Date of Award

May 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Petroleum Engineering

First Advisor

Kegang Ling

Abstract

The growing demand for critical minerals essential to clean energy technologies presents an opportunity to transform oilfield produced water (PW) – traditionally treated as waste – into a valuable resource. This dissertation investigates the recovery potential of lithium, salts, and other critical elements from produced water in the Bakken Formation, North Dakota, and evaluates the economic feasibility of integrating such recovery processes into existing petroleum operations. Comprehensive geochemical analyses were conducted on samples collected throughout the Bakken, revealing total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from 46,815 to 327,714 ppm and lithium concentrations exceeding 200 ppm in several wells, indicating economically recoverable levels. These findings were used to develop spatial concentration maps of major and trace elements, providing a regional framework for resource evaluation. Building upon these data, a multi-stage recovery system – the NanoLiSal model – was developed, combining sulfur removal, ultrafiltration – membrane distillation, and Nanofiltration – sorption techniques to extract lithium and salts efficiently from highly saline PW. Experimental validation demonstrated lithium and salts recovery rates of up to 85% and 90%, respectively, under optimized conditions. The model was further extended to perform a 100-year techno-economic assessment, incorporating project design, cost estimation, revenue forecasting, and environmental analysis. The results show that repurposing Bakken PW could substantially reduce saltwater disposal costs while generating new revenue streams for lithium and salt production. Economic projections suggest that the oil and gas industry could significantly offset operational expenses and contribute to the national energy transition by supplying domestically sourced lithium for electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing. Considering that the United States consumes 20.3 million barrels of petroleum per day – (13.5 MMbbl/d) 67% for transportation – large-scale lithium recovery from produced water could help reduce petroleum dependency by promoting EV adoption. Overall, this work demonstrates the feasibility and strategic value of transforming produced water management from a cost center into a revenue-generating, sustainable enterprise supporting circular economy and energy security goals.

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