Barnett Shale Case Study

GeoPure Water Technologies, LLC completed a field test of its oilfield desalination technology in the Barnett Shale Trend of central Texas in late 2006, and has installed its first commercial desalination unit to treat and recycle fracturing fluid. The fracturing fluid is being pretreated on site to remove several key contaminants, and the partially treated water is then being fed through GeoPure’s membrane system for removal of colloidal material, residual hydrocarbons, and dissolved solids.  The fracturing fluid treatment facility has been successfully operating for a large oil and gas operator since January, 2007.

The following chart shows the water chemistry at various stages throughout the treatment process.  

RO Treatment of Barnett Shale Frac Flowback - Test Data

 

 

(mg/L)

 

 

Analyte

Untreated
Water

After
Pretreatment

Microfilter
Permeate

Final RO
Permeate

 

 

 

 

 

Alkalinity, Total as CaCO3

160

58

57.4

4.69

Bicarbonate as HCO3

195

70.7

70.1

5.72

Carbonate as CO3

< 1.2

<1.2

<1.2

<1.2

Hydroxide as OH

< 1

<1

<1

<1

pH

6.86

6.82

6.15

6.28

Solids, Total Suspended TSS @
105 C

4200

54

<4

<4

Potassium

77.4

39.3

39.2

1.13

Magnesium

72

43

40.3

0.094

Calcium

676

472

448

0.662

Sodium

4504

2934

2876

63.6

Boron

9.29

6.5

6.15

3.18

TPH

1.87

0.59

1.2

<1.1

Total Dissolved Solids

14,590

10,429

9,990

191

Chloride

7830

5386

5412

105

Sulfate

396

597

584

1.2

bromide

77

52

55

1.33

phosphorus

56

<1.5

 

<0.1

iron

173

12.2

0.934

0.017

Manganese

3.7

2.4

2.34

0.0023

Aluminum

106

0.44

0.115

<0.03

Barium

936

0.874

1.08

0.0007