Lithium recovery from oil and gas produced water: Opportunities, challenges, and future outlook

The rapid development of the new energy industry has increased the demand and prices of lithium, which has in turn promoted the development of lithium resources. Lithium recovery from oil and gas field produced water (OGPW) is a potential path to obtain lithium. However, this method is not widely utilized in industrialization due to various factors such as interference, immature processes, and low economic viability. This research aims to explore the technology and application of lithium recovery from OGPW. This review focuses on the output, characteristics, and lithium concentration of OGPW in the main basins of China to assess the feasibility of lithium recovery. Additionally, the common technologies for lithium recovery in OGPW are summarized and compared. The proposal suggests that combining different processes can leverage the advantages of individual technologies and enhance the efficiency of lithium recovery. Furthermore, the major challenges related to these technologies in terms of cost and technology are discussed. The conclusion highlights the importance of conducting research on combination technologies, specifically the pretreatment+ enrichment (adsorption/extraction-membrane separation) + precipitation process. It also highlights the potential benefits of integrating lithium recovery with OGPW treatment to reduce overall treatment costs through the recovery and sale of lithium.