Water scarcity, escalating regulatory pressure, and rising operational costs have intensified the need for efficient and affordable water treatment solutions in the energy sector, particularly in oil and gas, thermal power, and emerging renewable energy systems. Among available treatment options, adsorption technologies have gained renewed attention due to their operational simplicity, adaptability to diverse water matrices, and potential for cost reduction through material innovation. This abstract examines recent advances in low-cost adsorption technologies for energy sector water management, with emphasis on materials, system integration, and sustainability performance. Significant progress has been achieved in the development of adsorbents derived from agricultural residues, industrial by-products, and naturally abundant minerals, including biochar, modified clays, fly ash, and metal-oxide composites. These materials demonstrate competitive adsorption capacities for hydrocarbons, heavy metals, salts, and emerging contaminants commonly present in produced water, cooling tower blowdown, and wastewater streams. Advances in surface functionalization, nano-structuring, and hybrid adsorption–filtration systems have further enhanced selectivity, regeneration efficiency, and lifecycle performance while maintaining low production costs. Additionally, modular adsorption units and decentralized treatment configurations enable deployment in remote and resource-constrained energy operations. From a systems perspective, adsorption technologies are increasingly integrated within circular water management frameworks, supporting water reuse, reduced freshwater intake, and lower effluent discharge volumes. Despite these advances, challenges remain related to long-term stability, multi-contaminant competition, adsorbent regeneration, and field-scale validation under variable operational conditions. Addressing these limitations through pilot-scale studies, techno-economic assessments, and policy-aligned design will be critical for widespread adoption. Overall, low-cost adsorption technologies represent a strategically important pathway for enhancing water security, regulatory compliance, and environmental sustainability across the energy sector.