University of Texas researchers model oilfield wastewater as a cooling source for AI data centers

AI information centers are thirsty, and Texas is beginning to discover. A brand-new research study from the University of Texas at Austin recommends a possible repair: cool the servers with water no one else desires.

The scientists designed how desalinated brackish groundwater and oil and gas wastewater might provide information center cooling. Their conclusion is that it might be convenient, at a modest expense to the centers’ energy budget plans.

news What the scientists discovered

The paper appeared online in the journal Water Research in September 2026. UT Austin openly revealed the findings on October 8, 2026.

Mechanical engineering teacher Vaibhav Bahadur led the work. His group looked at recognized desalination approaches, mainly reverse osmosis, to see whether they might produce functional cooling water for information.

The other water source in the research study is produced water. That is the briny water that shows up from wells along with oil and gas, a by-product the market needs to handle one method or another.

According to the research study, the energy and expense of dealing with these water sources would represent just a little portion of an information center’s total energy need.

news A brand-new method to determine the stress

The group likewise presented a brand-new metric called Saline Water Utilization Intensity, or SWUI. It is created to evaluate regional water tension under various treatment situations.

The scientists ran a number of case research studies through the metric. A proposed information center task in Longview scored finest. That setup paired brackish water with a two-stage reverse osmosis system.

news The numbers behind the concept

The Permian Basin produces roughly 8 billion gallons of produced water every day. That is approximately the volume of 1,200 Olympic-sized pool.

A big information center can require up to 5 million gallons of water per day for cooling.

news Why the timing matters

In September 2026, Governor Greg Abbott stopped briefly all brand-new information center allows. That relocation came as the state Attorney General’s workplace stepped up examinations into how existing centers utilize water.

news What this indicates

For information center designers, the research study provides a possible argument to remind regulators. If a task can reveal it makes use of brackish or produced water rather of freshwater, it might be much easier to protect in a state now inspecting water usage carefully.

There are open concerns worth enjoying. The research study is a modeling research study, not a working setup. Salt water disposal is another useful problem: desalination leaves focused salt waste, and any massive rollout would require a prepare for it.

Disclosure: This short article was modified by Diego Almada Lopez. For more details on how we develop and examine material, see our Editorial Policy.