Two Clemson University scientists were awarded more than $800,000 to find economical and environmentally sensible ways to treat what oilmen call ‘produced or co-produced water’: billions of gallons of contaminated water that come out of the ground during oil and natural gas production.

The research funding includes $689,500 from the U.S. Department of Energy and $120,000 from Chevron of Houston, Texas.

A constructed wetland
2 years later
Credit: Wikipedia

A constructed wetland
before treatment
Credit: Wikipedia

The idea of creating wetlands ties in well with the SPA’s plans to manage wetlands, where they have promised to increase their focus on our environment by contributing $3 million to restore 22 acres of tidal marsh along the southern tip of Drum Island in lower Charleston Harbor.

This treatment has the potential to increase oil and gas production and lower the cost of treating produced waters – not to mention reusing it, for:

• irrigation,
• domestic use,
• livestock watering,
• cooling-tower water,
• municipal water use,
• treated sewage discharge dilution, and
• support of critical aquatic life and wildlife.

Professor’s Castle and Rodgers have already developed similar constructed wetlands for the energy industry, such as treating water used in coal-burning power facilities.

“Co-produced water comprises 98% of all waste generated by U.S. oil and natural gas operations. Handling and disposal of this water is the single greatest environmental impediment to natural gas and oil exploration and production.”
– Department of Energy experts

Geologist Jim Castle
(Credit: Clemson)

Environmental toxicologist
John Rodgers
(Credit: Clemson)

 

* UPDATE (related to wetlands): Learn about the importance of wetlands at EPA’s Exhibit at the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show

Wetlands Facts

1. An acre of wetland can store up to 1.5 million gallons of floodwater.
2. As many of 1/2 of all North American bird species nest or feed in wetlands.
3. More than 50% of wetlands have been lost or destroyed nationwide in the past century.
4. 2/3 of all fish consumed worldwide are dependent on coastal wetlands at some stage in their life cycle.