People need both clean, safe water and sustainable energy. That means both resources must be properly managed. But when it comes to the oil and gas industries, there's a problem. The water that comes out of the ground along with oil and gas during oil and gas exploration and production operations is anything but clean. This wastewater, known as "produced water", is often heavily contaminated with salt, oil, and grease, as well as potentially dangerous compounds. Some are linked to lung, skin and bladder cancer in humans. These compounds can also harm or kill aquatic life. So, the act of producing energy compromises another key element of human and environmental health: water. This won't change anytime soon. The Produced Water Society, made up of oil and gas professionals focused on water quality, forecasts a doubling in produced water volumes globally over the next ten years. READ MORE: https://phys.org/news/2022-11-treatment-wastewater-nigeria-oil-fields.html