Produced water and formation pressure are reshaping how the Permian operates—and how capital decisions are made.
As oil production growth moderates, water production continues to accelerate. Disposal remains the primary balancing mechanism, even as reuse expands.
At the same time, shallow formation pressure is emerging as a defining operational and regulatory risk—reducing effective disposal capacity, increasing costs, and driving infrastructure decisions.
The B3 Water & Pressure Outlook provides a forward-looking view of how these realities are influencing development strategy, midstream investment, and long-term competitiveness across Central Basin Platform.
What You'll Learn
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Why water economics now rival oil economics in determining asset performance
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How formation pressure is constraining disposal capacity faster than new wells are being developed
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Where disposal costs are headed—and why inflation is structural, not temporary
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The role of long-haul pipelines and distant disposal in relieving regional pressure imbalances
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What a rebalanced Delaware Basin water system could look like by 2035
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Strategic implications for operators, midstream providers, executives, and investors