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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on March 24, 2010 at 3:13

Sesport, I believe some operators may eventually adopt similar approaches in the Haynesville Shale. Especially where they have a large acreage holding in a particular area of the play.

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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on March 24, 2010 at 4:29

The water involved in this system is "frac" water. The water to be piped to TX. is "produced" water. The salt water that accumulates daily from a producing well.

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Permalink Reply by sesport on March 24, 2010 at 10:00

Skip - Okay, now I'm confused by what you're saying. The second paragraph in the article states ...

""There is a shortage of treatment facilities that can handle this very salty water, so that's going to become a bit of a bottleneck for the industry when they do start issuing drilling permits," said hydrogeologist John Conrad, head of the environmental consulting firm Conrad Geoscience Corp."

My understanding from this is that they ARE talking about produced water.
Thanks in advance for any clarification 80)

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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on March 24, 2010 at 10:11

The quote from the article in your discussion is "Backflow water can be reused ...." Backflow water refers to water used to frac the well. And yes is comes back with salt picked up from the formation. The "produced" water refers to the water that comes along with the gas and is stored in the site tanks every day that the well produces from now till it is plugged and abandoned. This salt water is the reason for tanker trucks running the roads not only when a well is completed but on a regular basis for the productive life of the well. Sending that water by pipeline to a disposal or treatment facility keeps the trucks off the roads and eliminates much of the damage to rural roads that were the genesis of the other discussion. On SONRIS in the Well Scout reports where IP, choke, pressure, etc. is given there is also a notation of barrels of water a day. We just never talk about it because it is not as interesting as the gas which turns into money.

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Permalink Reply by sesport on March 24, 2010 at 12:20

Thanks guys.

Maybe it's the article's author that has terminology confused? Further down in the article this is stated.

"Around a third of the millions of gallons of water used in fracturing comes back to the surface where it is either reused, stored on site or trucked to treatment plants.

Conrad said companies that can build crystallizer plants -- specialized waste treatment plants that distill salt out of waste water -- are unwilling to make an investment in New York until the state begins issuing drilling permits."

Perhaps the article is confusing 2 different processes?

At any rate, I'm still wondering & hoping that recycling frac water becomes more economical & thus feasible.

Appreciate all the help clearing this up. 80)

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Permalink Reply by sesport on March 25, 2010 at 16:45

TRRC had more information on "closed loop systems" and it indicates that recycling water can be a part of that process. So, besides as Les has said that it may eventually be adopted under certain conditions, how/why/when would it become more economically advantageous and (more) common practice?

http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/forms/publications/wasteminmanual/wastem...

from the link ...

"Closed-Loop Drilling Fluid Systems: Closed-loop drilling fluid systems provide many advantages over conventional earthen reserve pits. Closed-loop drilling fluid systems use a series of steel tanks that contain all drilling fluid and equipment used to remove cuttings. These systems enhance the operator's ability to monitor fluid levels and characteristics. The result is more efficient use of the drilling fluid and less drilling waste remaining at the end of the operation. Also, the operator may more easily recycle the waste drilling fluid (also see "Recycling"). "

80)

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