Oil Water Separation Solutions for the oil and gas industry.

Recent media coverage has increased focus on oil and gas drilling operations and ways to prevent contamination from harming groundwater, wetlands and waterways. Wash Bay Solutions provides the Best Available Technology (BAT) for oil water separation systems and equipment cleaning systems. Wash Bay Solutions helps the oil and gas drilling industry establish positive environmental stewardship by recycling, reusing and reducing wastewater.

“Solids & Oil Water Separation System”

Waste Bay Solutions has developed the Solids & Oil Water Separation System (SOWS) using horizontal gravity flow treatment. This Green system removes oil and solids from produced and flow-back oil-contaminated water using a five-stage process of separation:

Stage 1: Remove free oil particles larger than 150 microns
Stage 1: Intercept and collect settleable solids
Stage 3: Capture suspended solids and dispersed oil
Stage 4: Collect remaining suspended solids and remove free oil droplets 30 microns or larger
Stage 5: Trap any trace oils before water is discharged

The SOWS System has many key features including no moving parts, low maintenance and solid heavy-duty construction. Reusing water from oil-contaminated wastewater is an environmentally-conscious practice to protect waterways and protected wild life reserves. It also saves money.

“Responsible Corporate Citizen”

Whenever there is an oil spill or groundwater intrusion, the oil and gas drilling industry receives negative press. Communities are more willing to support oil and gas drilling operations when they know that these companies minimize their negative impact on the environment. Washbaysolutions.com helps businesses become responsible corporate citizens.

Mining and Heavy Dump Trucks

The efficient use, reclamation and reuse of water on-site are important considerations at every mining operation. Developing and implementing programs that both maintain both water quality and quantity will provide mining companies critical long-term access to water as well as ensure that their company grows and thrives.
We believe it is possible for both mining companies and their neighbors to have enough clean water for their needs. We at WashBaySolutions.com have the knowledge, experience and equipment to help mining companies maintain their water quality and minimize water usage.

Typical solutions include completely self-contained water recycling systems and separation systems.

We offer the following units for your mining operation:

• VR Closed Loop Systems
• SPT Clarifier Separator Systems
• SOWS Solids & Oil Water Separator Systems

Drilling Rig

Water is used in association with many oil and gas activities. Large volumes of water are used during the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells. Water is used during drilling for drilling fluid preparation, make-up water and completion fluids. In enhanced recovery and well stimulation procedures such as “fracing”, water is used as a supplemental fluid.

In smaller volumes, water is used for cooling water in gas plants and boilers; as hydrostatic test water for pipelines and tanks; and as wash water for rigs, trucks, heavy vehicles and other equipment. Equipment washing in oil and gas drilling applications is an essential part of keeping the drilling operation running 24/7.

In order to maintain good environmental stewardship and increase profitability, many oil and gas drilling operators are looking at ways they can “reduce, reuse, and reclaim” the large volumes of water they use on a daily basis.

At WashBaySolutions.com our engineered solutions to “reducing, reusing, and reclaiming” include completely self-contained water recycling systems, solids and oil separation systems and high pressure washing systems.

Please see our units available for the oil and gas drilling industry:

• VR Closed Loop Systems
• SPT Clarifier Separator Systems
• SOWS Solids & Oil Water Separator Systems
• High Pressure Washing Systems

Click here to review the Above Ground Oil Water Separator flow process and design.

We offer a complete line of high efficiency above and below ground oil/water separators that conform to the guidelines of API 421 for the removal of all free and dispersed non-emulsified oil and solids that settle from the waste stream.

