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Purifics' Photo-Cat cleans up contaminated groundwater
NEWS
Purifics’ Photo-Cat cleans up contaminated groundwater
C
anadian water purification firm Purifics ES Inc has been awarded a contract to supply its Photo-Cat GWP system to purify contaminated groundwater at the former American Beryllium Co facility in Sarasota, Florida, USA, which is now owned by Lockheed Martin Corp. The groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic solvents, including 1,4-dioxane. Lockheed Martin, which acquired the Sarasota property in 1996, discovered that the groundwater was contaminated in 2000, and has assumed responsibility for the clean-up operation. Purifics will use its photocatalytic ceramic membrane treatment process (Photo-Cat) to remove metals, such as iron and aluminium, and to destroy the chemicals contained in the groundwater pumped from 80 extraction wells. This chemical-free process will be capable of treating close to 1900 m3 (0.5 million gallons) of contaminated groundwater per day. It says that the Photo-Cat system has been used successfully to clean up contaminated groundwater since 1994. The system, and its complementary technology ‘‘tool box’’, combines a chemicalfree advanced oxidation process (AOP+) with high-flux continuous flow ceramic ultrafiltration. According to the firm, there are two major differences between its AOP+ technology and conventional AOP systems. First, AOP+ technology does not use chemical oxidants such as peroxide, ozone or permanganate and, therefore, is not affected by associated challenges. Second, Purifics claims that AOP+ technology possesses the greatest, commercially available oxidising potential (and reduction). This enables it to treat contaminants of concern which, ordinarily, cannot be tackled by chemical-based AOP technologies. A Lockheed Martin information bulletin issued about the Photo-Cat process on this site stated: ‘The extracted groundwater is treated using advanced oxidation technology, which Lockheed Martin has found to be the most efficient, safe and cost-effective way to treat site-specific chemicals of concern, including trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,4-dioxane.’ A major advantage of this system is that it is fully automated (no operator is required) and will treat contaminants of concern to levels below the detection limit (3 ppb). In addition, it produces no emissions, which eliminates the need for air permits. An interim Photo-Cat system has been purifying contaminated groundwater from 10 6
Membrane Technology
extraction wells at this site since 2006 as part of the Interim Remedial Action Plan approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The full-scale system – approved by the FDEP – is scheduled to be installed during the first quarter of 2012. Reports in the US trade and technical press reveal that Purifics has recently commissioned a Photo-Cat system to clean up groundwater contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the W.R. Grace Superfund site in Concord, Massachusetts, USA. A chemical production facility was based on this site, and over the years, effluent wastes from the manufacturing process were disposed of into several unlined lagoons – contaminating the soil and groundwater. The current focus of remediation efforts is on cleaning the contaminated groundwater. Purifics first announced that it had won the contract at the Grace Superfund site in September 2010. The system was installed and began operating on schedule. Superfund is the name commonly used for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), a US federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances. Contact: Purifics ES Inc, 340 Sovereign Road, London, Ontario N6M 1A8, Canada. Tel: +1 519 473 5788, www.Purifics.com
US firms collaborate on oilfield water analysis and treatment
I
n the USA, STW Resources Holding Corp, a water reclamation services company based in Midland, Texas, has signed an agreement with watertreatment specialist Bob J. Johnson & Associates Inc (BJJA), also based in Texas, which will see the firms collaborating on a project that aims to analyse oilfield water and covers the design of appropriate treatment systems. BJJA offers an array of services such as filtration, distillation, reverse osmosis and UV treatment for facilities worldwide. Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, STW will use BJJA’s water experts, chemists and design engineers to help analyse oilfield water and design systems that are capable of treating the water so it can be reused for fracking or other oilfield applications. STW says that this agreement will expand its existing resources, and help it to provide a more
comprehensive and sophisticated treatment system designed for the unique needs of each oilfield customer. Stanley Weiner, Chief Executive Officer, STW Resources, commented: ‘We are excited about forming a partnership with Bob J. Johnson & Associates. Working with a recognised industry expert like BJJA, and combining its water expertise with our water treatment services, will add to our credibility and help us target potential customers and win business.’ ‘BJJA uses a wide array of technologies, sourced from several different manufacturers, to meet the cleaning requirements for the water, instead of relying on a single manufacturer and a ‘‘one-size-fits-all’’ approach. This enables STW to execute its business plan of reclamation of oilfield water without it having to hire all of the experts required to do process and design jobs – improving our ability to scale our business and manage our expenses.’ STW and BJJA are currently involved in various stages of water analysis and the design of water treatment systems for four public oil and gas companies The work is being done to clean up and reuse frack flow-back, produced and brackish water in the West Texas oilfields. One of these firms, Callon Petroleum, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The results of brackish water analyses for the company will enable a treatment facility – capable of cleaning water to meet the fracking specs required by oilfield services and products company Halliburton – to be designed, engineered and manufactured. Weiner continued: ‘The use of brackish water for fracking will enable Callon to continue drilling more wells without using fresh water resources. We are receiving calls from other producers to perform similar services.’ Contacts: STW Resources Inc, 619 West Texas Avenue, Suite 126, Midland, TX 79701, USA. Tel: +1 432 686 7777, www.stwresources.com Bob J. Johnson & Associates, 16420 W. Hardy Road, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77060, USA. Tel: +1 281 873 5555, www.bjja.com
Modern Water awarded contract for commercial FO desalination plant
W
ater technology company Modern Water Plc of Guildford, UK, has been awarded a contract by Oman’s Public Authority for Electricity
