Ex Situ Removal of BTEX and Hydrocarbons from Produced Waters Using Swellable, Absorbent Glass

Abstract

Osorb ® is a silica-based, swellable glass which can effectively capture 96-99.9% of dissolved and dispersed organic compounds from produced water. The glass is reusable and hydrophobic, allowing it to repeatedly and reversibly absorb up to eight times its own mass in organics without absorbing any water. Osorb has been successfully used to treat samples of produced water from Wyoming, Canada, and the Gulf of Mexico Two ex situ pilot systems have been developed to utilize the technology. PW Unit #1 is a 246 L/min (65 gpm) treatment system that has completed multiple treatments of Clinton formation produced water and is being deployed for pilot testing in Wamsutter, WY. Skid Unit #1 is a capture-only, fixed bed system that can treat produced water at 8-23 L/min (2-6 gpm). Skid Unit #1 has been successfully fielded in southern Texas and is being deployed for pilot testing in the Marcellus Shale region.