Case Study: Pacific Rubiales
rwlwater.com
Project: Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp.Location: Rubiales
Oilfield, Meta Region
Country: Colombia
Capacity: 500,000 BPD (4,000 m3/hr)
Solution type: High recovery produced water treatment and
desalination for reuse
Technology used: Multistage, fully automated produced water
treatment & desalination plant
Produced Water Desalination & Treatment for Reuse at
Oilfield in Colombia
Challenge:Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. is the largest
independent oil and gas exploration and production company in
Colombia. At the Rubiales oilfield, 165,000 barrels of oil are
produced daily. During the production process, large quantities of
natural ground water are extracted together with the petroleum
(i.e. produced water). Currently, Pacific Rubiales separates the
produced water from the crude oil, and then disposes of it via deep
aquifer injection. The treatment, disposal costs,
and environmental constraints necessitate an advanced water
treatment solution. A multistage treatment plant is necessary to
effectively treat the brackish water remaining from the drilling
process in order to maximize water reuse while eliminating brine
disposal.
The treatment of wastewater from onshore oil wells poses a
particular challenge to water professionals. In addition to meeting
strict
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Case Study: Pacific Rubiales
Solution:To effectively address this wide range of needs, and
following six months of on-site piloting, a proprietary,
multistage, fully automated treatment plant has been designed,
built, and commissioned by RWL Water. This project has been awarded
to our Israeli operation and is being executed under a rapid
deployment and construction schedule of less than 18 months.\The
treatment plant is being sized to accommodate approximately 4,000
cubic meters per hour, or 500,000 barrels per day, of treated
produced water.
In order to meet irrigation standards, the treated water must
have a total salinity of less than 240 mg/liter, with less than
0.5mg/liter of
hydrocarbons and a Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) of less than
10. The plant is designed to allow 90% of the feed water to be used
for irrigation while 10% (including the reverse osmosis brine) will
be disposed via deep well reinjection. Other waste streams from the
plant will be treated and converted to solid sludge for landfill
disposal.
In addition to the Engineering, Procurement & Construction
(EPC), RWL Water will fully operate the plant for 10 years. RWL
Water’s solutions for Pacific Rubiales can be adapted to address
other water treatment challenges in the oil and gas industry around
the world.
environmental regulations, Pacific Rubiales plans to reuse the
treated water for irrigation. The brackish feed water contains
residual oils, hydrocarbons, solids, and other contaminants,
all of which must be removed before any desalination process can
be undertaken. The remote location and tropical climate present
additional logistical challenges.
Challenge: (continued)
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RWL Water has more than 90 years of combined experience building
highly successful water, wastewater, and waste-to-energy treatment
solutions for diverse industries and municipalities around the
world.
[email protected] • rwlwater.com
“This is an exciting win-win project for Pacific Rubiales,
providing an innovative, lower cost and sustainable alternative to
manage water production from our Rubiales oilfield, as well as
establishing a new green industry that benefits the region. We need
a partner with leading edge technology and global experiences. We
couldn’t be happier with the selection of RWL Water, and are
looking forward to a strong working relationship.”
TestimonialA note from the CEO of Pacific Rubiales, Ronald
Pantin
©2014 RWL Water
