Resources
Types of Wastewater and Treatment Options
The below information provides a general overview of wastewater and treatment options.
Please keep in mind that there are a lot of variables that are NOT described in these charts that would impact the best treatment solution for site-specific needs.
Wastewater
| Description | Treatment | |
|---|---|---|
| Blowback Water (aka Frac Water) | wastewater produced by hydraulic fracturing | Clarification Separator |
| Groundwater | water flowing underground, which could discharge into a waterway | Above Ground Oil Water Separator |
| Process Water | water generated in manufacturing or treatment processes; examples wash racks and pump & treat | Above Ground Oil Water Separator, Above Ground Clarification Separator, or Clarifier |
| Produced Water | water that is from water-based oil and gas exploration | Clarification Separator |
| Stormwater | water generated from a rain event | Below Ground Oil Water Separator |
Oil in Wastewater
Different sizes of oil droplets require different treatment methods.
| Condition of Oil | Oil Droplet Size | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Free Oil | 150 microns or greater | API oil water separator |
| Dispersed Oil | 20 microns to 149 microns | Coalescing oil water separator |
| Mechanical Emulsified Oil | 20 microns or less | Oil water separator with a post-treatment DAF system or clay filter |
| Chemical Emulsified Oil | 5 microns or less | Chemical pre-treatment followed by an oil water separator, or a DAF system with chemical pre-treatment |
| Soluble Oil (micro-emulsion) | 0.05 micron or less | Emulsion Breaking System/ Oil Water Separator, Emulsion Breaking System, DAF System, Ultra filtration, Reverse Osmosis or Biological Treatment |
Emulsions & Suspended Solids in Wastewater
A suspension, or any liquid containing dissolved solids, requires different treatment.
| Description | Treatment | |
|---|---|---|
| Colloid | Very small, insoluble, non-diffusible solid or liquid particles that remain in suspension in a surrounding liquid. Particles are usually 2 micron or less. | Clarification Separator or DAF System |
| Dissolved Solids (TDS) | Any solid material that will dissolve in the liquid that is being filtered, such as sugar in water. | Emulsion Breaking System/ Oil Water Separator, Emulsion Breaking System/ DAF system, Ultra filtration, Reverse Osmosis or Biological Treatment |
| Emulsion | Any colloidal suspension of a liquid in another liquid that is normally immiscible. | Emulsion Breaking System/ Oil Water Separator, Emulsion Breaking System/ DAF system, Clay or carbon filters/ Ultra Filtration |
| Settlable Solids | Solid particles that have a greater specific gravity than water that will naturally settled out. | Clarifier (just solids); Clarification separator- (solids and oil) |
| Suspended Solids (TSS) | Naturally buoyant solid particles. They have a specific gravity close to water. | Clarification Separator |
| Surfactants | Surface active agents, which are found in cleaning agents. | Emulsion Breaking System/ Oil Water Separator, Emulsion Breaking System/ DAF System |