Paper: Design of the Salt Water Gathering System

This discussion is limited to salt water disposal systems where the salt water is to be injected into a subsurface formation. The subsurface formation may be the same formation from which the water was produced or some other one. The injection of salt water may be solely a means of disposal or it may be injected as a part of a waterflood or pressure maintenance project. Systems for subsurface disposal of salt water will usually include the injection well, injection plant, treating plant and the salt water gathering system. The injection wells, injection plant and treating plant, as well as the source and disposition of the water, will be discussed only as they may influence and require consideration in the mechanical design of the salt water gathering system and the time for initiating such design.