Permian produced-water infrastructure to support new lithium carbonate facilities in Texas

(WO) - Select Water Solutions and LibertyStream Infrastructure Partners have signed an agreement to deploy commercial lithium carbonate production facilities across the Midland basin using existing produced-water pipeline, treatment and recycling infrastructure as the backbone of the operation. The first facility, to be located at Select’s operating site in Howard County, Texas, is slated for commissioning by December 2026. 

The project will integrate direct lithium extraction and refining systems with Select’s established water gathering and transport network, allowing oilfield brines already moving through pipelines and treatment systems to be sourced, pre-treated and delivered to processing units. The initial plant will have a nameplate capacity of up to 1,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate per year and will serve as the anchor for a broader multi-site rollout across the Permian.

LibertyStream will fund, design, construct and operate the processing facilities, while Select will provide water handling, transport and pre-treatment services through its existing infrastructure footprint. By leveraging pipeline networks, disposal wells and recycling systems already in place, the partners aim to reduce development costs and accelerate deployment timelines compared with standalone lithium extraction projects.

Site preparation for the first unit is expected to begin in March 2026, with full construction starting later in the second quarter. A second 1,000-tonne facility is targeted for startup by mid-2027, followed by additional units at existing operating sites across Howard, Martin, Midland, Upton and Glasscock counties, reflecting a broader push to repurpose produced-water infrastructure for critical-minerals recovery and new industrial uses.

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