Features of the Oil & Water Separators

• Low maintenance costs
• Easy cleaning through removable vapor tight covers
• No moving parts
• No power consumption
• No consumable wearing elements
• No chemicals, absorbent or filter cartridges to remove, replace or dispose of
• Compact size
• Solids storage capability

Case Study: Oily Water Separator

• Case Study of Oil Water Separator w/ Wash/Rinse Sewer Pre-Treat SystemThis project was unique in that it was located in one of the strictest wastewater authorities in the state of North Carolina. [ read full study ]
• Case Study of Truck Services Company Wash Bay – Wash/Rinse Closed Loop SystemThis major truck services company was constructing a new wash bay at their facility outside city sewer limits. [ read full study ]

Water & Oil Separator Technology

The most common approach to the design of oil water separators is to configure parallel corrugated plates that cause the oil droplets to increase in size, thereby speeding the gravity separation process. We use a unique Unipack cross fluted design with an internal structure of interconnecting channels having many crossing points between adjacent plates. This produces enhanced efficiencies in significantly smaller units. Our Unipack construction requires a unit with only 5000 gallons capacity to produce the same yield of a traditional separator unit with 15,000 gallon capacity at a flow rate of 500 gallons per minute.

Our staff of experienced professional engineers are dedicated to providing customers with innovative and effective solutions to the problems of contaminant elimination in waste water to maintaining optimal adherence to established conformance standards and industry best practices.

Coalescing of the oil droplets takes place in three steps:

1. Droplets are intercepted by the corrugated plates as the oil/water mixture flows through the separator.
2. New droplets coalesce with retained droplets, to make larger droplets.
3. Enlarged droplets are released and rise to the surface to be decanted into a storage tank. Since Stokes’ Law calculations are based on a flow of zero velocity through the Unipack plate, a Reynold’s number of less than 500 will ensure optimum separation in an Oil/Water Separator.

How does the flow process work?

You can click here to learn more about the Above Ground Oil Water Separator Flow Process and Design.

Oil Water Separator Flow Rate Table

Are you interested in a below ground oil and water separator? Please visit our below ground oil water separator units page for more information.

A look inside a transportable equipment room.

These complete Transportable Equipment Rooms (TER) are ideal for housing washing and reclaim equipment at sites without incurring any construction costs, delays, or permanent structures. Used on military bases, construction sites, and at any facility requiring transportability, these cost effective systems can be configured for a wide range of applications and up and running in a few days.

Delivered to your site, this enclosed transportable equipment room sits adjacent to the wash pad and contains complete water recycling, high-volume demucking, and high-pressure washing systems.

STANDARD FEATURES:

• 20 or 40’ enclosure constructed of steel, aluminum, or stainless
• Power panel, receptacles and lighting
• Automated fans/louvers or insulated with full HVAC system
• All equipment, installed, pre-plumbed and wired
• Secondary containment for all fluids

OPTIONAL FEATURES:

• Insulation Package - Walls, ceiling, floor and doors insulated with rigid wallboard behind plywood, thru-bolted and sealed
• Full Heating Package – Thermostat-controlled heating system for freeze protection, and   circulation fans
• Specialized plumbing and piping
• Outside painting to match existing facility colors

Transporting an equipment room on a flat bed truck.

Equipment that can installed in TER:

• Complete closed-loop water recycling system
• Sewer Discharge pretreatment systems
• Oil Water separators
• Water management tanks with waste oil and solids storage
• PLC-controller with remote monitoring and SCADA capability
• Hot or cold water pressure washer
• Demucking system
• Non-chemical water disinfecting ozone generator

Case Study on a re-manufacturer of heavy duty electric motors

Over the years, the requirements for the permit grew tighter and tighter. By 2010, the permit requirements were becoming quite onerous. Some of the issues included:

• Tighter limits of the original testing parameters and the addition of new requirements to test for metals
• The ever increasing the cost of compliance (They were spending $1100/mo on water analyses)
• The prospect they may not be granted a permit renewal.

They feared that they could be told to shut down the wash bay operations if they did not meet permit requirements. Shutting down the wash bay would cause many production issues and was just not a viable option. So they contacted Wash Bay Solutions for help.

