GRAPEVINE, TEXAS, July 1, 2013 -- Complex oilfield waste streams containing heavy concentrations of suspended solids at a bulk storage and barge transloading terminal in New Matamoras, Washington County, Ohio, are being better filtered through a new produced water recycling technology from GreenHunter Resources, Inc. (NYSE MKT: GRH) (NYSE MKT: GRH.PRC).
A diversified water resource, waste management and environmental services company specializing in the unconventional oil and natural gas shale resource plays, Greenhunter announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, GreenHunter Water, LLC, has begun to process it's Frac-Cycle® service at the New Matamoras recycling center. The technology utilizes a vibration separation and nano-filtration systems that are capable of processing up to 1,000 barrels per day (BBL/D) of high-solids drilling fluids, pit water, frac-flowback and produced oilfield water.
These complex fluids typically contain 10 to 25 percent suspended solids content and are not suitable to dispose in salt water disposal (SWD) wells. Therefore, they must be solidified prior to disposal typically at a certified landfill. GreenHunter’s Frac-Cycle® system separates the water from the solids resulting in a reusable permeate that has been filtered to remove solids greater than 0.5 microns. The solids are then compressed into a dry filter-cake that will eventually go to a certified landfill, but in much smaller quantities.
Three new offloading stations and an additional 1,200 BBL of water storage holding tanks have recently been installed and are fully operational at the New Matamoras facility to accommodate the anticipated increase in fluid volumes from the new Frac-Cycle® services. Existing building structures at the New Matamoras recycling center allow for Frac-Cycle® expansion capabilities up to a total processing capacity of 5,000 BBL per day at this location.
To compliment high-solids recycling, management is completing design specifications to expand Frac-Cycle® services at the New Matamoras to include a rolling stock tank cleaning operation. When complete, the tank cleaning service will allow a truck that enters the facility with dirty water to leave with clean water. GreenHunter's recycling initiative is targeted to help Marcellus and Utica oil and natural gas producers reduce truck traffic and consumption of fresh water.
MANAGEMENT COMMENTS
Commenting on the start of Frac-Cycle® operations at the New Matamoras recycling center, John Jack, GreenHunter Vice President in the Appalachian region, stated, “We are very excited to bring water recycling services to our customers. This has been in the works for almost a year. GreenHunter’s Frac-Cycle® recycling system will allow producers to re-use ‘clean brine’ for drilling and fracking activities. More importantly, due to the strategic location of the New Matamoras recycling facility in the heart of the Marcellus and Utica shale plays, we are able to offer our recycling services (together with tank cleaning) at a greater discount to what operators would pay to truck, dehydrate and dispose the material using traditional avenues. We already have in bulk storage approximately 30,000 barrels of fluids from our existing customers which we have now begun to process.”
