The Great Permian Basin Produced-Water Ponzi Scheme?

Disclaimer: All views expressed in this article are my own and do not reflect the views of any entity whatsoever which I have been, am now, or will be affiliated.

I was having lunch with a former colleague a few months ago and the subject of produced water recycling came up. During the course of the conversation, he asked me: “Isn't this just a reverse Ponzi scheme with produced water? Ultimately, if they stop fracking, they [the operators] are going to have to deal with a lot of dirty water they don't need!”