A process originally developed for algae harvesting shows promise as a solution for treating flowback water from hydraulic fracturing operations.

 

Los Angeles-based technology company OriginOil has developed products to enable the industrial scale harvesting of algae into renewable crude oil that is compatible with the current worldwide petroleum refining infrastructure.

 

In recent third party testing, OriginOil's Solids Out of Solution System--powered by its Single Step Extraction technology, a solids separation and dewatering process--removed 98 percent of hydrocarbons from a sample of West Texas oil well flowback water in the first stage alone. The flowback water was tested in the lab – OriginOil is now getting out into the field to run commercial programs.

 

"We have only tested our process on frac flowback from oil wells and have yet to test on frac fluid from gas wells," said OriginOil CEO Riggs Eckelberry, but said he believes OriginOil's technology can help with removing any organic material.

 

The company is looking to pursue projects in the Marcellus and other shale plays, said Eckelberry, who sees no technical reason the 98 percent number can't be sustained.

 

The company recently announced an agreement with Los Angeles-based Clean Water Technology to manufacture the clean-up systems for the commercial rollout of OriginOil's oil and gas water cleanup system.

 

OriginOil will work with California-based engineering company PACE Engineering to engineer the first commercial units, which will be capable of processing up to one barrel per minute of petroleum-contaminated flowback water from the hydraulic fracturing process, or up to 60,000 gallons per day.

 

OriginOil has also signed a memorandum of understanding with PACE to collaborate with oil field operators in Texas and elsewhere to enhance petroleum recovery and water cleaning for re-use at well sites.