Select Water Solutions’ Howard County, Texas site began producing lithium carbonate on April 9 2026 after LibertyStream Infrastructure Partners started operation of its direct‑lithium‑extraction (DLE) unit and refining facility. The plant, integrated with Select’s existing produced‑water pretreatment and recycling infrastructure, is the first facility to generate lithium carbonate from the company’s water‑processing assets.
The launch marks Select’s entry into the lithium market, creating a new high‑margin revenue stream that complements its core water infrastructure and chemical technologies businesses. By leveraging its water‑processing capabilities, Select can capture value from the large volumes of produced water that flow through its network each day, positioning the company as a vertically integrated player in the battery‑grade lithium supply chain.
Select’s Q4 2025 results showed an earnings per share of –$0.20 versus an estimate of $0.01, while revenue of $346.5 million beat the $320.85 million consensus. The revenue beat reflects strong demand in the company’s core segments, whereas the earnings miss indicates that the company faced higher costs or one‑time charges that outweighed the revenue growth. The lithium venture is expected to add a high‑margin royalty stream, with Select receiving a royalty on lithium carbonate production while LibertyStream handles the capital and operational aspects of the plant.
The DLE unit is designed to produce up to 1,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year, with plans for further expansion. The partnership model is asset‑light for Select, allowing the company to enter the lithium market with minimal upfront capital while benefiting from the expertise of LibertyStream in lithium extraction and refining.
John Schmitz, President, CEO & Chairman of Select Water Solutions, said, "This project leverages Select's market leading infrastructure network while unlocking the resource value inherent in the large volumes of produced water that move through it each day." Alex Wylie, President & CEO of LibertyStream, added, "We appreciate the confidence shown by our first customer as we work to convert our ongoing discussions into long-term offtake agreements. With production now underway, we are positioning the Company to reach an annualized production capability of up to 1,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate by the end of 2026."
The milestone positions Select Water Solutions to diversify its revenue base, enhance earnings quality, and transition toward a more stable, fee‑based cash‑flow model that supports long‑term growth in the electric‑vehicle battery supply chain.
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