Field Demonstration of an Integrated Water Treatment Technology Solution in Marcellus Shale

Abstract

Abstract The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) awarded a cooperative agreement to Altela, Inc., and its partners Argonne National Laboratory, BLX, Inc. and CWM Environmental, Inc. with the goal to provide an integrated approach to address the increasing water resource conflict between natural gas production and the interests of water stakeholders located within shale gas basins. The objective was to demonstrate that the AltelaRain® technology could be successfully deployed in the Marcellus Shale Basin to treat frac flow-back water. Specific goals of the project included field-proof that: 1) the regulatory environment would support implementation of the water treatment technology solution; 2) the technology was capable of treating highly challenged Marcellus frac water to water quality standards required for discharge and/or applicable beneficial re-use; and 3) the technology could economically treat the frac water at a cost equal to or lower than current disposal methods.