We first reviewed their permit requirements, as well as reviewed their wash bay needs and facilities. One of their particular issues was a lack of extra plant space to house any additional treatment equipment. After a review of their wastewater analyses and understanding their production washing requirements, we recommended our closed loop water reclaim system that would eliminate the need for the NPDES permit. Additionally, we offered our Transportable Equipment Room (TER) that could be set outside adjacent to their plant. The TER was designed for tough winter weather conditions to protect the equipment from cold weather and freezing issues.

Once given the go ahead, the entire system was built a transportable equipment room and tested in our factory. The on-site installation was simple. Our customer ran utilities to the TER and within two days, their system was up and running. Their wash bay was never down and their production was never altered. Best off all, they no longer needed their NPDES permit and they were able to cut the pipe delivering water to the tributary.

Scratch one NPDES permit, the cost of compliance, and best of all, the fear of noncompliance. Not bad for a solution in a Box.

Transportable Equipment Room (TER)

Oil Water Separation

Oil and water separator systems and water reclaim systems are generally used in commercial settings to remove oil and solids from wastewater effluents. Electrical substations, chemical plants, and oil refineries utilize this technology every day. There are two main types of systems, sewer pre-treat systems and closed-loop systems. Sewer pre-treat systems will treat and clean the water so that it can be discharged into the local sewer system. A closed loop system will treat the water so that it can be reused onsite.

In an oil water separator, the corrugated plates intercept oil droplets as the wastewater travels through the separator. New droplets coalesce (combine) with retained droplets, and the droplets become larger. Enlarged droplets are released from the water and rise to the surface where they are decanted into a storage tank, and then properly disposed of with any local or government waste management facility.

Washbay Solutions offers a complete line of the best oil water separators and water reclaim systems on the market today. Whether above or belowground, a closed-loop or sewer pre-treat system, Washbay Solutions has the right system to fit the needs of your company.

A case study was conducted of our sewer pre-treat system at one of our customers located in one of the strictest sewer authorities in North Carolina. After assisting our customer with obtaining a permit, we also helped save them thousands of dollars on a water meter required by the permit. Our client was very pleased with the system, and we returned quarterly to assist with and coordinate water analyses required by their permit. As the water analyses results kept proving our system was cleaning the water remarkably well, the permit requirements kept decreasing which saved our client thousands of dollars in analyses costs.

Another case study was conducted of our closed-loop system at a trucking company. Since they were located outside of the local sewer limits, they needed to be able to clean and recycle their own wastewater. In May of 2007, we assisted the trucking company with the installation of a closed-loop water reclaim and separation system that is used on a daily basis today. We still provide quarterly inspections to ensure the closed loop system is working as designed.

Whether your company is looking for a closed-loop or a pre-sewer treatment system, Washbay Solutions can help design the system that is right for you.

Clean your water with an oil water separator.

All businesses that wash vehicles are required to separate the oil from the waste water they create before discharging it into the municipal sewer system. This is not only the legal thing to do, but the right thing to do. Water is a valuable resource and we need to do all we can to conserve it and keep it clean.

Oil water separators work on the principal of water and oil not mixing and their property of natural separation. With this principal, an oil water separator enhances the separation. This is usually done with coalescing media that intercepts the oil droplets and cause them to move together and increase in size. The larger droplets then rise to the surface and are captured in a storage area. There are above ground systems and below ground systems. They should be as compact as possible, sized to the job. In most cases, they require no moving parts, power consumption, chemicals or cartridge use of any kind.

When looking for an oil and water separator, it is necessary to know the water flow rates and the requirements of the particular municipality involved. Many times, it is wise to deal with a company that knows the local requirements and codes so that the system being installed meets those requirements.

Depending on the type of machinery that is being cleaned, more equipment may be needed. For large vehicles covered with a lot of dirt and debris, a demucking unit may be your most effective way to clean. If you can not discharge the water to a sewer, a closed loop recycle system will be required.

