Produced Water Treatment for Oils and Solids Reduction: Effective Solutions for Cleaner Water

Oil and Gas production and operations often create large amounts of wastewater known as produced water. This water contains a mix of oil, emulsions, water-soluble organics, salts, and other components, including Total Organic Carbon and COD. High oil and solid levels can harm ecosystems and also impact oil production.  As environmental rules grow stricter, reducing the total oil and solids content through effective Produced Water Treatment has become a major focus.

 

Dubai and other Gulf regions rely on safe disposal methods for the produced water. This makes oil, solids, and other organics reduction a key part of wastewater management and disposal. In this post, we’ll explore the most effective methods used to treat produced water.

 

Electro-oxidation system for oil and solids removal

 

1. Why Oils and Solids Removal Matter in Produced Water

 

Oil and solids carry crude oil, emulsified oil, chemical additives, and hazardous organic and inorganic matter. If not removed, these compounds can cause bacterial growth, corrosion in pipelines and production wells, clog filters, reduce porosity of injection wells, causing higher pressure, choking flow, and violate environmental discharge standards. It also prevents produced water from getting reused in operations for enhanced oil recovery or hydraulic fracturing. This is why modern and effective  Produced Water Treatment solutions are built towards the core goal of environmental compliance and reuse.

 

2. Primary Methods for Oil and Solids Removal

 

There are several ways to reduce TOC in produced water, but success depends on the right mix of technology and design.

 

a. Oil-Water Separation Units along with chemical addition

These are the first line of defense in Produced Water Treatment. They remove free and emulsified oil from produced water along with a bulk of solids. Techniques include HP/LP or API/CPI Separators, Hydrocyclones, and Flotation units.

 

b.Filtration and  Adsorption Using filters and Activated Carbon
These are utilized as a final treatment to remove traces of oil, emulsions, and WSO( Water Soluble Organics) from the produced water after it has passed through the oil-water separation systems. This method has been used for a long time. However, there is a lot of maintenance involved for media replacements, and high costs, along with hazardous waste disposal

 

c. Advanced Electro-Oxidation Processes (EO)
EO is one of the latest technologies developed and being implemented to remove and separate all of the oils, emulsions, oil-coated solids, sulfides, and WSO ( Water Soluble Organics) from produced water. It works by applying a very small amount of energy to the produced water without the need for adding chemicals, acids, filtration, or adsorption. It breaks down complex organics and emulsions into simpler compounds that can be easily recovered and separated back into the oil phase. This prevents waste with almost no maintenance and high oil recovery from produced water. These methods are powerful and can cut TOC levels significantly.

 

3. Designing the Right Treatment Train

 

No single method fits all. Each oilfield, well site, or processing plant has different water chemistry. The best Produced Water Treatment systems use a combination of technologies in the right order.

 

For example, a robust produced treatment  train might include the following to ensure environmental compliance,  maximum oil recovery, solids removal, lower cost, low maintenance, and minimal waste:

 

  • Oil-water separation, including Hydrocyclone
  • EO
  • Flotation Units

4. Monitoring and Compliance

 

Treatment is only effective if you measure it correctly. Real-time oil in water and solids sensors and lab testing help operators stay within safe limits.

 

In Dubai and across the region, water authorities are setting tighter discharge rules. Facilities using proper Produced Water Treatment systems with TOC tracking stay compliant and avoid costly penalties.

 

5. Environmental and Economic Benefits

 

Treating produced water effectively isn’t just about environmental standards—it also saves lots of money. It reduces maintenance, reduces wastes, increases oil recovery, mitigates corrosion risks, and also helps debottleneck production rates. Cleaned produced water can also be reused in enhanced oil recovery ( EOR) or for other purposes. This cuts freshwater demand significantly.

 

A well-run Produced Water Treatment system improves plant efficiency, protects the environment, and supports sustainable water use in arid regions like the UAE.

 

TOC reduction technologies in produced water treatment

 

Final Thoughts

 

Effective produced water treatment for oil and solids is no longer optional. It’s now a central part of responsible water management in oil and gas. By using the right combination of systems and careful design, you can turn a waste stream into a resource.

 

WP&E Technologies offers smart, field-proven solutions for Produced Water Treatment. Whether you need a full system or a custom upgrade, our team is here to help you remove and recover oil, save water, reduce costs, reduce waste, and meet your goals.

 

Visit WP&E Technologies to explore solutions that fit your site and secure your water future. Get in touch with our team today.