Environmentally friendly treatment of wastewater
Stacey Lee
The call for effective and environmentally friendly treatment of wastewater on oil and gas well sites has been answered by Orenco Systems®.
Each and every Orenco AdvanTex® AX-Mobile™ system is unique, the company says. All of their systems have been designed to meet the specific needs of customers throughout North America, and as far away as Africa. They all have been designed to meet the stringent environmental codes of the regions in which they operate.
“Wastewater, in general, has different constituents that have to be removed in order for it to be considered purified or clean,” explains Tristian Bounds, Research and Development Engineer. “Those are typically Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). The mining industry is going to be under more strict requirements for effluent quality… and our systems can meet all of those.”
Each AdvanTex AX-Mobile system effectively removes constituents and, Bounds says,
with most mining camps using the byproduct for dust control or discharging it directly back into the environment, Orenco’s unique treatment process has its benefits.
For the removal of BOD, TSS, and Fecal Coliform, the AX-Mobile uses a three-stage process that starts with a settling tank for the separation of solids and liquids. Three- stage systems are common, but in Orenco’s system it is the second stage that is unique.
Bounds says competitive systems require air to be pumped into/through the wastewater, to maintain a microbial population in a submerged environment. The AdvanTex AX-Mobile process, on the other hand, uses a media filter instead that treats the wastewater in a non- submerged environment. The wastewater is first filtered and then “dosed” onto hanging sheets of textile where it is treated (digested) by naturally- occurring microbes that live on the textile filter.
“In the 30 plus years we’ve been developing the process we
have worked (hard) to source a material that is robust… we use a non-woven geotextile material that is privately sourced. We had it designed and manufactured specifically for our units.”
Oxygen, which is necessary for the microbes to do their job, is plentiful. No blowers are required. Bounds adds that this environment is very stable and requires little energy.
Additionally, Orenco has designed the system’s shell to withstand hot and cold extremes, making the systems ideal for use in remote locations where infrastructure is not available.
Bounds says the exterior shells are constructed from four-inch- thick insulation, the result of an infused fiberglass process. Each shell is the same, regardless of environment/destination or size/capacity. The differences lie in the systems features, which are also custom fit.
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“We utilize pumping equipment manufactured by Franklin Company… the life expectancy on our pumps is typically 15 to 25 years. The textiles, the layouts of the equipment, the pumps, the lids and the controls are all the same for extreme cold weather environments. The main thing that needs to be modified, or looked at differently, is the transportation of the liquid to and from the unit.”
To combat sub-zero temperatures, and ensure proper function, Orenco will incorporate heated transport lines, heated control panel, and heated cabinet. Orenco can also design a heated
control building for each unit, made from the same modern materials, to make cleaning the system comfortable.
Because each client submits their own list of specifications, AdvanTex AX-Mobile units are designed with a variety of shipping methods in mind.
“Sometimes (clients) want to ship the units in standard shipping containers… we design around that need and fit it perfectly to a shipping container. In Alberta, specifically, shipping on flat- bed trucks would be most effective… and we have an easy-lifting strap system set up so that customers can pick the units up, put them on the truck, drive them to the next site, and put them in place.”
The environmental impact of the oil and gas industry is an important consideration for Orenco, and because the systems leave no footprint behind, AdvanTex AX-Mobile is a solid solution for any location.
“The only requirement that we have, with respect to site, is that the unit be placed on level ground. If that requires some dirt movement, then that would be the extent of it. The system is above ground and movable.”
AdvanTex AX-Mobile systems utilize lift stations placed at grade and, whether designed for a camp of 10 or 5,000, Orenco is confident it can
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