Drains to Gains: Turning Produced Water Waste into Watts!

Abstract

Kern County, California, plays a pivotal role in the nation's oil production, contributing approximately 70 percent of the state's output. Alongside oil extraction, Kern County oil wells yield substantial quantities of produced water, with each gallon of oil generating about 15 gallons of water. With an extraction rate of around 5 million barrels per day, produced water in Kern County varies widely in salinity, ranging from levels lower than seawater to exceeding 100,000 ppm in total dissolved solids (TDS). This water's high salt content, rich in free ions, renders it conductive and capable of transmitting electricity. Leveraging this conductivity, this study explores the potential of utilizing produced water as an electrolyte in saltwater batteries for clean energy generation. Through rigorous experimentation and meticulous analysis, various battery configurations, electrode materials, and electrolyte compositions are examined for their efficacy and reliability. The results showcase the promise of produced water batteries in mitigating environmental challenges associated with fossil fuel extraction, while also offering opportunities to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources and contribute to carbon capture and sequestration efforts.