface to be collected and transferred in a step called flowback. The fluid that initially flows back to surface is mostly hydraulic fracturing fluid and similar in composition to the fluid that was initially pumped during the treatment. As the well continues to flow, the fluid returning to surface is aligned with formation water. Key parameters to monitor include 

  • Salts – chloride, bromide, sulfate, sodium, magnesium and calcium 
  • Metals – barium, manganese, iron and strontium 
  • Naturally occurring organic compounds – benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes and oil and grease 

The concentrations of these components vary across different regions and reservoirs; the following table summarizes the range of these concentrations comprised in Alkhowaildi 2021 in Table 2. 

Table 2:Produced water Composition (Alkhowaildi 2021)

Parameter Concentration ranges in flowback water (mg/l) 
 Major Parameters 
 TDS (Total dissolved solids) 100–400,000 
 TSS (Total suspended solids)  1.2–1000 
 COD (Chemical oxygen demand)  1220–2600 
 TOC (Total organic content)  0–1500 
 Total organic acids  0.001–10000 
 Chemicals Additives 
 Glycol  7.7–2000 
 Corrosion inhibitor  0.3–10 
 Scale inhibitor  0.2–30 
 BTEX 
 Benzene  0.032–778.51 
 Toluene  0.058–5.86 
 Ethylbenzene  0.026–399.84 
 Xylene  0.01–1.29 
 Other pollutants 
 Saturated hydrocarbons  17–30 
 Total oil and grease  2–560 
 Phenol  0.001–10,000 
 Metals 
 Na  0–150,000 
 Sr  0–6250 
 Zn  0.01–35 
 Li  0.038–64  
Al 0.4-410 
As 0.002-11 
Ba 0-850 
Cr 0.002-1.1 
Fe 0.1-1100 
Mn 0.004-175 
K 24-4300 
Other ions  
B 5-95 
Ca2+ 0-74,000 
SO42- 0-15,000 
Mg2+ 8-6000 
HCO3− 77-3,990 
Cl− 0-270,000 

Waste Water Disposal

Historically produced water from unconventional hydraulically fraced wells is disposed of into disposal wells. These wells can be limited in pumping rate resulting in restrictions to bring additional wells online. Logistics and economics of using disposal wells depends on how far the well is located form the production wells and the number of wells available. When frac operations occur in proximity to producing wells, this allows another opportunity to reduce the impact of water acquisition. When either source water or disposal capacities are limited, produced water reuse becomes more economically viable and operationally practical (Dawoud , 2024).  

The main cost items involved with the two options are the following (Dawoud 2024) 

  • Total water lifecycle cost w/o reuse ($/bbl) = costs of source water acquisition + sourced water transportation + produced water transportation + produced water disposal 
  • Total water lifecycle costs reuse ($/bbl) = produced water treatment + produced water storage + produced water transportation 

Figure 2: Produced Water Volume in Various Formations (US EPA 2016)

In addition – there is an environmental impact as well when using trucking to move the sourced water as well as the produced water to storage and the emissions associated with the movement. Produced water volumes. In the short term (0-10 days of flowback), various unconventional plays in the US range from an average of 5%-20% of the injected fluid flown back as produced water (US EPA, 2016) and will be the focus for the current application in this paper. As shown below in Figure 2, produced water production continues during the life of the well, beyond the short term impact being reviewed in this paper.  

During the short term production, the water properties of the water being flown back are similar to the properties of the water that was initially injected into the well during the hydraulic fracturing operations. When reusing this water as a water acquisition source for frac, minimal treatment is required for the water to be reused in another well for fracturing operations.

In a study by the EPA, 47% of the water flows back and on average for a 4 well pad this equates to 752,000 bbl of water. In this study, it was cited that using an assumption of 103 miles to a centralized treatment or disposal facility, the emission calculation based on internal combustion large trucks resulting in emissions from vehicles transporting water to 1,882 tCO2e (Khan 2025). The assessment includes assessment of the full life cycle of the hydraulic fracturing including manufacturing, transportation, wellsite execution and post fracturing. Transportation of flowback water equates to 15.78% of the total footprint. Instead, through simple treatment and transfer to a nearby frac fleet to consume during frac operations via pipeline instead of trucking emissions associated with this can be avoided. 

Field Background and Challenges 

Unconventional fracturing operations in the UAE occur in a remote desert locations with challenges for sourcing of water. Surface water sources are not available and objectives to reduce support on ground water sources to have a more sustainable approach to water sourcing for fracturing operations in the development of the program. Various resources are being reviewed and implemented in UAE with successful transition away from fresh water. One of these components, is when produced water is available in proximity to a well that is actively being fraced, to reuse the water rather than trucking to disposal sites.  This has benefit not just in the water sustainability aspect for water selection, but in certain cases as well with cost optimization and emissions improvement.  

