Industry-First Subsurface Aeration System Installed In Uintah Basin

Arcadian Technologies, LLC recently announced the startup of an advanced aeration system for a hydraulic fractured flowback (and produced water) impoundment in the Uintah Basin. The system was purchased by the site owner and is deployed on the pond floor making it the only subsurface aeration system deployed for flowback or produced waters known to exist. The system is expected to accelerate the evaporation rate and begin oxidizing contaminants in the water. Positioning the Helios 3000 advanced aeration units on the floor of the pond allows efficient saturation of oxygen through the entire column of water. Air is fed to the submerged units by a shore based blower through weighted air hoses. There are no power lines in the water, a safety concern to many operators.

As an adjunct to increased evaporation, the addition of dissolved oxygen provides oxidative treatment to the water. Dependent on site conditions, various benefits include decreases in carbon dioxide levels, pH balancing, decrease in hydrogen sulfides (odor), and increased levels of dissolved oxygen. This is an important step in conditioning the water for recycling at the wellhead. Arcadian CEO Chris Choate commented, “The Uintah Basin installation is a significant for the region as it sends a message that water is important and that progressive water managers are investing in sustainable water initiatives. Operators are increasingly aware of political winds and a nationwide movement towards water reuse in hydraulic fracturing.”

After collecting a baseline sample, Arcadian is sampling the treated water at two week intervals to be processed by a certified laboratory in Salt Lake City. The data will establish treatment efficacy of oxidation by dissolved oxygen. There are over 15 parameters to be analyzed including total dissolved solids, sulfate, total sulfides, conductivity, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC). The data collected will be presented at the Industrial and Water Reuse Conference, Oil and Gas Track, in Austin, TX on February 2, 2015.

About Arcadian Technologies, LLC.
Arcadian was formed in early 2014 to market advanced aeration for water treatment to the oil and gas sector. Arcadian’s advanced aeration technology has in excess of two hundred installations in municipal and industrial applications in the U.S and around the world. The Company offers complete engineering design and implementation services.