No Chemicals, No Problem: MYCELX Enters Permian

MYCELX Technologies deployed its advanced water treatment systems in the Permian Basin on May 2, 2026, targeting produced water recycling.

6 Jul 2026

MYCELX Technologies, based in Georgia, started running its water treatment systems in the Permian Basin on May 2. The move marks its first field-scale project in the region and a step toward chemical-free handling of produced water, the wastewater that comes up alongside oil and gas.

A midstream operator signed the contract. Two technologies sit behind the deployment: REGEN, a regenerative media filter, and MAC, an advanced coalescer. Neither relies on chemical additives. Together they treat water for disposal or desalination, tackling a problem that has long added cost and complexity to oilfield operations.

"This is our showcase project, and it's already generating significant interest from operators in the region," said Jim Weidler, MYCELX's executive vice president of business development.

The Permian produces more wastewater than almost any other basin in North America. That volume has put pressure on midstream companies to show they can dispose of it responsibly, particularly as regulators pay closer attention to disposal practices tied to seismic activity and groundwater risk. Against that backdrop, a working chemical-free system carries weight beyond the single site where it now operates.

Cost is one reason operators are watching. Chemical-based treatment requires handling, storage and disposal of reagents, each carrying its own expense and liability. Removing chemicals from the process cuts those costs and reduces the risk of contamination claims tied to reagent use.

Whether the technology scales beyond a single contract remains to be seen. MYCELX has one operational site to point to, not a track record across the basin. Results at this location, and how quickly rivals in the water treatment sector respond, will likely determine how far the company's footprint extends into the rest of the Permian's oil and gas infrastructure.