Lawmakers discuss potential to expand iodine recovery from oil-and-gas wastewater under SB 1930
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Summary
Representative Moore presented SB 1930 (a mirror of a House measure) that could enable recovery of iodine from produced wastewater in some formations; sponsors touted sizable production potential while noting geological limits and regulatory coordination concerns. The committee reported the bill do pass, 11-0.
Representative Moore presented Senate Bill 1930 as a mirror of the House development act and said negotiators were continuing discussions and that the bill could be amended. He described the bill as aiming to support development and to enable certain resource-recovery activities tied to oil-and-gas operations.
Moore explained that produced wastewater in some formations contains recoverable iodine and other constituents and that capturing those materials before disposal could significantly increase state iodine output. "If we are able to capture the iodine out of that wastewater before it goes down, we will instantly be the worldwide leader in iodine production," Moore said, estimating the state could increase production several times over in favorable formations.
Members pressed for detail on whether the bill would disrupt existing oil-and-gas operators and how revenues or surface-owner claims would be handled. Moore said the bill was intended not to disadvantage operators already extracting constituents and noted formation-by-formation variation (some formations are too brackish to recover iodine). He flagged concerns about surface-owner claims and class-action risk, saying the measure aims to avoid creating new, unintended causes of action.
The committee voted to report SB 1930 do pass, 11-0. Sponsors signaled that technical edits and targeted amendments could follow as conversations with affected stakeholders continue.
