Oil & Gas wastewater treatment capabilities require a focus on organic compound removal. The organic load composition is expressed as BOD, COD, TOC, or oil concentration and is often a limit for wastewater discharge permits. In the case of environmental remediation of contaminated solids, the removal of the organic/solvent/fuel is a must to meet overall standards.
The most common type of organic contamination in water in the oil & gas industry are oil, paraffins, and hydrocarbons. Oil is mostly found in the water from distillates in refineries, chemical processes, or the water associated with hydraulic fracturing and drilling, also commonly known as produced water. This presents an opportunity to recover valuable hydrocarbons and treat the water for suitable recycling or disposal. Oil-in-water may appear in several different forms: free oil, emulsified oil, and dissolved oil.
