State Leaders Concerned About Safety Of Reusing Oil And Gas Wastewater

Regulators from across the country met in Vermont this week at the Environmental Council of the State’s (ECOS) fall meeting to discuss some of the nation’s most pressing environmental challenges. I joined members of ECOS’ Shale Gas Caucus to discuss an emerging threat imminently impacting oil and gas-producing states: the question of what to do with the massive amount of wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry each year.

The Future Of Fracking: Evaluating Emerging Technologies

How can the U.S. and other countries profit from hydraulic fracturing AND protect water resources? New technologies hold the key to environmentally responsible shale-gas production.

Oil & Gas Use Case: Permian Basin, Texas

Modern electrocoagulation provides a reliable alternative to deep-well disposal. By eliminating bacteria and heavy metals while preserving minerals like lithium, these self-cleaning systems deliver high-quality effluent for reuse, reducing seismic risks and operational costs.

Has Fracking Gone 'Green'?

There are few topics more controversial these days than hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). While the debate rages on as to whether fracking poses a risk to water quality, a new desalination technique addresses two other environmental concerns: water scarcity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the breakthrough technology uses excess carbon dioxide created in the fracking process to desalinate the process water, making it available for water reuse. It also generates chemicals — hydrochloric acid and carbonate salts — that are valuable for many industrial applications.

New Technologies Set To 'Disrupt' The Industry

For the unfamiliar, the term “disruptive technology” initially sounds quite bad, as though it describes something that gets in the way. Far from impeding progress, however, disruptive technologies actually accelerate progress exponentially by disrupting the status quo. Think personal computers vs. mainframes, or cell phones vs. land lines.

Premiere At The Goldsteig Cheese Dairy

A Kaeser EBS series screw blower is making wastewater treatment considerably more efficient and effective at the Goldsteig dairy factory in Cham in the Upper Palatinate region in Germany.

Pinpointing Accurate Steam Use In Dynamic Industrial Processes

In commercial brewing — as with other food, chemical, or industrial processes — control over steam heating can have significant influence on process costs and consistent quality in the final product. But its measurement and control can also be impacted by unique circumstances of those applications. Here is how changing just one aspect of steam measurement brought economy and consistency to multiple aspects of a brewer’s overall process.

Advances In Flowmeter Technology

This article disucsses two trends turning the flowmeter industry on its ear: advances in flowmeter diagnostics and the adoption of smartphone-like technology to improve access and communications.

How Can The Food And Beverage Industry Reduce Its Water Usage?

Food and beverage production and processing consume massive amounts of water — both in products and as an essential material for various cleaning, cooling, and utility purposes. As climate change and drought threaten existing water sources, businesses and consumers are paying more attention to how industry at large uses it.

Importance Of Filtration in Water Treatment For Process Water & Wastewater Reuse

Filtration is very important for many commercial/industrial process water & wastewater reuse applications. In reality, pumping wastewater from somewhere like a refinery, food/beverage, textile or oil produced water application requires pre-filtration due to high amount of suspended solids in these typical applications. In fact, there are typically several filtration and treatment steps in these applications to ensure that the treated water meets the required discharge or reuse standard. In addition, filtration in water treatment ensures reduced operating cost on downstream polishing water treatment systems.

Predicting The Impact Of EPA's Proposed Power Plant Effluent Limits

The EPA has proposed a regulation  that, if passed,  would set the first federal limits on the levels of toxic metals in wastewater discharged from power plants in over three decades. 

Design And Care Of Reverse Osmosis Systems, Part 3: Operation And Monitoring

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems offer power plant owners and operators a reliable and well-proven water treatment solution. However, designing and caring for an RO system requires a thorough understanding of a plant’s water supply and the technology’s capabilities. The final article of this three-part series will address RO system operation and maintenance best practices.

Pinpointing Accurate Steam Use In Dynamic Industrial Processes

In commercial brewing — as with other food, chemical, or industrial processes — control over steam heating can have significant influence on process costs and consistent quality in the final product. But its measurement and control can also be impacted by unique circumstances of those applications. Here is how changing just one aspect of steam measurement brought economy and consistency to multiple aspects of a brewer’s overall process.

Straight Talk On Radiation

From time-to-time I write on topics that are related to water and wastewater as a "backgrounder" so that those involved in the field can gain a wider perspective and have available to them a cogent explanation minus jargon on various topics. By Dr. J.H. Wakefield

A Roundup Of Energy, Water, And Climate Bills In The 84th Texas Legislative Session

We’ve almost made it to the midway point of the 84^th Session of the Texas Legislature. As many already know, the Texas Legislature only meets from January to May every other year, so a lot has to get done in these few months.

The Payoff From Improved Chemical Dilution

Chemical dilution systems play a critical role in many municipal and industrial water treatment systems. However, older technology tends to be less reliable and accurate while being a drain on resources, whereas a more advanced solution can significantly improve performance and generate labor savings.

Textile Wastewater Treatment — An Application To Sustainably Reuse Water In The Textile Industry

The textile industry is a water consumption intensive industry. Water is utilized for cleaning the raw material, and for the different steps in the textile dyeing process. Due to the effects of water scarcity and stricter environmental regulations, the cost of fresh water utilization has increased worldwide.

Predicting The Impact Of EPA's Proposed Power Plant Effluent Limits

The EPA has proposed a regulation  that, if passed,  would set the first federal limits on the levels of toxic metals in wastewater discharged from power plants in over three decades. 

Premiere At The Goldsteig Cheese Dairy

A Kaeser EBS series screw blower is making wastewater treatment considerably more efficient and effective at the Goldsteig dairy factory in Cham in the Upper Palatinate region in Germany.

State Leaders Concerned About Safety Of Reusing Oil And Gas Wastewater

Regulators from across the country met in Vermont this week at the Environmental Council of the State’s (ECOS) fall meeting to discuss some of the nation’s most pressing environmental challenges. I joined members of ECOS’ Shale Gas Caucus to discuss an emerging threat imminently impacting oil and gas-producing states: the question of what to do with the massive amount of wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry each year.

Design And Care Of Reverse Osmosis Systems, Part 3: Operation And Monitoring

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems offer power plant owners and operators a reliable and well-proven water treatment solution. However, designing and caring for an RO system requires a thorough understanding of a plant’s water supply and the technology’s capabilities. The final article of this three-part series will address RO system operation and maintenance best practices.

Industrial Wastewater Treatment: Tailored Solutions For Unique Wastewater Challenges From modifying existing equipment to tailoring batch and fully automated systems, working with an experienced provider can help to assure integration and compliance with surprisingly fast ROI.

The Growing Relationship Between Mining And The Water Sector

Global mining is emerging as a key sales channel for water players. Bluefield Research is forecasting the global mining sector’s capital investment in water solutions to grow to $17 billion in 2019. 

Pinpointing Accurate Steam Use In Dynamic Industrial Processes

In commercial brewing — as with other food, chemical, or industrial processes — control over steam heating can have significant influence on process costs and consistent quality in the final product. But its measurement and control can also be impacted by unique circumstances of those applications. Here is how changing just one aspect of steam measurement brought economy and consistency to multiple aspects of a brewer’s overall process.

What Is Seawater Intrusion? A Hydrogeologist Explains The Shifting Balance Between Fresh And Salt Water At The Coast Fresh water is essential for drinking, irrigation, and healthy ecosystems. When seawater moves inland, the salt it contains can wreak havoc on farmlands, ecosystems, lives, and livelihoods.