Abstract
The objective of this research study was to evaluate the feasibility of using a minimum liquid discharge (MLD) desalination approach as an alternate management option for unconventional produced waters (PWs) with a focus on minimizing the generation of solid waste. The feasibility of MLD was evaluated using OLI, a water chemistry software, to model thermal desalination of unconventional PWs from the Delaware Basin in New Mexico (NM). Desalination was theoretically terminated at an evaporation point before halite (NaCl) saturation in the residual brine. Results of this study showed that selectively targeting a subset of higher flow rate and lower TDS wells/centralized tank batteries (CTBs) could yield up to 76% recovery of distillate while generating minimal solid waste. Using a selective MLD approach did reduce the quantity of distillate recovered when compared with ZLD, and left a reduced volume of residual brine which has to be managed as a liquid waste. However, selective MLD also greatly reduced the amount of solid waste. The use of a ZLD approach yielded incrementally greater quantities of distillate but at the cost of large quantities of difficult-to-manage highly soluble waste. Simulation results showed that waste generated before NaCl precipitation was primarily composed of insoluble compounds such as calcite, barite and celestite, which can be disposed in conventional landfills. This study also found a simple empirical linear relationship between TDS and distillate recovery, thus allowing a non-expert to rapidly estimate potential distillate recovery for a given starting PW quality.
Highlights
IntroductionThe Oil & Gas (O&G) industry has two options for managing produced waters (PWs), which may be termed as business-as-usual or baseline options
Unconventional Oil & Gas (O&G) operations across the US, including the DelawareBasin in New Mexico, are expected to generate large quantities of produced water (PW).Currently, the O&G industry has two options for managing produced waters (PWs), which may be termed as business-as-usual or baseline options
An alternate option which envisages the use of desalinated PW for various beneficial purposes within the O&G industry and/or outside the O&G industry has recently gained increased attention [1]
Summary
The O&G industry has two options for managing PW, which may be termed as business-as-usual or baseline options These two options are (1) injection into salt water disposal (SWD) wells and (2) minimal treatment to produce a clean brine followed by its reuse in on-going O&G operations. An alternate option which envisages the use of desalinated PW for various beneficial purposes within the O&G industry (e.g., cooling water) and/or outside the O&G industry (e.g., surface discharge, agriculture use) has recently gained increased attention [1] The drivers for this increased attention include potential constraints to the abovementioned baseline options and/or alleviation of regional water scarcity, which can be achieved by either substituting industry withdrawals of fresh and brackish water with recovered distillate and/or augmenting local freshwater supplies. Any potential risk arising from the use of distillate within the O&G industry can be considered low, given that the distillate will not be introduced into the environment
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
