February 24, 2025

The Benefits of Using 16-inch Layflat Hose for Water Transfer in the Permian Basin

The Permian Basin covers 75,000 square miles, stretching from eastern New Mexico across most of West Texas to the Rio Grande Valley. This part of the U.S. is rugged, astonishing, home to a booming oil and natural gas industry (thanks to hydraulic fracking) and…big. Very big.

The use of 16-inch layflat hose for water transfer in the Permian Basin offers significant advantages over traditional 12-inch systems, especially in this terrain. It makes water transfer more efficient, cuts costs, and is better for the environment.

Tyler Shanks is Keystone Clearwater’s Senior Managing Director of Operations for the Permian Basin. He is a born and raised Texan with 17 years of oilfield experience and he sums up the merits of 16-inch layflat hose like this, “It can move massive volumes of water easily at lower cost. There’s less pumps – a lot less which means a lot less fuel useage – and not as much line on the ground. It’s better than laying down double 12-inch.”

Basically, by adopting a 16-inch system, companies achieve more efficient water transfer across distances because the larger diameter system allows for smoother flow with fewer pieces of equipment required to move the water.

Not only are fewer pumps used, but a water transfer system designed with 16-inch layflat hose allows pumps to operate at lower RPMs – the lower pressure in the hose means pumps don’t have to work as hard – which decreases fuel usage even more. A single, large volume hose also means reduced operational complexities and optimal pipeline routing – which is good when it comes to right-of-way costs.

Burning less fuel is better for the environment as well.

Water transfer in a tough environment needs 16-inch layflat hose

Efficiency is key in Permian Basin water transfer projects, both for reasons of cost and climate. Rapid deployment and retrieval, which is possible with 16-inch layflat hose, helps keep projects on time and crews out of harsh conditions with little shade.

The hose is designed to be durable, but with dimensional stability. It has a low elongation rate and returns to its nominal diameter after use. It literally lays flat, like a fire hose rather than a hard garden hose, when it’s not pressurized.

16-inch layflat operates efficiently in a wide temperature range from -58F to 176F (-50C to 80C), making it suitable for most environmental conditions. Because water transfer projects run 24/7, 365 days a year, the equipment used in each application has to hold up under temperatures below freezing, and above 90-degrees.

Finally, 16-inch layflat hose is API certified, ensuring compliance with industry standards for quality and performance.

When it comes to high volume water transfer in the Permian Basin, whether for oil and gas applications or industrial dewatering, 16-inch layflat hose is efficient, saves on costs, and is better for the environment.

Keystone Clearwater Solutions
With an experienced workforce and a full range of equipment and services, including a large inventory of 16-inch layflat hose, Keystone Clearwater Solutions has the assets to serve the water transfer needs, including temporary pipeline construction, of oil and gas operators in Texas and the Mid-Atlantic region. Contact us today for details.

For more information contact:  Samantha Hubbard at Keystone Clearwater Solutions, 432.210.1855 or shubbard@keystoneclear.net.