On-Site Measurement of Oil and Grease Levels in Hydraulic Fracturing Water

The amount of water used in and produced by hydraulic fracturing of shale gas wells is in the millions of gallons per well. Whether the water is going to be taken off-site for disposal or reused for re-injection, the flowback or produced water needs pretreatment to remove any residual oil from the water. Waiting for remote laboratory results to determine the oil level can take several days to a week.

The InfraCal TOG/TPH Analyzers from Wilks Enterprise (USA) allow for oil in water testing at the well site in less than 10-15 minutes. The sampling requires a few simple steps that can be performed by non-technical personnel. The water is mixed with the extraction solvent, shaken, and then presented to the InfraCal Analyzer for measurement. The same InfraCal TOG/TPH Analyzer can be used for measuring total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil if a spill or pond leak occurs to determine the contaminated area.

This type of measurement is not new as infrared measurement of oil and grease levels in produced water has been used in the petroleum industry on highly regulated off-shore and on-shore oil platforms for well over 30 years. The InfraCal TOG/TPH Analyzers are used worldwide for this particular type of measurement.

InfraCal TOG/TPH Analyzers offer a simple and quick measurement procedure that can help operators ensure the oil/water separator is working properly before it creates a sheen on an evaporation pond or before the water undergoes further treatment for reinjection. Operators can easily assess their system’s efficiency and adjust parameters without waiting a week for an off-site laboratory result.