SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES HALL PRODUCED WATER BILL

Washington D.C. - May 6, 2008 – The Subcommittee on Energy and Environment today unanimously approved H.R. 2339 the Produced Water Utilization Act of 2007, a bill authored by Ranking Member Ralph Hall (R-TX).

“We don’t have to look far to realize the devastating effects water shortages can have in our lives - fires threaten and destroy California, droughts debilitate crops in South Carolina and a number of other southeastern states, and global citizens have to travel farther and farther to have access to fresh water,” said Subcommittee Ranking Member Bob Inglis (R-SC).  “By supporting research, development, and demonstration projects in water-use efficiency, conservation, and the challenges raised by produced water, we can help improve our national and global response to water shortages.”

“Produced water” refers to water that has been trapped in underground formations, and is brought to the surface, as wastewater, when drilling for oil and natural gas.  Ranking Member Hall has long supported expanding federal research into recycling produced water.  At the markup, Hall noted that “The United States still has an enormous reserve of energy from oil and natural gas within our borders – both on land and in our offshore development areas.”  He continued, “However, for every barrel of oil produced, extraction of these vital domestic resources produces ten barrels of saline, brackish and generally unusable water.”

H.R. 2339 has two main purposes: 1) increasing domestic energy production by lowering production costs for small producers and 2) increasing the amount of water available for agricultural and industrial uses by making produced water usable.  The bill would provide important funding for research, development, demonstration and commercial application of technologies to purify and use produced water for human, agricultural and industrial purposes.  The legislation increases water quality while reducing energy costs associated with disposing of produced water.

“To dispose of produced water, in many circumstances, producers must re-inject it into geologic formations, a great expense to small producers throughout the country,” Hall added.  “At a time when usable water supplies are more vital than ever to support our growing economy, safe and sustainable uses of produced water need to be researched and pursued.”

The Subcommittee also approved H.R. 3957, the Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act, a bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT).

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110-141