By Lydia González Gromatzky ( December 17, 2018, 1:17 PM EST) -- With produced water volumes are on the rise as a result of the growth in oil and natural gas production including water-intensive drilling techniques, stakeholders and regulatory agencies have been increasingly focusing more attention on the development of alternatives for produced water management. Produced water, the characteristics of which may vary depending on the nature of the formation, direction of oil and gas extraction, and additive use, has long been commonly disposed of through underground injection and traditionally been viewed as a waste rather than a resource or commodity. The reuse of produced water for enhanced oil recovery has also commonly occurred and over the past several years, as water recycling technologies have advanced, produced water reuse and recycling operations have substantially expanded. Even so, practical and logistical challenges remain for produced water management including those arising from the quantity and quality of the produced water as well as transportation and storage issues. With various areas of the country experiencing water scarcity concerns or limitations on injection capacity due to pressure or seismicity issues, stakeholders have expressed interest in not only expanding produced water management options, but also allowing produced water to be returned to the hydrologic cycle....