When getting into a business that will involve oily water that requires separation, it is best to look for a company that will be sure to outfit the business with equipment that meets the requirements of the municipality. If possible, look at a company’s case studies of some of its most challenging installations, and consider that when making a decision in the oil water separator that will be purchased or leased.

Solids And Oil Water Separation Systems

New SOWS Systems Remove Both Free & Dispersed Oil AND Settable & Suspended Solids!

Introducing the new Best Available Technology (BAT) for the treatment of produced water and flow-back water. The SOWS Systems are horizontal gravity flow treatment systems designed to separate settleable solids, suspended solids, and free and dispersed oil.

This system is a significant improvement to the currently used CPI Separators which can only separate free oil and settleable solids – allowing a considerable amount of dispersed oil, suspended solids, and stable emulsions to pass through the system.

Applications:

• Onshore and Offshore Drilling Operations
• Oil Refineries
• Produced Water
• Waste Oil Processing Facilities

Benefits:

• No moving parts
• Low maintenance
• Heavy duty carbon or stainless construction

The SOWS System has 5 stages of separation.

Stage 1, Inlet Area – The water mixture flows into the inlet quiescent area where the velocity of the water slows. The free oil (150 micron in size or greater) separates and rises to the surface where it is removed by a pipe skimmer.

Stage 2, Clarifier/Solids Intercept Section - The settleable solids flow downward and are captured in the clarifier/ solids intercept section.

Stage 3, Inclined Plate Section - The suspended solids and dispersed oil flow upward through the inclined plates section. Most of the suspended solids will slide down these plates into the hopper.

Stage 4, Separation Compartment – The remaining suspended solids and dispersed oil flow into the separation compartment where the coalescing plates remove 99% of the free oil droplets 30 micron or greater. This oil rises to the surface where an oil skimmer decants it to an oil storage tank. The coalescing plates then capture the remaining suspended solids.

Stage 5, Clean Water Compartment – The flow of water will go over the overflow weir into the clean water compartment where oil absorption polishing bags trap any trace oils before the water is discharged.

SOWS Solids Oil Water Separation Systems

SOWS Solids and OIl Water Separation Systems

TYPICAL SOLUTIONS:

Offshore Rig

Explosion-Proof Pressure Washing

Where explosion-proof equipment is required, we offer our explosion-proof pressure washers which are tested, validated and certified for use in Class 1, Division 1, Group C & D hazardous locations. They are designed to operate in environment with -40° F to +120° F ambient temperatures with enclosures constructed to zero-tolerance water ingress specifications. We have been providing these offshore systems for 15+ years. Please see:

Explosion-proof Electric hot water pressure washer – Standard and Offshore Series
Explosion-proof Electric cold water pressure washer – Standard and Offshore Series

Solids & Oil Water Separator Systems

For the treatment of produced water and flow-back water, our Solids and Oil Water Separator (SOWS) Systems are the new Best Available Technology (BAT) in the industry. The SOWS Systems are horizontal gravity flow clarifier oil water separator systems designed to separate settleable solids, suspended solids, and free and dispersed oil.

Closed Loop Systems

Many drilling operations and maintenance facilities are adjacent to environmentally sensitive areas. Company officials have to be very concerned that equipment washing can cause overflow into a nearby waterway or wetland, creating environmental concerns.

When the closest sewer connection is hundreds or even thousands of miles away, facilities need completely self- contained water recycling systems including rainwater detection and water level controls to eliminate the wash pad overflows.

They are often excellent candidates for the WWMI TWP System – a transportable equipment room containing all washing and recycling equipment needed to completely collect, store, treat, and redeliver the water for all cleaning requirements. These systems, which are usually housed in insulated, painted, and vented containers save on building costs, provide protection from the weather and allow you to move the equipment to a different location if the need arises.

Please see the following pages for more detailed information on these systems:

Drilling Rig

• Closed Loop Reclaim System
• Rain Diverter System (RDS)
• Transportable Wash Bay (TWB) System