If you’ve lived in Texas for any length of time, you know that fracking is huge in the Lonestar State. Fracking is the process of collecting natural gas from underground shale formations. It uses a lot of water, both during the drilling process and afterwards, when the water is pumped out of the well.
However, the water that is pumped out of the well after use is considered “contaminated” and needs to be disposed of. (For more in-depth information on how it works, check out our blog post from August.) Therefore, a huge opportunity exists for the reuse of the wastewater that is produced as a result of fracking.
So, why is water reuse so important in the fracking industry? Most fracking occurs in areas that see consistently high levels of drought conditions (especially here in Texas) and see perpetual water shortages. The ability to keep using – and reusing – the same amount of water for fracking operations allows fracking operators to minimize both the use – and cost – of freshwater resources as well as to avoid problems with local wastewater disposal and the cost of wastewater trucking. However, think not only of the financial benefits – the reuse of water in the fracking process also has environmental benefits in that it reduces the overall use of water, allowing for more water to remain in the environment and be used for direct human consumption.
With the advent of new technology and the emergence of new capabilities, the reuse of fracking wastewater presents a very unique environmental opportunity for fracking operators.
At Water Consultants of America, we work with you to recommend water treatment sciences and technologies that best suit your institution. For more information about what we do and how we do it, contact us at (800)645-1350, or use our contact form.