Frac Site Profits from Innovative Water Re-Use System

BACKGROUND
Water is an expensive resource at oil and gas extraction sites; oftentimes high costs are associated with the transport and management of treatment water. Additionally, revenue can be lost when residual oil is inadvertently carried away by hydraulic fracturing process water.

In order to obtain full utilization of their remotely located drill sites in New Mexico, an energy exploration and production company required an efficient water storage and utilization plan. Rather than disposing of produced water in downhole saltwater wells and trucking in new water, the company wanted an integrated system that could re-use water between their drill sites. The set-up would also need to include a monitoring system to provide real-time data on water level, pressure, and flow measurements.

OUTCOME
After defining the equipment and process that would create the most efficiency for the sites, Rain for Rent worked with the energy company to meet the main goal of frac pad optimization while simultaneously providing a solution to reduce truck traffic. Rain for Rent’s system received the produced water from multiple wells into a preliminary set of 10 tanks, then into a series of settling tanks and an oil/water separator where oil was absorbed into bags for later collection.

From the settling tanks, the water moved into a set of 127 tanks outfitted with RiteFlo® gauges and manifolded together to create a consistent water level across all the tanks. In this set of tanks, water was stored and available to be pumped to other wells requiring new pad water.

HIGHLIGHTS
All the produced water was captured and used, and after wells were completed, flow back water was captured and added to the water re-use system. By fully utilizing the produced water, the cost and traffic associated with trucking in new water was greatly decreased.
By introducing a plan for water movement, truck traffic to and on the site was reduced, and overall frac fleet efficiency was increased. This helped prevent sand trucks from being delayed by water trucks etc., delays which often jeopardize project schedules.
Risk management: A remote and frequently unmanned location, the project’s site safety benefitted from RiteFlo® gauges that provided 24/7 flow monitoring and reduced the need for staff on site.

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
The energy exploration company and completion team said that Rain for Rent provided an innovative solution that they will continue to benefit from on this ongoing project.

❮ Previous CaseNext Case ❯