Kady Weatherford 2025 Issue, Sidebar

By the Numbers

Water is sacred in these parts. As a West Texas rancher inspects purified water, he understands that finding a solution to the state's depleting water sources is crucial to preserving this way of life for future generations.

Water Conversions in the Context of Agriculture and Oil Production

Water usage in both agriculture and the oil industry involve large quantities, often measured in millions of gallons per day. Understanding these quantities and how they convert from one unit to another can help put the scale into perspective. Here’s a breakdown of some key water conversions: 

While the pump jack extracts oil from deep below, the land also yields another resource— produced water—a byproduct that holds the potential to nourish crops and sustain communities in the face of a growing water crisis.

One Barrel of Oil = 42 Gallons 

The oil industry often measures water production in barrels. A barrel is equivalent to 42  gallons. When considering the potential of produced water for agricultural use, we can easily convert it into gallons. 

While the Permian Basin does lead the charge in oil production for the nation, there is still four to five times as much water produced than oil. These containers not only hold the liquid black gold but also produced water.

Water Requirements for Irrigation 

A typical center pivot irrigation system covers about 170 acres, with each acre requiring 27,000 gallons to apply just one inch of water. 

  • For 10 inches of water per acre, this becomes 270,000 gallons per acre. 
  • For 100 acres, the total water needed is 27 million gallons. 
  • For a 170-acre field, the total water needed is 40 to 50 million gallons. 
A sprinkler stretches across the field, delivering precious water to crops, while the dwindling water table serves as a reminder that each drop counts in the fight for sustainability.

Produced Water Potential  

The oil industry produces massive amounts of water, with an estimated 25 million barrels of produced water per day. According to Walker, 25 million barrels per day multiplied by 42 gallons per barrel equals 1.05 billion gallons per day.  

Water Plants in Texas  

Water treatment plants in Texas often treat water in terms of millions of gallons per day according to Shane Walker: 

  • Small plants treat around one MGD. 
  • Larger plants such as El Paso treat tens of MGDs.  
  • Huge plants such as Dallas-Fort Worth treat hundreds of MGDs 

These conversions help illustrate the vast scale of water needed for both agriculture and oil production, highlighting the significant potential for using produced water in agricultural irrigation, especially in water-scarce regions like West Texas. 

Glen Ritchie, Ph.D., is the chair of the Department of Plant and Soil Science and a professor of crop physiology, recognizes the significant challenge posed by water scarcity, particularly with millions of acres of cropland in the greater South Plains area. 

“Produced water is one of the few activities that actually produces enough water that it could be converted into agricultural water,” Ritchie said.  


Spot the difference between the two samples of water. These ranchers are hopeful that produced water can be used for good.
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