CHLORINE DIOXIDE PETROLEUM PRODUCED WATER

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Abstract

With the recent focus on horizontal drilling for oil and gas production, there has been a corresponding increase in the need for large volumes of water for the hydraulic fracturing process. This high demand has resulted in the need to reuse the flowback and produced water as much as possible. Treatment of flowback and produced water is required to make it more suitable as a fracturing fluid. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) has been identified as the treatment chemical of choice for hydraulic fracturing applications because of its rather unique properties. These include its ability to obtain a desired level of bacterial inactivation by choice of ClO2 dosage, to oxidize sulfides, and to oxidize iron and other metals to an insoluble floc. As a result, an increasing number of groups have begun to use ClO2 to treat flowback and produced water. Most of these are relative late comers to ClO2 and have decided rather than to contract with or hire people who have extensive expertise with ClO2, to use ClO2 as if it were just another chemical used in the oil patch, which it is most certainly not, as some of these groups have learned the hard way. And it is not only newer, relatively small startups that have learned this lesson, but some very large companies have also endeavored to add ClO2 to its product mix. And when safety or performance issues arise, the tendency of the applicator has generally been to blame ClO2. This article is not about application methodology (i.e., how to use ClO2) but how to use it safely. The first section one provides a brief overview of ClO2, specifically why it is considered the only true ﾓgreenﾔ biocide for the oil patch. The second section describes the safety aspects of ClO2 from a chemical standpoint. Specifically, the properties and safety issues of gaseous ClO2, aqueous solutions, and aqueous sodium chlorite are discussed. Part 2 of this article series will examine an overview of generation equipment appropriate for use in the oil patch. Part 2 will also have a review of issues related to the use of ClO2.

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