Advanced Produced Water Treatment Technology Development

The contract seeks the design, deployment, and testing of pilot-scale systems to treat flowback and produced water from energy extraction operations, with the goal of removing total dissolved solids, metals, organic compounds, and bacteria to meet regulatory standards and enable beneficial reuse. The project focuses on advancing treatment technologies that can handle the complex chemical composition of water returned from hydraulic fracturing and other subsurface operations, ensuring environmental compliance and promoting sustainable water management practices. Successful implementation must demonstrate technical viability at a scale closer to real-world conditions, with performance metrics tied to effluent quality and system reliability. The initiative is administered by the National Energy Technology Laboratory under the Department of Energy and is classified as a subcontract under NAICS code 541690, indicating a focus on other scientific and technical consulting services. The solicitation was posted on July 6, 2026, with a deadline for responses set for October 5, 2026. While specific location details for performance or contact information are not provided, the project is expected to involve field validation and may require collaboration with industry partners or existing infrastructure to facilitate testing under relevant operational conditions. Funding is intended to accelerate innovation in produced water treatment with an emphasis on scalability, efficiency, and readiness for broader adoption.