The UAE’s oil and gas sector generates large volumes of produced water — a complex, saline, hydrocarbon-rich by-product that emerges during drilling, extraction, and processing operations. Managing this water responsibly is critical, not only for environmental protection but also for operational efficiency and resource recovery.
Over the past decade, produced water treatment technologies have advanced significantly, and the UAE is now adopting next-generation systems capable of achieving Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) even under the harshest salinity and contaminant loads. This shift is transforming the industry’s sustainability profile and reinforcing the UAE’s leadership in modern water management.
Why Produced Water Is Challenging to Treat?
Produced water contains a combination of:
- Dissolved salts (often exceeding seawater salinity)
- Hydrocarbons and free oil
- Suspended solids
- Heavy metals
- BTEX compounds
- Chemical additives used during drilling and well stimulation
These characteristics make the treatment of produced water one of the most technically challenging processes in the oil and gas produced water treatment domain.
In the UAE — and particularly in produced water treatment in Dubai industrial zones — water scarcity combined with stringent environmental norms has accelerated demand for robust, ZLD-capable solutions.
The Shift Toward ZLD in the UAE
Zero Liquid Discharge is no longer just an environmental ambition; it is becoming an operational requirement as companies aim to:
- Minimise discharge into sensitive marine environments
- Reduce reliance on freshwater sources.
- Recover valuable resources (water, heat, and salts)
- Improve ESG and sustainability metrics.
- Comply with evolving regulations.
ZLD systems ensure that no liquid effluent leaves the facility — all water is recovered, and contaminants are converted into solid waste for safe disposal.
Key Technologies Driving ZLD in Produced Water Treatment
Achieving ZLD in oil well produced water treatment requires a multi-stage, integrated approach. Modern systems adopted in the UAE rely on:
1. Primary Oil Removal & Separation
- API separators
- Corrugated Plate Interceptor (CPI) units
- Induced Gas Flotation (IGF) systems
These remove free oil and floating contaminants.
2. Secondary Polishing
- Walnut shell filters
- Media filters
- Membrane filtration (UF/NF)
These stabilise the effluent for downstream advanced treatment.
3. High-Efficiency Evaporation
Mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) evaporators concentrate saline water efficiently, even at high TDS levels.
4. Thermal Concentrators
Used for extremely high-salinity brines common in produced water treatment in the oil and gas industry.
5. Crystallisers
Convert concentrated brine into dry solids, enabling complete ZLD.
6. RO-Based Pre-Treatment
Reverse osmosis is often integrated upstream to reduce load on thermal units and lower overall energy consumption.
These technologies combined bring produced water treatment systems well within ZLD capabilities.
Why the UAE Is Leading ZLD Adoption?
The UAE’s geography and industrial vision make it one of the fastest-growing markets for ZLD-focused produced water systems. Key drivers include:
• Water Scarcity Challenges
High dependence on desalinated water and minimal natural freshwater supplies.
• Environmental Protection Standards
Priority on protecting the Arabian Gulf, an ecologically sensitive region.
• National Sustainability Vision
Alignment with UAE Net Zero 2050 and circular-economy targets.
• High Volumes of Produced Water
Offshore and onshore fields, particularly in Abu Dhabi, generate large volumes requiring treatment and reuse.
• Technological Readiness
Widespread adoption of advanced membranes, automation, and thermal systems.
Benefits of ZLD-Enabled Produced Water Treatment
Implementing advanced ZLD systems delivers measurable value to oil & gas operators, including:
- Up to 95–98% water recovery for reuse in operations
- Reduced chemical, sludge, and disposal costs
- Lower freshwater consumption for drilling and injection
- Stable compliance with UAE environmental regulations
- Enhanced sustainability and ESG reporting
- Reduced the environmental footprint of upstream operations
These benefits make ZLD an increasingly preferred approach across oilfields and industrial clusters.
Ion Exchange’s Expertise in Produced Water ZLD Solutions
Onshore Produced Water Treatment
Amal Steam, PDO Oman
The PDO-Amal steam development project in South Oman is one of the largest brownfield enhanced oil recovery development projects. Ion Exchange & Company LLC was selected as the EPC contractor against stiff 3 international competition for a 9900 m /d steam injection package that required exclusive Ion Exchange technology for treating produced water. The produced water had oil, high total dissolved solids, and hardness. The treated water after a unique oil removal system passes through two stages of specialty ion exchange resin columns, complete with an automatic skid-mounted brine dosing system to reduce hardness. This treated water is used to produce steam for reinjection into heavy oil fields to boost the extraction rate of oil without scaling oil crevices. The project was successfully commissioned and continues to be operated and maintained by us, along with several water treatment plants installed in the facility.
Cairn India Limited, Barmer
Brine Dosing Skids M/s Cairn India Ltd. awarded EPC contract to Ion Exchange (India) Ltd. for constructing a produced water treatment plant for reinjecting sulphate-free water for its large Mangala and Bhagyam wells.
Ion Exchange’s lump-sum turnkey contract includes an elaborate pre-treatment system followed by a novel dual-membrane ltration system comprising advanced nano- ltration and reverse osmosis process to 3 treat 2315 m /h of produced water. Supplied completely with CIP, the system is particularly designed for reducing sulphur concentration from 500 ppm to < 10 ppm, whilst minimizing reject in the membrane treatment process to <10%. The reject handling system consists of a high-pressure pipeline and pumps, including booster pumps for reject disposal into disposal wells, which are located at a designated reject disposal well pad. The pipeline system is complete with associated pigging facilities at both dispatch & receiving ends.
Conclusion
As the UAE accelerates toward sustainable oil and gas operations, advanced produced water treatment with ZLD capability is becoming a critical component of modern infrastructure. High-recovery, energy-efficient systems now make it possible to convert challenging produced water streams into reusable water while meeting stringent environmental standards.
Connect with Ion Exchange experts to design a high-performance, ZLD-ready produced water treatment solution for your UAE operations.