ABSTRACT
Membrane technology is promising for produced water treatment owing to high energy efficiency, small footprint, and low cost. This chapter critically reviews a variety of membrane technologies for produced water treatment. We describe fundamental principles of membrane operating, such as separation mechanism, fouling behavior, system configuration, and energy efficiency. Without intending to exhaustively review membrane technologies, this chapter aims to provide examples of state-of-the-art membranes and processes for produced water treatment highlighting advanced materials developed to achieve superior separation properties. The challenges of membrane technologies for this application are also presented (including fouling and stability), and various strategies of membrane designs and modifications to overcome these challenges are discussed.
