RE:Water handling costs ??? Waterexpert... The water is pumped to surface using typical oil and has lifting equipment. Pump jacks or submersibles.
Then lithium is stripped out of the water, and it is then reinjected back into the reservoir with typically horizontal multistage pumps made by REDA or Schlumberger.
very simple, very reliable, very economical and already done all over the industry. Main costs will be power. So not very expensive at all. If you get low enough reservoir pressure you can end up having the reinjection wells on vacuum due to the head pressure and they eat water like a banshee.
Not a significant cost at all and very little disposal costs with a plant of this design in my opinion. And I know a little about these systems. ;)