Ag Independence – The Goal

We celebrate our nation today and we recall the wisdom and foresight of the founders who started a nation on the idea that the People could self-govern. When they led the revolution, they were AGAINST something, but they were also FOR something. History is educational, because we see that in contrast the French Revolution was AGAINST something, but they didn’t have a clear vision of what they were FOR.

As we talk about Ag Independence, we are clear what we’re against – scarcity of water. And what we’re for – repurposing cleaned oilfield water to be put out onto our land for ag and conservation. 

Let’s celebrate our nation today. Let’s remember their wisdom to be both against and for something important. And when the barbecues are over, let’s remember that Ag Independence means freedom from water scarcity.

Happy Independence Day, America!

#JustAddWater

#AgIndependence

Ag Independence – What the Heck is That?

Once upon a time, we all were in the agriculture business because if you wanted to eat, that was your business. You grew enough for your family, if you the weather was good. You’d maybe reap a little more if the soil and the seed and your back cooperated.

That was then. 

Today for most people, agriculture is something that somebody else does. Most people in the US “harvest” by taking a trip to the grocery store and filling up a shopping cart. Many are happy to have independence fromag. But that’s not what we’re talking about. 

For those of us in the agriculture industry, we work to make sure that there is independence forag. 

In the arid West, agriculture is bound hand and foot by scarcity of water. What you can grow, what type of herds you raise, the value of your farm or ranch all depend on the amount of water you have. 

In fact, we never think about independence from scarcity of water because, well, that’s just how it is. Might as well complain that the sun doesn’t come up early enough in the morning. We can’t change it.

And that’s true. Everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does anything, right?

But in the arid West, because of the oil industry, there are trillions of gallons of water each year and they are desperate to get rid of it, so they inject it down a hole in the ground and toss it away.

Maybe the ag industry could come up with a better use for that water than throwing it away? (that was sarcasm)

What if you had a few more acre inches of water on your soil? What would that mean? Greater yield? Different yield? Greater value?

At Encore Green Environmental, we are an ag company dedicated to stewarding our lands. We work with landowners to bring everyone together so that cleaned water from the oil well that matches the needs of your soil can be applied to your land.

That’s independence. 

Join the revolution.

What Does Cleaning By-Product Water Have in Common with Mozart??

We don’t get to reference Mozart too often – or, heck, even Beethoven, Bach, or the Beatles.  We re-purpose oilfield by-product/produced water for ag and conservation and that process usually doesn’t have a soundtrack.

But Mozart was told something that we are told quite often. In the movie “Amadeus” based on Mozart’s life, this scene sounds way too familiar to us. Mozart has just played a new composition for the Emperor.

MOZART: So, then you like it? You really like it, Your Majesty? 
EMPEROR: Of course I do. It's very good. Of course, now and then - just now and then - it gets a touch elaborate. 
MOZART: What do you mean, Sire? 
EMPEROR: Well, I mean occasionally it seems to have, how shall one say? How shall one say, Director? 
ORSINI-ROSENBERG: Too many notes, Your Majesty? 
EMPEROR: Exactly. Very well put. Too many notes. 

We often find ourselves in front of the Emperor ourselves. Okay, maybe not a real Emperor. 

But we often have similar conversations with an E&P executive or a regulator or a landowner or an environmentalist. 

And they say that Conservation By-Design™ has “too many moving parts.”

See, no one is used to cooperating. That’s not business as usual . But for us to get the benefits of the ‘Just Add Water’ Initiative, everyone has to come onboard. Sure, that’s a lot of people, but the end result? Brand new clean water to our arid lands and a better environment.

Let’s work together on the moving parts. If we do, we’ll make beautiful music.

So, What’s an ‘Agricultural Midstream Company” Anyway?

We’ve claimed to be the first and only Agricultural Midstream Company. We call ourselves that because we don’t fit into any of the other categories.

•  We clean water, but we’re not a water cleaning company.

• We move produced water, but we’re not an energy midstream company.

• We work for the benefit of the land, but we don’t own land.

• We facilitate an abundance of vegetation, but we aren’t growers or producers.

We do something so different that until we came along, nobody had a category for us. But now, we have one.

We are pleased to be the Agricultural Midstream Company.

 It’s not unlike a 3 Ring Circus. Remember those?

For the price of just one ticket, you got to see the elephants in one ring, the acrobats in another, and the tigers in a third. Holding it all together was a Ringleader who kept it all going. He wasn’t an elephant, acrobat, or tiger. He did something different.

In the world of oilfield produced/by-product water, we are the Ringleader.