Operations in remote desert locations face many challenges for logistics. Travel through sand dunes and on sand roads results in limited resources capable of completing movements increasing risk of operational delay.  

Engineering Workflow Development 

During the operations, key components including produced water characterization, treatment system design and operations integration were reviewed.  Each of these were broken down as follows:

Produced Water Characterization- Detailed sampling and analysis of flowback and produced water to assess treatability and compatibility with fracturing fluids. 

Treatment System Design- Selection of modular treatment technologies for solids removal, filtration, and chemical conditioning to achieve reuse-quality water. 

Operational Integration- Implementation of a closed-loop water management workflow enabling treated water to be directly reintegrated into fracturing operations without disruption to pad efficiency. 

Produced Water Characterization 

During the fracturing operation water samples were obtained from both fresh water sampling as well as reuse water sampling for a detailed chemical analysis to be performed in the lab to compare the source fracturing water against the flowback water.

Table 3: Water Source Composition

Test ParameterUnitSample Source fracturing water (1)Sample Source fracturing water (2)Sample Source fracturing water (3)Sample Source fracturing water (4)Sample Source fracturing water (5)Reuse Water Sample (1) Reuse Water Sample (2)Reuse Water Sample (3)Reuse Water Sample (4)Reuse Water Sample (5)
TurbidityNTU8.04>5006.7918.3
pH 6.706.606.706.607.547.607.057.517.34
Electrical ConductivityuS/Cm13280180501343013490
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)mg/L1470925
Chloride (Cl)mg/L90752190025002400190084605672750037583616
Sulphate (SO4)mg/L4173545191012961397
Bicarbonate (HCO3)mg/L2191519509278276
Calcium (Ca)mg/L10821281651641621
Magnesium (Mg)mg/L1774581747348.6
Total Hardness as (CaCO3)mg/L120013901250123036.41940307519001750
Total Alkalinitymg/L1600418228226
Chlorine, Free (Cl2)mg/L230<0.02<0.02<0.02
Sodium (Na)mg/L<0.02318924122457
Potassium (K)mg/L14162188766867
Iron (Fe)mg/L01000628.2151.291.72
Copper (Cu)mg/L1.110.12<0.01<0.01
Chromium (Cr)mg/L<0.010.070.180.18
Cadmium (Cd)mg/L0.17<0.001<0.001<0.001
Manganese (Mn)mg/L0.070.250.180.08
Lead (Pb)mg/L0.13<0.010.030.03
Zinc (Zn)mg/L1.270.06<0.01<0.01
Hydrogen Sulphidemg/L0.011.20.020.05

In addition to understanding chemical composition, the fluid samples were tested to ensure chemical compatibility and hydration time for the frac fluid chemical formula 

Table 4: Produced Water Hydration (change table so it compares original water source vs produced water source)

Water SourceHVFR Conc (gpt)Shear Rate (Sec-1)Hydration Time (minutes)
012461015
Source Sample fracturing water (2)11704444444
24555555
36666666
15113333333
23444444
34555555
Source Sample fracturing water (3)11704444444
24445555
35555666
15113333333
23333333
34444455
Source Sample fracturing water (4)11704444444
25555555
35555666
15113333333
23333333
34444455
Source Sample fracturing water (5)11704444444
25555555
35555566
15113333444
23333333
34555555
Reuse water sample (3)11704445555
25677788
3781011121313
15113444444
24566677
367910121212
Reuse water sample (4)11704555555
267788910
3891012131718
15113344555
25566789
367810131617

Treatment System Design 

Plan for field trial was to utilize the flowback water in real time for fracturing operations. As such a filtration unit was selected that was capable of handling mixture of water and oil contaminated fluids, moderate to high TSS, monitor of H2S in water and handle of possible presence of hydrocarbons and iron sulphides. Initial filtration was completed for produced water to be pumped during hydraulic fracturing operations. For the initial selection of the filtration unit a technical review and high pressure filter cartridges with a medium comprised of a resin impregnated cellulose medium.  The cartridge selection was specifically selected based on the wide range compatibility of fluids as well as maximum temperature range. Coalescer to remove liquid contaminants was also selected. The location layout schematic can be seen below in Figure 3. Following the fracturing operations, additional testing was completed to review options using water clarifier and additional chemicals to further treat the water to levels capable of being used for irrigation.

Figure 3: Location Layout Schematic

Operational Integration of the Treatment System

The treatment system was operationally integrated into hydraulic fracturing activities through a staged, coordinated workflow as per Figure 4 designed to enable continuous, real-time processing of flowback and produced water. 

