Iofina Partners with Western Midstream to Build Largest IOsorb® Plant, Doubling Iodine Production Capacity

Iofina teams with Western Midstream to build its biggest IOsorb plant in the Permian

Iofina has signed a deal with Western Midstream Partners to supply produced water for a brand-new IOsorb plant in the Permian Basin. This will be Iofina’s largest facility to date, designed to process around 50,000 barrels of brine per day – double the throughput of current plants.

The company expects the plant to cost between $8-9m and target annual output of 170-220 metric tonnes of crystalline iodine. Groundwork is anticipated to start by the end of 2025, with first production expected in the second half of 2026.

What exactly has been agreed

The agreement combines Iofina’s proprietary WET IOsorb technology with Western Midstream’s produced water. Produced water is the salty, iodine-bearing brine that comes up during oil and gas production; IOsorb extracts the iodine before the water is returned for disposal, transport, or recycling.

Iofina will build, fund, and operate the plant. Western Midstream will supply up to 50,000 Bbls/d of produced water and will receive a royalty fee on the plant’s production. The royalty rate itself is not disclosed.

Key numbers at a glance

Brine processing capacity	c.50,000 Bbls/d (twice current plant capacity)
Capex estimate	$8-9m
Target iodine output	170-220 metric tonnes per year
Water supply partner	Western Midstream Partners (NYSE: WES)
Water handling backdrop	WES currently handles more than 2.7 million barrels per day
Permian context	48% of total U.S. crude oil production in 2024; water-to-oil ratios 3x to 11x
Groundwork	Anticipated to start by end of 2025
Onstream target	H2 2026

Why the Permian matters for iodine supply

The Permian Basin is the world’s largest oil basin, accounting for 48% of U.S. crude output in 2024. Crucially for Iofina, the basin generates a lot of produced water – typically three to eleven barrels of water for every barrel of oil.

That means a steady, scalable feedstock for IOsorb plants. Western Midstream’s footprint – more than 2.7 million barrels per day of produced water currently handled – gives Iofina a partner with serious infrastructure and operational know-how. Western Midstream also highlighted this as the first iodine extraction plant in the basin, underpinning the strategic significance.

How the IOsorb model works (and why doubling capacity matters)

Iofina’s WET IOsorb process captures iodine from brine associated with oil and gas. By doubling the per-plant brine capacity to roughly 50,000 barrels per day, Iofina is aiming for a step-change in iodine volumes from a single site.

At the midpoint of guidance, the plant could add roughly 195 metric tonnes of annual output. For context, Iofina already operates eight IOsorb plants in Oklahoma and is the second largest iodine producer in North America. A high-capacity Permian site adds diversification by region and the potential for further expansion if this first project performs to plan.

Commercial structure: royalty trade-off, funded by Iofina

The economics hinge on an exchange of produced water for a royalty on production. In simple terms, Iofina gets the brine, sells the iodine, and pays Western Midstream a royalty fee. It’s a common model in resource processing where the feedstock partner contributes access rather than capex.

The upside is access to a large, reliable brine stream without paying water tariffs. The trade-off is the ongoing royalty, which will skim some margin. The royalty rate and any price floors or escalators are not disclosed.

Capex, timeline, and milestones investors should watch

Iofina pegs the build cost at $8-9m, funded by the company. Funding sources, facilities, or cash balances are not disclosed in this RNS.

• Groundwork: anticipated by end of 2025.
• Commissioning/first production: targeted H2 2026.
• Ramp-up: not disclosed, but expect a bedding-in period as with prior plants.

Between now and year-end 2025, look for updates on permitting, detailed engineering, procurement, and long-lead items. None of these are detailed in the announcement.

Strategic significance: step-change scale and a new basin

This is a notable pivot into the Permian – a new area for Iofina – backed by a blue-chip midstream partner with deep water-handling expertise. The design capacity is twice that of current IOsorb plants, signalling confidence in both the technology and the volume of iodine in Permian brine streams.

If execution goes to plan, this single site could become Iofina’s largest producer and a platform for additional Permian facilities. The RNS explicitly says the agreement provides a framework for potential further expansion.

Risks and what’s not disclosed

• Royalty terms: percentage, price references, and duration are not disclosed.
• Funding: the company will fund the build, but sources and cost of capital are not disclosed.
• Permitting and construction risk: timing assumptions are given, but permitting details are not disclosed.
• Iodine pricing/contracting: no sale prices, offtake arrangements, or hedging are disclosed.
• Operating costs: per-unit costs for the new plant are not disclosed.

As ever, execution risk sits between today’s plan and tomorrow’s volumes. A royalty does trim margin, and any delays could push back the H2 2026 onstream target.

ESG angle: turning waste water into a product

Produced water is a headache for oil producers and midstream operators; it needs handling to keep oil flowing safely. By extracting iodine and returning water for disposal, transport, or recycling, Iofina and Western Midstream are pushing a beneficial reuse approach that aligns with how the basin is evolving post the Aris Water Solutions acquisition cited in the RNS.

It won’t remove the need for careful water management, but it does create value from an existing waste stream.

My take: positive, with clear catalysts ahead

I like this for three reasons. First, it meaningfully scales Iofina’s capacity with a single, relatively modest capex ticket of $8-9m. Second, partnering with Western Midstream reduces feedstock risk in the most prolific U.S. basin. Third, it opens a new geography with room to add more plants if the first performs.

On the flip side, we do not know the royalty rate or funding mix, and the timeline stretches to H2 2026. Those are fair watchpoints. Overall, though, this looks like a strategically smart, capacity-doubling move that could accelerate Iofina’s growth once the plant is online.