One of the most expensive aspects of recycling produced water involves removing and disposing of sludge. Conventional methods usually involve as much cost to get rid of sludge as to treat the water.

This is why a growing number of producers in Texas, and specifically the Permian Basin, are excited about Orion Water Solutions offering Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) units in addition to their chlorine dioxide biocides.

A DAF uses a powerful combination of chemistry and bubbles to effectively remove up to 95 percent of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) from produced water. Bubbling action not only removes solids, but it also thickens them, making a more concentrated sludge. This means fewer truck trips to the disposal location—meaning more savings for producers.

This process takes ugly, murky, produced water and turns it into clear brine. When the DAF is combined with Orion’s highly effective chlorine dioxide treatment for bacteria, the water is ready to accept sand, gel and other frac fluids and go back to work in fracturing the next round of producing wells.

The bubbles do the heavy lifting, bringing oxidized iron and suspended solids to the surface where they can be easily be skimmed off to leave clear water below. These bubbles are especially good at removing fine particles that might pass through weir tanks and overwhelm bag filters.

In the process, a DAF reduces biological oxygen demand (BOD), which is one of the food sources for bacteria. So your water storage impoundment stays fresher for longer.

Another challenge that comes with produced water is oil and grease, and a DAF does a better job of separating oil and grease than conventional floc and drop methods, keeping it out of your next frac.

Because Orion’s DAF units treat up to 20,000 barrels per day, they are effective for almost any size installation. Their small, trailer-mounted footprint makes them economical to operate and easy to place on any location. It also means the units can be easily moved whenever necessary, especially compared to traditional multi-module systems that include settling tanks and other equipment.

If you’re ready to boost efficiency and reduce costs on TSS, iron, oil and BOD removal from produced water, call Orion Water Solutions this week.

Call us today at (432) 219-8100.