Japanese Pilot Plant for Treating Oilfield Wastewater Starts Operation in Oman

Shimizu Corp., a major construction company in Japan, announced on November 10, 2010, that it has brought a mobile pilot plant to treat oilfield wastewater into operation in the Sultanate of Oman. The treatment capacity of the plant is about 50 cubic meters of water per day despite its ultra-compact design. While its general versatility will be confirmed in the oilfields of various regions, the innovative treatment plant is attracting attention, especially from oil-producing countries in the Middle East.

Oilfield wastewater is groundwater, which is mined with crude oil, and contains difficult-to-eliminate oil and harmful heavy metals. In the case of Oman, as much as 300,000 tons of the oily wastewater per day are drawn from the oilfield and piped back inwith only simple treatment. Because 99 percent of water for household use in Oman comes from groundwater, oilfield wastewater has been in need of more advanced treatment.

The success of Shimizu Corp. in developing this treatment system comes after collaborating since 2007 with Sultan Qaboos University, the only national university in the country. The technology developed for the plant involves using flocculants to create flocs five millimeters in size from the micron-sized oil particles in oilfield wastewater, and then introducing microbubbles into the water to float and remove the flocs. This makes it possible to reduce the oil concentration in the water to around 50 parts per million and removes harmful substances. The treated water can be used as a new source of water for irrigation.

Japan's Leading Water Treatment Technology and its Potential
http://www.japanfs.org/en/mailmagazine/newsletter/pages/030099.html
Sanyo Electric Sells Washer/Dryer with Ozone-Disinfection Function (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026322.html

Posted: 2011/04/05 06:00:15 AM