OriginOil is spreading the word about its frac flowback water-cleaning technology, hoping others will see value in a low-energy, chemical-free system the company says is capable of lowering costs and bringing in revenue.

The system, called Clean-Frac, removes oil, suspended solids, and bacteria as well as insoluble organics from frac flowback water. As part of the process, electromagnetic pulses are used to break oil and water emulsion, causing water droplets to cling together and suspended solids to do the same, said Bill Charneski, general manager of OriginOil’s oil and gas division.

A gas flotation chamber is then used to generate hydrogen and oxygen bubbles, which lift oil and solid materials to the surface of the water. The heavy material then falls to the bottom of a concentrator, while oil and solids are moved from the surface with minimal amounts of water.

The process leaves a hydrocarbon slurry capable of being recycled into usable crude oil, OriginOil executives said during the March 26 demonstration of the system in Houston. The process could allow operators – such as those in shale plays – to recycle water for use in the fracing process, reducing the amount of water trucked to disposal wells, or sell the water.

Results from recent field trials in California showed the system removed almost all organics, suspended solids, and bacteria from produced water, the company said.

“These first field trials confirmed what we’ve seen in the lab – up to a 99% reduction of organics in a matter of minutes,” OriginOil CEO Riggs Eckelberry said in the February 2013 release announcing the results. “This marks a major milestone as we refine and scale our technology for commercial deployment in the oil and gas industry. By increasing the amount of recoverable oil for producers, we have the potential for a compelling economic benefit.”

Thousands of gallons of water are used in the fracing process, with operators incurring both hauling and disposal expenses. “Across the country, disposal costs are 11 cents per gallon,” Charneski said, noting costs are lower in Texas.

“That’s what drives the economics for something like this,” added Jerry Bailey, oil and gas industry advisor for OriginOil. “This is really cutting edge. We’re trying to stay ahead of the curve and give something that will work. There is a big need for it, and there is a growing need.”

As the former president of Exxon’s Arabian Gulf, Abu Dhabi, and UAE operations, Bailey said the company was always looking for something state-of-the-art. And, this fits the bill. The technology allows them to do something with what is typically discarded. It could be worth a lot in areas where there are water shortages.

Such technology could prove beneficial in places such as China, the world’s largest energy consumer. China is working to increase its shale gas output and reduce its reliance on coal. The country’s shale gas resources are estimated to be between 353 Tcf and 1,271 Tcf.

“Our strategy is not to be a manufacturer of equipment but to license our technology,” Charneski said. “We’re looking for people who have equipment downstream who would treat the water.” This technology would aid their existing processes. OriginOil also is looking for system integrators, companies looking to solve their customers’ problems.

“We’ve been having conversations with the Chinese and the Middle East. We want to start domestically, but ultimately it’ll go internationally,” Charneski added. The goal is for original equipment manufacturers to integrate the technology into their systems under their brands.

OriginOil announced in October 2012 the signing of its first agreement to license the process. The deal was made with Pearl H2O, which bundled the technology with its frac water cleanup system, according to a news release.

The frac water cleaning system is the same technology OriginOil first developed to harvest algae.

Contact the author, Velda Addison, at vaddison@hartenergy.com.