ConocoPhillips and its heritage companies have operated in New Mexico for almost 100 years. The company holds conventional positions in the Northwest Shelf and Central Basin Platform, and an unconventional position in the Delaware Basin. ConocoPhillips is committed to being an innovative and environmentally responsible operator, and the new technologies and practices that it is using in this area exemplify this commitment.
RECYCLING PRODUCED WATER
ConocoPhillips’ water-recycling project in the Delaware Basin is projected to save millions of gallons of water each year. By reusing the produced water from drilling and completion operations, the company can minimize freshwater use and disposal volumes. In 2019, the company started recycling a significant portion of produced water on the Texas side of the Permian by treating it, storing it in man-made reservoirs, and then pumping it to the next well via lay-flat surface lines. Plans are underway to implement the project on the New Mexico side of the Permian in 2020. Recycling and reusing water is a key part of the company’s commitment to minimize its environmental footprint. Read more about the effort in a recent post on The Connection.
REDUCING METHANE
Central facilities enable enhanced vapor recovery, which includes recovering methane and reintroducing it to the sales stream. This process leads to reduced flaring and further decreases methane emissions.
REDUCING VEHICLE- RELATED EMISSIONS AND ROAD TRAFFIC
Centralized facilities allow for oil and water to be transported by pipeline, so the need for truck hauling operations is significantly reduced, leading to less road traffic, lower vehicle emissions and less damage to roads. Reducing trucks on the road also improves safety for our workforce as well as for those in the communities where we operate.
In 2019, ConocoPhillips relocated employees to a newly built regional office in the Loving, New Mexico area. This move reduced the distance employees drive to well locations and other facilities, further decreasing vehicle emissions and road traffic.
REDUCING LAND FOOTPRINT
Centralized facilities eliminate more than 90% of well site equipment, which reduces the facility acreage by approximately 40%.
