Mission Statement
Our History
The Produced Water Society started as a collection industry professionals meeting to discuss issues they were facing in treating produced water. Led by Colin Tyrie, the group met for the first time in 1990. They then quickly went from irregular meetings to larger, annual seminars where individuals presented technical papers on the issues they confronted in water production and disposal. They also discussed their attempts to solves these issues and the results, along with relevant data, they managed to gather in the process.
They learned that by sharing their successes and failures with a community of practitioners, the entire field of produced water management would advance.
Word of the meeting spread, and a community formed. PWS was formally incorporated in 1999 as a 501 (c) (3) organization focused on educating the industry on an often overlooked, yet critical, part of the day to day operations of oil and gas production—water. Under Mr. Tyrie’s guidance, the Annual Seminar grew to three full days of presentations, with each day culminating in vigorous question and answer sessions between the audience and speakers.
In 2015, Mr. Tyrie announced his retirement, and Global Water Intelligence stepped in to run the day to day operations of the Society. The Society funds university students pursuing academic research on produced water through the Colin Tyrie Scholarship, in honor of Mr. Tyrie’s long career advocating for the value of proper water treatment in the industry.
In recent years, the Produced Water Society has expanded its attention beyond conventional on and offshore produced water disposal to include water treatment, handling, and management for oil and gas operations across the industry and the world. In 2017, the Society held regionally focused events in Midland, Texas, and in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The regional meetings have continued to grow as greater industry attention is paid to water issues, both globally and regionally.
Through its history, the Produced Water Society has sought to bring better information and greater understanding to the oil and gas industry. As longtime members of the Society know, by sharing and collaborating, the entire field of produced water management advances. We look forward to another 30 years bringing excellence to the field.
Support Our Mission and Become a Sponsor
The Produced Water Society partners with operating companies, industry organizations, and educational institutions to further the mission of the Society and of partnering groups with synergistic aims.