• Instead of elephants, in the first ring, we have the energy company trying their best to get oil out of the ground. They succeed, but they have trillions of gallons of produced/by-product water they have to get rid of. No plan for the water, no drilling. Their temporary solution of injection wells or evaporation isn’t keeping up with the growing amount of water. Yes, we’re looking at you, Permian Basin. We’re on the side of the energy companies.

•  Instead of acrobats, we have the environmentalists in the second ring. They are rightly concerned over this by-product/produced water, since it’s a trade secret just exactly what’s in that water that is being injected into wells, pits, and ponds. They want to know that the environment isn’t being harmed in the name of fossil fuel. We’re also on the side of the environmentalists.

• Instead of tigers, we have the regulators who are charged with being responsible to execute the EPA’s policies to protect our land. Now, since our whole orientation is agriculture, we are on the side of the regulators, especially when they are putting the land first. So, we’re on their side, too.

What does the Ringleader do? Well, we stand in the middle of those rings and figure out how each one of them can win.

OIL COMPANY

Encore Green Environmental can take that water from the oil companies, clean it, and apply to arid lands. We do it for the same price they’re paying to put it down an injection well.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS

When we take that water, we do two things that make the environmentalists smile: We publicly disclose the water quality tests of the water being applied to the ground – it’s not a trade secret, anybody can know it. And since we’re putting clean water on the ground, then we have vegetation. If we have vegetation, we have erosion mitigation and better air quality through carbon capture. That makes the environmentalists smile because then, in a bit of irony, they have fossil fuel drilling cleaning up the air!

REGULATORS

When we take that water, we make the regulators happy as well, because we give them something they don’t have now: water quality data. Our AgWaterSoil Solutions™ data process gives continual monitoring of the water on the ground, both the quality and the quantity. Right now, regulators only know how much water is being put in injection wells. With our system, we tell them what that water is all about that is on the ground, creating growth.

The Ringleader keeps everyone doing what they do best.

PRIVATE EQUITY

Also, just outside the Big Top is the Barker calling everyone over. We don’t have those, but we have private equity that’s fueling the tech revolution on new ways to clean the water.

LANDOWNER

And the most important character in this silly metaphor of a circus? He’s off to the side, doing a few magic tricks in a booth. He doesn’t pull a rabbit out of a hat, but he manages to pull acres and acres of food out of arid soil to feed this whole planet. He’s the landowner and agriculturist. We give him water. That makes him smile.

So, we actually have a 5 Ring Circus going on.

Come one, come all. The world’s first Agricultural Midstream Company is in business.

Give us a call. They’re room for everyone under the Big Top.

Fracking Now Works for Everyone

There was a time when the f-word that some groups in our society wouldn’t say out loud was “fracking.” They might say the ‘other’ word, but they considered fracking a heinous activity.

Now, none of the fear was based on science. Its origin was that opponents of ‘fossil fuels’ knew that fracking would breathe new life into US oil production.

And, indeed, that’s what happened. Fracking has made the figurative and literal wheels of our society keep turning without dependence on oil from other countries. Hey, we’re all for free trade, right? Only problem is that we get oil from the very same list of countries that are sworn enemies of ours or at least have questionable allegiances to us. Better we eat at home and not get “take out.”

But, fracking did have serious problems. The biggest is that the process of fracking results in that for every 1 barrel of oil that comes out of the ground, along comes 3 to 7 barrels of by-product/produced water. This water needs to be cleaned and so our collective plan has been to take this by-product/produced water and move it. Yep, move it, not clean it. It’s primarily moved to another hole in the ground. With this method, the by-product problem of fracking remains a genuine environmental concern.

But not anymore. Using Conservation By-Design™ methodology, this water can be cleaned and not thrown away. Instead, it’s put out on the arid land that surrounds most oil wells in the US.

With this new source of water, that dead dirt becomes healthy soil. Then vegetation grows. Then, erosion is mitigated. And the vegetation helps carbon in the air to be swapped for oxygen.

So, because of fracking, there can be a greater amount of carbon sequestration to clean up our air and mitigate climate disruption.

·      Fracking works for the economy.

·      Fracking works for industry. Perhaps one day we won’t need so much fossil fuel. But until then, we need oil. Fracking gives it to us.

·      And – if you use Conservation By-Design™, fracking works to create a total ecological solution.

Fracking works for everyone. All we have to do is Just Add Water.

Here’s some links.

For the folks that like pretty pictures:

https://www.encoregreenenvironmental.com/cbd

For the folks that like scientific white papers:

https://www.encoregreenenvironmental.com/resources

For the folks that want to know more:

https://www.encoregreenenvironmental.com/contact

Doing Right – Just Because It’s Right

We need to be good stewards of our western arid lands because that’s the right thing to do. 

·     Not because the government forces us

·     Not because we’d get backlash from an advocacy group

·     Not because we want to manage our image and public relations

·     Not even if we think we’ll make more money that way

Let’s take care of our land because it’s right to do.

