Policy and Guidance Relating to Produced Waters from Oil and Gas Production on Public Land

To promote consistent, effective, and responsive engagement with oil and gas operators and stakeholders, BLM FOs and SOs will consider the facts and circumstances bearing on the use of produced water, including uses inside oil fields, industrial uses outside oil fields, agricultural uses, or other appropriate uses. This policy should be carried out in a manner consistent with current water recycling and reuse requirements (federal and state), operational procedures, and best practices relevant to oil and gas development on public lands.

In implementing this policy for managing produced water, FOs and SOs will coordinate closely with each other, industry representatives, other federal agencies, responsible state agencies, universities, and research consortia. This collaboration is intended to improve the management of produced water consistent with both federal and state regulatory frameworks and to provide operators with a better understanding of water use and reuse opportunities and ways to be better stewards of the water that they bring to the surface during oil and gas production. FOs will confer with operators in their regions to identify opportunities for reuse of treated produced water. This engagement with operators and stakeholders may include asking for feedback on this topic during meetings on other topics, including through formal or informal discussions with or other input from federal, state, tribal agencies, local communities, industry, and water sector partners to identify knowledge gaps and tailor water reuse strategies.

FOs will support the adoption of water reuse practices. The focus will be based on operator needs and feedback, and will take into account SO and FO experience, the regulatory framework, and emerging water reuse trends in oil and gas operations. Support may include assistance in addressing local and national barriers to water reuse, and collaboration with federal, state, tribal, local, and water sector partners to build water reuse capacity. 

BLM FOs will actively work with oil and gas operators to identify, evaluate, and implement practices that reuse produced water. This includes:

• Assessment: FOs will collaborate with operators to assess produced water volumes, treatment options, and potential reuse applications (e.g., within oil fields, industrial uses, agricultural uses, or other appropriate uses) based on the water management plan that is submitted with each Application for Permit to Drill (APD) or group of APDs.
• Planning: FOs will assist operators in developing reuse plans that comply with federal and state requirements and best practices.
• Implementation: FOs will seek to apply identified reuse opportunities wherever technically and operationally feasible, unless prohibited by law.
• Consistency: Any authorizations related to reuse of produced water will, if possible, include consistent terms and conditions for facilities that have similar site conditions, either on or off lease. 
• Coordination: FOs will coordinate with SOs, industry representatives, other federal, state, tribal agencies, and research consortia and seek to overcome barriers and build capacity for water reuse. 

The goal of this policy is to identify water reuse possibilities and apply them in oil and gas operations. This policy is aligned with the Administration’s priorities.