Relating to the creation and activities of the Texas Produced Water Consortium.
The bill outlines specific duties for the consortium, which include producing a report that suggests legislative changes to facilitate the beneficial reuse of produced water and proposing a pilot project to assess the practicality and benefits of such initiatives. It encourages collaboration between the oil and gas sector and water management entities, aiming for a holistic approach to water resource management. The potential benefits include reducing waste, augmenting water supplies in drought-prone areas, and integrating produced water into broader water conservation strategies.
House Bill 3096 establishes the Texas Produced Water Consortium, which aims to study the economics and technology related to beneficial uses of produced water that emerges during oil and gas production. This consortium includes Texas Tech University as the host institution and is composed of various stakeholders, including energy and environmental regulatory agencies, private entities, and other relevant organizations. The overarching goal is to leverage information resources to explore economically viable methods for reusing produced water, which is often viewed as a waste product in oil and gas activities.
However, the establishment of this consortium does raise some concerns. Critics may argue about the prioritization of private interests in research through sponsorship fees, potentially compromising the impartiality of the findings. Furthermore, the bill stipulates that while private entities can sponsor research, the consortium is prohibited from receiving direct state funding unless specifically appropriated for the purpose of the consortium, which might limit the resources available for comprehensive investigations into produced water usage.