Biologically active filtration for fracturing flowback and produced water treatment

Biological treatment of oil and gas produced water: a review and meta-analysis

“…In some studies, an airlift aeration configuration was used where compressed air was introduced at the bottom of the tank in tubes and was directed into a circulating vertical pattern (Campos et al 2002;Guo et al 2014;Zhang et al 2016). Other fixed-film treatment systems consisted of biologically active carbon filters (Freedman et al 2017;Guo et al 2014;Riley et al 2016), rotating biological contactors (RBC) (Chavan and Mukherji 2008;Palmer et al 1981), a biofilm sequencing batch reactor (SBR) (Woolard and Irvine 1994), and an anaerobic reactor filled with media (Ghorbanian et al 2014;Khong et al 2012). Ghorbanian et al (2014) compared the performance of an anaerobic upflow fixed-bed reactor with that of an anaerobic SBR, and found that the upflow reactor with fixed-film media was more efficient in removing aromatic compounds.…”

“…The process control parameters used in the studies indicate some variability ( Table 2). The hydraulic retention time (HRT) in fixed-film reactors varied from four to 48 h except in biologically active granular activated carbon (GAC) column where the HRT was lower (Freedman et al 2017;Riley et al 2016). Organic loading rates (OLR) varied: Guo et al (2014) reported 0.14 kg COD m −3 d −1 while Dong et al (2011) used an OLR as high as 4.21 kg COD m −3 d −1 .…”

“…Biological treatment can serve as a pretreatment for membrane technologies, reducing organic loads to reduce biofouling. In nine of the studies reviewed, biological treatment was investigated with the intent of biological treatment serving as a pretreatment for membranes (Campos et al 2002;Fakhru'l-Razi et al 2010;Freedman et al 2017;Kwon et al 2011;Lester et al 2015;Ozgun et al 2013;Pendashteh et al 2012;Riley et al 2016;Zhao et al 2006). Riley et al (2016) used a biologically active GAC filter followed by ultrafiltration and nanofiltration in series; the combined treatment reduced organic compounds by 99% and TDS by 94%, producing an effluent with TDS as low as 700 mg L −1 .…”

“…A variety of inoculum sources were used to introduce microorganisms acclimated to the high salinities and toxic conditions found in produced water. Researchers used indigenous microorganisms from the produced water to establish biofilms in reactors (Freedman et al 2017;Riley et al 2016). Microorganisms were isolated from oily sludge collected from an oil tank or settling tanks (Liu et al 2013;Naraghi et al 2015;Zhang et al 2016), activated sludge was used that may or may not have been acclimated to the feedstock (Ghorbanian et al 2014;Stoll et al 2015), microbes were obtained from soil contaminated by oil spills (Lu and Wei 2011;Sharghi et al , 2014, commercial laboratory microorganisms were cultured and used (Shpiner et al 2009a, b;Tong et al 2013), some samples were scraped from lake rocks (Chavan and Mukherji 2008), and microorganisms were isolated from a salty lake Irvine 1994, 1995).…”

Characterization of transport through polymers for fracking fluid treatment and organic acid concentration in extractive membrane bioreactors

“…Several chemical, physical and biological technologies have been implemented for the treatment of hydraulic fracturing wastewater, including: ozonation, granular activated carbon adsorption, membrane distillation, aerobic biodegradation and micro/ultrafiltration in addition to multi‐step technologies such as rapid mixing combined with sedimentation and flocculation . In the context of HF, these technologies often are limited by their use of additional chemicals and energy inputs, the likelihood of fouling under high organic and colloidal load, and inhibition of biological activity even with halotolerant strains …”