Bechtel, a global leader in engineering, procurement, construction, and project management, has officially announced the launch of sustained pilot operations for its proprietary Low Energy Ejector Desalination System (LEEDS). To give you context, LEEDS is basically an economical solution capable of creating a valuable new supply of water for customers and communities. Once the stated supply chain is duly conceived, it gets down straight away to reducing stress on limited freshwater resources, thus greatly enhancing our water conservation efforts. Talk about the product on a slightly deeper level, LEEDS delivers at your disposal an efficient, cost-effective, and end-to-end solution that can be used to convert produced water from oil and gas fields into usable, end-marketable products. The processed water can be notably used across a variety of domains, including agriculture or grassland irrigation. This includes feedstocks for industrial uses such as hydrogen production, fertilizers for agricultural uses, and clean water for community applications. Hence, by dispatching a costly byproduct in the favor of a useful and more accessible resource, LEEDS is able to ensure judicious use of water, something which can also goes a long way to eventually solve the problem of water scarcity.
Before today’s announcement, Bechtel made a point to test LEEDS with Deep Blue Holdings, LLC, a portfolio company of Five Point Energy. Conducted at saltwater disposal well near Midland, Texas, in the Permian Basin, the test has been running consistently since December 2023. As for the results, Bechtel revealed that the system emerged successful in treating 400 barrels per day, while simultaneously meeting all performance specifications for recovery, energy efficiency, and water quality. To further understand its capabilities, the available details indicate how, at scale, LEEDS could even recover enough clean water to meet the daily water needs of the entire Midland city.
“To build a better world, we must confront significant challenges head-on. The crisis of water scarcity in the Permian Basin is growing increasingly prevalent. LEEDS is Bechtel’s resolute response, unlocking untapped water resources and transforming produced water into valuable products,” said Paul Marsden, President of Bechtel Energy. “LEEDS can revolutionize the treatment of produced water, enabling our customers to reclaim more than half of the water they process each day. This technology yields substantial economic advantages for our customers and communities, forging a path towards a more sustainable future for the Permian Basin and beyond.”
Making the whole development even more valuable is, of course, Bechtel existing stature. You see, founded back in 1898, the company has completed well over 25,000 projects so far, covering around 160 different countries, and all 7 continents in the process. On a more granular level, though, Bechtel has clocked that number by serving sectors like the one of energy; infrastructure; manufacturing & technology; mining & metals; and nuclear, security & environmental etc.
“LEEDS is a transformative solution, and we are honored to partner with Bechtel on this most critical initiative, which presents compelling benefits for all stakeholders,” said David Capobianco, Chief Executive Officer of Five Point Energy. “The pilot results represent another milestone in our collective journeys to treat and preserve water in an environmentally efficient and economic manner. With very promising results to date, LEEDS is on a pathway to desalinating produced water, at scale, across the Permian Basin, while reducing reliance on freshwater sources.”
