A New Water Management Evaluation Model – A Part of Water Stewardship for Oil and Gas Operators

Abstract The rise of the unconventional oil and gas (UOG) industry over the last two decades has transformed the domestic energy outlook but raised concerns over environmental impacts. With the evolution of Environmental Social Governance (ESG) reporting allowing for a transparent view of oilfield operations, the evaluation of corporate sustainability has become increasingly feasible. Even with increased reporting, there have been very few quantifiable metrics for sustainable water management practices in the UOG industry due to the focus being primarily on methane emissions in recent years. This study aims to provide a practical, quantitative, and concise method (Quadrant Plot) to visualize the different categories of water management strategies and understand how the different operators across diverse basins meet these challenges. Case studies using these metrics with operator-derived data are discussed based on both public and private data for over 20 UOG operators.