Occidental Petroleum Corp.

Occidental Petroleum Corp. (Oxy) is a U.S. energy and chemicals company with oil and gas operations in the United States, Middle East, and North Africa, as well as its OxyChem chemical business. Water management is a priority for Oxy because its upstream production creates large amounts of produced water, and both hydraulic fracturing and chemical manufacturing need significant water supplies. Oxy focuses on recycling produced water, using non-potable sources, managing wastewater, and protecting freshwater resources.

Oxy has made significant progress in water management by expanding its produced-water recycling systems. At the Lost Tank facility in Lea County, New Mexico, recycling capacity grew from about 9.5 to over 28 megaliters per day, with more than 7,950 megaliters recycled by the end of 2024. The company also expanded the Dos Ochos pond system and connected it to the El Gordo satellite facility in Texas, building a larger network for collecting, treating, storing, and reusing produced water.

Oxy's Water-On-Demand pipeline system in Colorado is another key improvement. Instead of mainly using trucks and onsite storage tanks, this network moves water through temporary and permanent pipelines straight to hydraulic-fracturing sites. Since 2012, about 79,500 megaliters of water have been transported this way, which has avoided over 67 million truck miles and helped lower emissions, spill risks, and storage needs.

Oxy also uses circular-water practices in its chemicals business. In 2024, OxyChem started water-reuse projects at several plants, especially in Ingleside, Texas; Ludington, Michigan; and Taft, Louisiana. These efforts cut water use by about 351 megaliters. The company also has a central Water Strategy and Technology Group and a Water Stewardship Community of Practice to coordinate treatment technologies, recycling, water-risk assessments, and engineering expertise across its operations.

Oxy's water quality management goes beyond just conservation. The company reviews permitted discharges and stormwater runoff, uses treatment methods like membranes and reverse osmosis for produced and flowback water, and uses WRI Aqueduct to check regional water risks. In some U.S. areas, treated water from facilities is released to help maintain steady flows in riverbank ecosystems. Still, overall water withdrawal and wastewater discharge increased in 2024, which means that even with extensive recycling, total water use has continued to grow.