Review of technologies for oil and gas produced water treatment

Abstract

Produced water is the largest waste stream generated in oil and gas industries. It is a mixture of different organic and inorganic compounds. Due to the increasing volume of waste all over the world in the current decade, the outcome and effect of discharging produced water on the environment has lately become a significant issue of environmental concern. Produced water is conventionally treated through different physical, chemical, and biological methods. In offshore platforms because of space constraints, compact physical and chemical systems are used. However, current technologies cannot remove small-suspended oil particles and dissolved elements. Besides, many chemical treatments, whose initial and/or running cost are high and produce hazardous sludge. In onshore facilities, biological pretreatment of oily wastewater can be a cost-effective and environmental friendly method. As high salt concentration and variations of influent characteristics have direct influence on the turbidity of the effluent, it is appropriate to incorporate a physical treatment, e.g., membrane to refine the final effluent. For these reasons, major research efforts in the future could focus on the optimization of current technologies and use of combined physico-chemical and/or biological treatment of produced water in order to comply with reuse and discharge limits.

Impact of Flowback Water on Activated Sludge Biocenosis During Municipal Wastewater Treatment

“…Hence, the flowback water contained low concentrations of suspended solids, phosphorus and metals. In series 1, without flowback water, the raw wastewater contained a relatively high amount of organic compounds (expressed as BOD 5 and COD) and ammonia, amounting to 407 ± 125 mg · dm -3 , 930 ± 260 mg · dm -3 and 57.1 ± 14.8 mg · dm -3 , respectively. Despite this, organics and nitrogen concentrations in the effluent did not exceed permissible values.…”

“…From a paper written by Olsson et al [4], it is known that in Germany, flowback water is currently treated by separating particulate matter using hydro-cyclones, sedimentation of removable substances, skimming off lightweight substances in separation and storage tanks and filtration systems. According to Fakhru'l-Razi et al [5] physical, chemical and biological methods can be used to treat flowback water. However, each method of such treatment has advantages and disadvantages.…”

The Cost Analysis of the Separation of Produced Formation Water From the Hydrocarbon Reservoir Using the Example of the Upper Miocene Sandstone Deposits of the Sava Depression

“…35 million m 3 /day) (Tajmiri & Reza Ehsani 2016). The ratio between the produced water and oil is 3:1, and the average share of water in the fl uids equals 70% (Fakhru'l-Razi et al 2009). Separation of the formation water is carried out by the dehydration process.…”

Improvement of acidification on dewaterability of oily sludge from flotation

“…Chemical coagulation and flocculation have been widely employed for several decades to remove suspended solids and oil from oil produced water in an oilfield [1,2]. In the flotation process, granular and amorphous flocs are generated as a result of solid particles and oil agglomerating with alum coagulants.…”