The late preacher D.L. Moody said that your character is who you are when no one is looking. 

Let’s collectively be the kind of company, government agency, and advocacy group that has good character. 

Let’s make doing what’s best for the land become our own personal and corporate best. 

Hat Tip to the Wyoming DEQ

Like most things worth doing, it has taken a good bit of time and effort. We have now made significant progress in getting a regulatory pathway to take oilfield by-product water, clean it, and put it on the land -- starting a chain reaction of better soil, new vegetation, cleaner air, and conservation goals that we never thought possible.

The vision has been there. I mean, for a couple of years we’ve been telling everyone what can be achieved. But change is hard; we get that. It’s taken a while for all the stakeholders to get their heads around something new. 

We emerged from a meeting this past week with an actionable plan to now work out the details of this vision. We appreciate the Wyoming DEQ for this progress. If this path continues Wyoming will be the leader in how to steward our arid lands. 

There’s much more to be done and it’s not over yet. But we’ve turned a corner and it’s always good to take a moment and reflect.

Not sure what we’re talking about? Check out this link:

www.encoregreenenvironmental.com/cbd

Stop Playing Whack-A-MoleWith Our Environment!

Ever play Whack-A-Mole at a carnival? You know, a fake mole pops out of different holes and each time it pops out, you try to whack it. You stay real busy whacking thismole and then thatmole. Every time you think you’ve got it solved, another mole pops back.

That’s like us saying we have to solve our produced water disposalproblem, we have to solve our airqualityproblem, we have to solve our soilhealth problem, we have to solve our arid land water scarcityproblem, we have to solve . . . well, you get the idea. We keep whacking our problems with one-off solutions (and it’s not working…).

Instead – it’s time for a total ecological solution! 

The solution is to Just Add Water!

Oil companies are trying to figure out how to deal with their hundreds of millions of gallons of produced water. They whack the mole by sticking this by-product water in the ground, effectively tossing it away. The mole is whacked, but the problem still remains. They’ve just moved the by-product water to a different place. Oops, there’s that mole again. 

We’re trying to remove carbon out of the air and get more oxygen into the air. We all like to breath O much better than C. So, we try whacking the mole by calling for an end of fossil fuels. But if today, we shut off the gas pumps, the world literally comes to a standstill. Some say that’s a solution, but it doesn’t solve our problem today. Dang, that mole’s back!

 We need to use precious water from the aquifer sometimes to irrigate our land for ag or conservation. So, we whack the mole repeatedly, draining the aquifer, but then we get a little thirsty. Pesky mole!

 Our soil in the arid west is dead – nothing grows because there’s no water. This time, we don’t even try to whack the mole because no one has a solution – good or bad -- because arid land needs (wait for it) water. But where’s a new source of water?

Instead, let’s do this: Repurpose that by-product water – stop throwing it away! Clean it up and put it on the nearby arid land that’s only growing more dust. Soon, you have better, healthy soil. With soil and water, you get vegetation that helps stop soil erosion and creates that thing you learned about in school – photosynthesis. If you have photosynthesis, what happens, class? Well, the vegetation pulls the carbon out of the air and secures it in its roots and surrounding soil. Then, the vegetation releases an abundance of oxygen into the air.

·     Produced water problem solved.

·     Soil health problem solved.

·     Aquifer problem solved.

·     Air quality problem solved, along with mitigating climate disruption.

And it’s all because we decide not to whack another mole. And instead, JUST ADD WATER.

Let’s talk about it.  CLICK HERE

Oh, and just so you know, no moles were harmed in the writing of this article.

We’re In the News Again . . . And Again!

We’re grateful that the vision to “Just Add Water” to transform our arid lands is taking hold. Here’s two links from today’s Albuquerque Journal:

“Planning to Irrigate Arid Lands with Produced Water”

https://www.abqjournal.com/1317773/finding-a-new-use-for-produced-water.html

“Opening the Floodgates for ‘Produced Water’”

https://www.abqjournal.com/1317772/for-6.html?utm_source=abqjournal.com&utm_medium=abqjournal%20oembed%7C1317772&utm_campaign=abqjournal%20oembed

And if you missed it, this link from KGWN in Cheyenne about our new software:

“Encore Green is Developing a New Software to Help See Less By-Product Water Go to Waste”

https://www.wyomingnewsnow.tv/content/news/Encore-Green-is-developing-a-new-software-to-help-see-less-by-product-water-go-to-waste-510026761.html

We’re In The News Again!

We’re grateful for @Gracie_Foulk from KGWN for a great write up on our new software that is the heart of our Conservation By-Design™ process to repurpose by-product water for conservation, ag, mitigation, and better soil!

Read all about it HERE!