Water & Wastewater Asia September/October 2021

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
DE NORA COMPLETES ONE OF THE
WORLD’S LARGEST PRODUCED
WATER RECYCLING PROJECTS
De Nora has completed phase one of its
Delaware Basin Wastewater Recycling
Project, achieving produced water rates
exceeding 140,000 barrels per day –
recording a total of more than 5 million
barrels over a 30-day period.
Alex Gonzalez, president of De Nora
Neptune, said: “Understanding the various
challenges we face as an industry and
society as a whole, including water scarcity
and increased seismic activity, we prioritise
providing our customers with ESG-friendly
services that integrate seamlessly with
existing operations. Our method enables
the greenest, safest, and most efficient
approach to produced water recycling for
use into hydraulic fracturing.”
The project, which began in May,
established four ClorTec mobile treatment
units along a network of simultaneous
fracturing systems. The modular setup
gives producers the ability to target
areas of concern at any point in the
upstream or midstream water utilisation
cycle, tapping into existing pipelines or
feeding directly off saltwater disposal
(SWD) wells. This reduces the reliance on
freshwater for planned fracturing activity,
while also eliminating the emissions
traditionally required for the transport of
water to site – two challenges faced in
the energy sector.
De Nora’s electro-chlorination process
is effective at killing bacteria populations
without the use of hazardous chemicals,
enhancing the safety for workers on site,
as well as the surrounding environment
and ecosystem. Solar salt, used in De
Nora’s solution in place of complex
chemicals, is sourced responsibly
through renewable wind and solar
processes and greatly reduces trailer
traffic compared to chemicals and water
transport, supporting the company’s
commitment to offsetting carbon
emissions without compromising cost or
effectiveness.
Brian Mueller, consultant at B2K2
Consulting, concluded: “The EPA estimates
annual water usage for hydraulic fracking
to be as high as 140 billion gallons. This
project recently completed by De Nora
Neptune and their partners proves that a
drastic reduction in water supply use in
this figure is achievable. In addition to the
environmental impact of using dwindling
freshwater supplies, there is also a steep
economic cost; the technology used in the
project provides both sustainability and
financial benefits to the market, and leaves
freshwater supplies available for other
community use.”
OXFORD FLOW ANNOUNCES NEW INVESTMENT TO SPUR
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT
Oxford Flow, the flow control equipment provider
for energy, water and industrial process
industries, has received investment from GF
Piping Systems into its subsidiary OFUI.
This announcement follows the company
achieving major business milestones over
the last 18 months, since GF Piping Systems’
initial investment into OFUI in March last year.
Key milestones included broadening market
acceptance of the innovative pressure control
technology and refining new manufacturing
processes. Additionally, OFUI’s intellectual
property portfolio has been further bolstered
by patents in Europe and the USA.
Jens Frisenborg, head of BU industry at GF
Piping Systems said: “We are pleased with
the success of the first 18 months of our
partnership with OFUI. The further investment
will help propel the pressure regulating
valve (PRV) technology forward even further,
addressing a key customer requirement as
we strive to solve water loss for life within
water distribution networks. The speed of
innovation and the specialist engineering
capabilities that the combined GF Piping
Systems and Oxford Flow teams bring to
the market, ensures we can support water
utilities around the world to help reduce nonrevenue
water.”
The investment will drive the expansion of
OFUI’s operations globally as well as focus
on product development. For instance, the
company has been advancing its portfolio
of intelligent technology and developing its
first intelligent valve. This innovation will
enable water networks to remotely track
and visualise data, such as pressure and
water quality, and provide real-time control
and automation. These technologies
allow network operators to optimise and
control performance without using mains
electricity.
Neil Poxon, CEO at Oxford Flow concluded:
“With 46 billion litres of drinking water lost
every day through leakage, our technology
coupled with GF’s manufacturing capabilities
can drastically help reduce non-revenue
water from operators’ distribution networks,
meaning more water can get to those who
need it.”
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