September 2011
Purifics’ Photo-Cat cleans up contaminated groundwater
C
anadian water purification firm Purifics ES Inc has been awarded a contract to supply its Photo-Cat GWP system to purify contaminated groundwater at the former American Beryllium Co facility in Sarasota, Florida, USA, which is now owned by Lockheed Martin Corp. The groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic solvents, including 1,4-dioxane. Lockheed Martin, which acquired the Sarasota property in 1996, discovered that the groundwater was contaminated in 2000, and has assumed responsibility for the clean-up operation. Purifics will use its photocatalytic ceramic membrane treatment process (Photo-Cat) to remove metals, such as iron and aluminium, and to destroy the chemicals contained in the groundwater pumped from 80 extraction wells. This chemical-free process will be capable of treating close to 1900 m3 (0.5 million gallons) of contaminated groundwater per day. It says that the Photo-Cat system has been used successfully to clean up contaminated groundwater since 1994. The system, and its complementary technology ‘‘tool box’’, combines a chemicalfree advanced oxidation process (AOP+) with high-flux continuous flow ceramic ultrafiltration. According to the firm, there are two major differences between its AOP+ technology and conventional AOP systems. First, AOP+ technology does not use chemical oxidants such as peroxide, ozone or permanganate and, therefore, is not affected by associated challenges. Second, Purifics claims that AOP+ technology possesses the greatest, commercially available oxidising potential (and reduction). This enables it to treat contaminants of concern which, ordinarily, cannot be tackled by chemical-based AOP technologies. A Lockheed Martin information bulletin issued about the Photo-Cat process on this site stated: ‘The extracted groundwater is treated using advanced oxidation technology, which Lockheed Martin has found to be the most efficient, safe and cost-effective way to treat site-specific chemicals of concern, including trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,4-dioxane.’ A major advantage of this system is that it is fully automated (no operator is required) and will treat contaminants of concern to levels below the detection limit (3 ppb). In addition, it produces no emissions, which eliminates the need for air permits. An interim Photo-Cat system has been purifying contaminated groundwater from 10 6
Membrane Technology
extraction wells at this site since 2006 as part of the Interim Remedial Action Plan approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The full-scale system – approved by the FDEP – is scheduled to be installed during the first quarter of 2012. Reports in the US trade and technical press reveal that Purifics has recently commissioned a Photo-Cat system to clean up groundwater contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the W.R. Grace Superfund site in Concord, Massachusetts, USA. A chemical production facility was based on this site, and over the years, effluent wastes from the manufacturing process were disposed of into several unlined lagoons – contaminating the soil and groundwater. The current focus of remediation efforts is on cleaning the contaminated groundwater. Purifics first announced that it had won the contract at the Grace Superfund site in September 2010. The system was installed and began operating on schedule. Superfund is the name commonly used for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), a US federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances. Contact: Purifics ES Inc, 340 Sovereign Road, London, Ontario N6M 1A8, Canada. Tel: +1 519 473 5788, www.Purifics.com
US firms collaborate on oilfield water analysis and treatment
I
n the USA, STW Resources Holding Corp, a water reclamation services company based in Midland, Texas, has signed an agreement with watertreatment specialist Bob J. Johnson & Associates Inc (BJJA), also based in Texas, which will see the firms collaborating on a project that aims to analyse oilfield water and covers the design of appropriate treatment systems. BJJA offers an array of services such as filtration, distillation, reverse osmosis and UV treatment for facilities worldwide. Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, STW will use BJJA’s water experts, chemists and design engineers to help analyse oilfield water and design systems that are capable of treating the water so it can be reused for fracking or other oilfield applications. STW says that this agreement will expand its existing resources, and help it to provide a more
comprehensive and sophisticated treatment system designed for the unique needs of each oilfield customer. Stanley Weiner, Chief Executive Officer, STW Resources, commented: ‘We are excited about forming a partnership with Bob J. Johnson & Associates. Working with a recognised industry expert like BJJA, and combining its water expertise with our water treatment services, will add to our credibility and help us target potential customers and win business.’ ‘BJJA uses a wide array of technologies, sourced from several different manufacturers, to meet the cleaning requirements for the water, instead of relying on a single manufacturer and a ‘‘one-size-fits-all’’ approach. This enables STW to execute its business plan of reclamation of oilfield water without it having to hire all of the experts required to do process and design jobs – improving our ability to scale our business and manage our expenses.’ STW and BJJA are currently involved in various stages of water analysis and the design of water treatment systems for four public oil and gas companies The work is being done to clean up and reuse frack flow-back, produced and brackish water in the West Texas oilfields. One of these firms, Callon Petroleum, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The results of brackish water analyses for the company will enable a treatment facility – capable of cleaning water to meet the fracking specs required by oilfield services and products company Halliburton – to be designed, engineered and manufactured. Weiner continued: ‘The use of brackish water for fracking will enable Callon to continue drilling more wells without using fresh water resources. We are receiving calls from other producers to perform similar services.’ Contacts: STW Resources Inc, 619 West Texas Avenue, Suite 126, Midland, TX 79701, USA. Tel: +1 432 686 7777, www.stwresources.com Bob J. Johnson & Associates, 16420 W. Hardy Road, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77060, USA. Tel: +1 281 873 5555, www.bjja.com
Modern Water awarded contract for commercial FO desalination plant
W
ater technology company Modern Water Plc of Guildford, UK, has been awarded a contract by Oman’s Public Authority for Electricity
September 2011