Water in Energy conference returns to downtown Midland

The annual Permian Basin Water in Energy Conference is scheduled for April 8-9 at the Barbara and George H.W. Bush Convention Center in downtown Midland, Texas. Organized by the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB), the event has already registered approximately 500 attendees and secured 40 company sponsors. Dr. Beckey Spurlock, senior vice president at UTPB, noted the conference's robust content, emphasizing its role in championing water management solutions, with all proceeds directly benefiting UTPB students. The conference agenda will feature around 65 speakers examining a broad spectrum of water management issues relevant to the energy industry, including capital, regulation, finance, and technology. Presenting sponsor ExxonMobil will give a presentation on its water stewardship, and Dr. Ray Perryman will discuss the economic outlook of the Permian Basin related to water, energy, and capital. Maynard Holt, founder and CEO of Vertiten, is slated as a luncheon keynote speaker. Key discussions on the first day include water policy from the Texas Legislature and Texas Water Development Board, a legal update, water quality, and an update from the Railroad Commission. Significantly, a session will specifically delve into water demand from data centers. The second day will cover education and workforce, power and produced water challenges, and an economics panel with representatives from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and J.P. Morgan. Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, will also highlight critical decisions regarding water resources. The conference will also explore the nexus between produced water and nuclear energy, along with methods for transforming produced water into an asset through mineral extraction, desalination, and agricultural use.