Degree
Master of Business Administration Executive
Faculty / School
School of Business Studies (SBS)
Year of Award
2026
Advisor/Supervisor
Dr. Rameez Khalid, Associate Professor, Department of Management
Project Type
MBA Executive Research Project
Access Type
Restricted Access
Keywords
Produced Water Management, Oil and Gas Operations, Technical Feasibility Analysis, Upstream Energy Operations
Executive Summary
Produced water (PW) management has become a growing operational and environmental challenge for mature oil and gas fields worldwide. The Rehman Production Facility (RPF), operated by the Polish Oil and Gas Company (POGC), is experiencing a steady increase in PW volumes as reservoir maturity progresses. The facility currently relies on evaporation ponds for PW disposal; however, increasing production volumes, seasonal variability in evaporation rates, and aging infrastructure are gradually limiting the effectiveness of the existing system.
This study evaluates cost-effective produced water management solutions that can ensure operational continuity, environmental compliance, and long-term financial sustainability for the facility. The research adopts a structured techno-commercial assessment framework combining field observations, stakeholder interviews, laboratory data analysis, secondary literature review, and comparative feasibility evaluation of potential alternatives.
Several PW management options were assessed, including construction of additional evaporation ponds, forced evaporation systems, produced water treatment technologies, restoration of old ponds, and deep-well reinjection. Technical feasibility, environmental compliance, operational practicality, and financial viability were evaluated through tools such as CAPEX and OPEX estimation, Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Payback Period (PBP), and a weighted scoring matrix.
The analysis identifies enhanced evaporation systems—particularly fixed sprinkler evaporation—as the most balanced solution for RPF. This approach improves evaporation capacity, reduces reliance on bowser transportation, integrates well with existing infrastructure, and maintains regulatory compliance at relatively low cost.
The study recommends a phased implementation strategy combining rehabilitation of existing ponds with the deployment of enhanced evaporation systems to ensure scalable, sustainable, and economically viable produced water management for the facility.
Pages
xii, 145
Notes
This research project benefited from the practical field insights of one of the authors, Mr. Syed Saad Akram, who is currently associated with the Polish Oil and Gas Company (POGC). His professional experience and operational exposure at the Rehman Production Facility provided valuable ground-level understanding of produced water management practices, operational constraints, and industry realities, which helped ensure that the study’s analysis and recommendations remain aligned with real-world operational conditions.
Recommended Citation
Farooq, M., Akram, S. S., Khan, A. A., & Zafar, H. (2026). Assessing Cost-Effective Produced Water Handling Mechanisms for Operational and Financial Viability: A Case Study of Rehman Production Facility (POGC) (Unpublished graduate research project). Institute of Business Administration, Pakistan. Retrieved from https://ir.iba.edu.pk/research-projects-emba/698
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