Game Changing Technology for Treating and Recycling Frac Water

摘要

This paper addresses an advanced oxidation and precipitation water treatment process employed as an on-the-fly fluid pretreatment during hydraulic fracturing operations. The water treatment technology will allow for substantial reuse of flowback and produced fluid while at the same time completely replacing liquid biocide and scale inhibitor fluid treatment during fracs. Additionally, the treatment process generates zero waste. To date, the technology has been used on hundreds of wells successfully treating over 17 million barrels. The paper will report on more than 2 years of field operations on hundreds of frac stimulations as well as numerous pilot operations in multiple shale plays. Dynamic tube-blocking tests show that the treated fluid will not deposit scale even after days of storage in an open frac tank. Field sample testing shows the injected brine has 3 to 6 log-cycle kill of sulfate-reducing and acid-producing bacteria populations. With the move toward environmentally safe chemicals, an economical process eliminating chemicals is a step forward for our industry. The equipment is purposely designed to segue directly into the fracturing process without interfering with service company pumping operations or having any compatibility problems with any service company products. Our paper will show definitive results from field operations of an economic water treatment system that will allow for a reduction in liquid chemical usage and closed-loop management of wastewater. The newest design would treat 80 barrels per minute, occupying a footprint roughly the size of a frac tank. The units can be deployed in tandem for higher flow rate requirements.