A comprehensive thermodynamic model for high salinity produced waters

Reuse of produced waters in oil and gas production is a major concern due to high treatment cost and regulations on disposal in the environment. To support development of separation techniques and process innovations, we report a comprehensive thermodynamic model for the aqueous hexary system of Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻, the major ionic species present in high salinity produced waters. Based on the electrolyte NRTL theory, the model accurately calculates thermodynamic and phase equilibrium properties with two binary interaction parameters per water-electrolyte pair and electrolyte-electrolyte pair sharing a common ion. This article presents the methodology to identify the binary interaction parameters from literature data and the model results for wide varieties of thermodynamic and phase equilibrium properties including salt solubility for selected binary, ternary, quaternary, and quinary subsystems. The model is validated with the electrolyte concentrations up to salt saturation and temperatures from 273 to 473 K.