Design, Implementation and Evaluation of an Industrial Water Treatment System in El Coca, Ecuador in accordance with National Guidelines

Abstract

Water treatment systems are necessary in every industrial complex, especially when operations are held in the vicinity of a rainforest. The main focus of this study was to implement an industrial water treatment plant at the facilities of Halliburton company located in El Coca, Ecuador, in order to treat effluents and reuse them for machine washing and discharge to the environment. In first instance, evaluations were made of the operational conditions of an obsolete water treatment plant in the facilities, to analyze the requirements of a new treatment system. Physical characteristics were analyzed by identifying leaks, cracks and corrosion of the treatment units. Laboratory analyzes of the treated water were reviewed and parameters exceeding Ecuadorian guidelines (Ministerial Agreement N° 097-A) were identified. Once the requirement for a new treatment system was justified, evaluations of physical, chemical and organoleptic parameters of the wastewater were carried out, in which the existing pollutants were identified and treatment stages were established to remove the pollutants, complying with the beneficiary's technical and economic specifications. Once the industrial wastewater treatment plant was built, conditioning was carried out at each of its stages, as well as all the industrial mechanisms involved. Finally, monitoring of parameters was carried out every week for a period of one month to guarantee the correct performance of the treatment plant and compliance with the guidelines of the country.