Download Advanced Treatment of Shale Gas Fracturing Water to Produce

Advanced Treatment of Shale Gas Fracturing
Water to Produce NPDES Quality Water
Project Fact Sheet
Program
2011 Unconventional Resources
Project Number
11122-57
Start Date
April 2013
Duration
37 Months
RPSEA Share
$1,838,831
Cost Share
$525,345
Prime Contractor
Southern Research Institute
Participants
M2 Water Treatment; BKT United
Contact Information
Principal Investigator
Corey Tyree
Southern Research Institute
Project Manager
Sandy McSurdy
NETL
[email protected]
412-386-4533
Kent Perry
RPSEA
[email protected]
281-725-1252
Reports and Publications
www.rpsea.org/projects/11122-57
Research Objectives
Flowback and produced waters from hydraulic fracturing typically contains high levels of dissolved and
suspended solids, hydrocarbons, and metals. These contaminants preclude the reuse of this volume for
additional fracturing or discharge without treatment. Southern Research Institute (SRI) and its partners
are developing a novel and cost effective method for treating natural gas wastewaters for disposal/reuse
to promote environmental stewardship, preserve the favorable economics of gas shale development,
and make it possible for producers to continue shale gas development. The project objectives are to
determine if an integrated approach using magnetic ballast clarification (MBC), vortex-generating (FMX)
and nano-filtration (NF) membranes, and hydrogel media or precipitation/solidification/stabilization can:
1. Produce water suitable for national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) discharge and/
or beneficial reuse pursuant to state regulations.
2. Produce a brine slurry with metal concentrations below detection; and
3. Volumetrically decrease the metals waste to be disposed of and solidify/stabilize solid wastes for
subsequent disposal.
Approach
SRI is addressing the above objectives through a series of bench-scale simulations, onsite field research/
testing, and a feasibility analysis. The objective of the bench-scale simulations is to develop a method
to allow for a quick evaluation as to whether waters from a specific well are amenable to treatment with
MBC, membranes, and/or hydrogel media or precipitation/solidification/stabilization. Field demonstrations
will be performed to assess the technologies at a scale that will provide efficacy data for future fullscale design and engineering. The feasibility analysis will bring together the technical, economical, and
environmental data to further assess the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed integrations
compared to conventional treatment technologies.
Accomplishments
Bench-scale experimentation was focused primarily on treatment of wastewaters from Bakken and Eagle
Ford shale plays. Preliminary results for MBC, FMX, and integrations of the two systems are favorable
with respect to all of the primary contaminants of interest with respect to NPDES standards as well as
industry water reuse quality specifications. Field trails began in late July and were completed on August
2015. Seven batches of produced water from seven different wells were treated with aeration, to remove
iron, and then either the clarifier treatment, membrane system or both. Either of the technologies
evaluated, MBC or FMX (NF or UF), are separately able to treat produced or flowback waters sufficiently
to meet common criteria for re-use.
Future Plans
Final report has been submitted for review.
Significant Findings
The use of MBC or FMX, separately or in combination, to treat water to re-use standards appears to be
cost effective compared to baseline use of 100% fresh water for well completion and down-hole disposal
of wastes as is common practice at present. This is true for either Marcellus, Barnett or Eagle Ford type
scenarios, but the payback is much more evident where down-hole disposal is not locally available.
RPSEA
www.rpsea.org
NETL
www.netl.doe.gov
121715