Aquatech to Unveil Portable Frack Water Treatment System

Washington PA  Observer Reporter
10 March 2011

CANONSBURG - Aquatech International said Wednesday it will showcase its new mobile evaporator system for the national gas extraction industry when it exhibits at the Marcellus Shale Gas Environmental Summit March 28-30 at the Renaissance Hotel in Pittsburgh.

Aquatech's MoVap unit is a solution specifically designed for the wastewater treatment needs of shale oil and gas producers in the Marcellus Shale region, which encompasses parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York and Maryland.

The Canonsburg-based company, a world leader in the development of wastewater recycling, reuse and treatment, which globally treats 600,000 gallons of wastewater a day, said in a news release that when fully treated with the proprietary MoVap solution, water from hydraulic fracturing can be reused or returned to the environment in compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits.

Aquatech said its MoVap system, which is portable and can be transported to any well pad, enables the recycling and reuse of flowback and produced waters at the wellhead and will help natural gas producers reduce the amount of fresh water used in the drilling process.

The company said the system, which has been tested on local gas wells, will significantly reduce the volume of wastewater which must be disposed or treated off site.

During a presentation to the Washington County Chamber of Commerce in December, Aquatech Chief Executive Officer Venkee Sharma noted that the on-site treatment system also will alleviate the burden on local water resources and roads which see increased truck and equipment traffic during the drilling process. He estimated that a portable on-site plant can reduce water-hauling traffic from 200 to 40 truckloads per well site.

The company also said that the MoVap technololgy can be used in conjunction with other mobile and modular treatment solutions from Aquatech to give natural gas producers access to the full range of wastewater treatment options.