The integration strategy prioritized operational reliability, consistency of treated water quality, and minimal disruption to stimulation activities.

The system was deployed and commissioned in parallel with fracturing operations, allowing flowback water to be treated and reused with no interruption to pumping schedules.

Figure 4: Produced Water Workflow

System Placement and Flow Configuration

The treatment system was physically integrated into the fracturing layout to minimize fluid handling complexity and ensure compatibility with stimulation operations.

Flowback and produced water were initially routed to a dedicated produced water pit or tank system, providing surge capacity and buffering against variable flowback rates. From the source, water was transferred through a screening and transfer module, where coarse solids and debris were removed to protect downstream equipment and stabilize inlet conditions to the filtration system.

Primary treatment was achieved through an inline filtration system positioned between screening and treated water storage. The filtration system was selected to handle:

  • Oil-contaminated fluids
  • Moderate to high total suspended solids (TSS)
  • Iron sulfides and fine particulate matter
  • Variable fluid composition typical of post-frac flowback

Filtered water was directed to treated water storage, which provided hydraulic buffering and residence time for verification prior to reuse. From treated storage, water could be selectively routed based on quality and operational requirements to:

  • Fracturing operations for direct reuse
  • Injection facilities
  • Disposal or irrigation following additional treatment

The modular flow configuration allowed selective diversion and operational flexibility while maintaining continuous frac support.

Monitoring and Real-Time Control

To ensure treatment performance and protect fracturing operations, the system incorporated continuous real-time monitoring and automated control.

Instrumentation was installed at critical points in the process (inlet, post-filtration, and treated storage) to monitor:

  • Flow rate and system pressure
  • Differential pressure across filtration units
  • Turbidity and suspended solids indicators
  • pH and electrical conductivity
  • Dissolved hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)

This control strategy ensured stable, uninterrupted treatment during dynamic flowback conditions.

Quality Assurance and Fracturing Fluid Compatibility

Water quality assurance was achieved through a combination of real-time monitoring, routine field sampling, and laboratory verification.

Grab samples were collected at the filtration outlet and treated water storage and analyzed for:

  • Total suspended solids (TSS)
  • Oil and grease
  • Total and dissolved iron
  • pH and conductivity

Laboratory analysis results were used as a formal decision gate to confirm suitability of treated water for reuse in fracturing operations. Only water meeting predefined reuse criteria was approved for direct addition to frac fluids.

Where required, chemical treatment was applied downstream of filtration to address residual iron, sulfides, H₂S, or compatibility risks. Chemical programs were selected to ensure compatibility with fracturing fluid additives, surface equipment.

This quality assurance framework ensured treated water did not negatively impact stimulation performance, equipment integrity, or reservoir productivity.

Field Implementation & Results 

Produced water was successfully implemented with initial test of pumping over 80,000 bbls on a pad. This was mixed with ground water sourced water during the frac. When comparing the stages over the course of the pad, there was no distinguishable difference in pressure between stages pumped with produced water vs those with ground water. Similar rates, pressures and friction reducer concentrations were observed across the stages.

Figure 5: Average Pressure, Rate and Friction Reducer (FR) Concentration across 5 well sample

Key Discussion Points 

In summary, the following key learnings and discussion points were derived from the execution of utilizing produced water in UAE unconventionals 

  • Water composition: in initial days of flowback, less than 30 days, the water composition flown back is similar to the composition that was pumped during hydraulic fracturing operations. Ongoing understanding to be reviewed with extended flowback time  
  • Filtration selection: minimal filtration required to be able to pump flowback water from early flowback in hydraulic fracturing operations 
  • Economics: Economics will continue to play a role in when flowback water is used for hydraulic fracturing operations vs when it is transported to disposal well 
  • Emissions: When able to use the produced water in a nearby hydraulic fracturing operations, the emissions for the overall project are reduced through the removal of trucking and instead transferred via flex pipeline. 

Collectively, these learnings demonstrate that successful implementation of produced water for unconventional hydraulic fracturing operations in UAE. When reviewed on a project level, utilization of flowback water can offer an economical and sustainable option for alternative water sourcing in the desert operations for unconventional completions in UAE.  

Conclusions & Way Forward  

Future development will focus on continuing to evaluate water composition parameters as flowback timeline progress longer in time. In addition, continued economic analysis to be evaluated for field optimization of utilizing produced water for hydraulic fracturing vs other solutions taking into account sustainability implication.  

Acknowledgements 

The authors would like to thank ADNOC and Turnwell for support throughout the campaign and for granting permission to publish this work. The authors also extend their gratitude to all team members for the safe and efficient job execution. 

References

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