SiC membrane technologies in the oil and gas exploration sector

BOLLFILTER SiC membrane systems offer enormous added value for water treatment in the oil and gas industry. Especially in the oil and gas exploration sector, BOLLFILTER membrane systems bring economic and ecological advantages. The membrane systems offer innovative solutions to specific problems faced by operators in various applications, such as high maintenance costs, inefficient filtration technologies, strict environmental regulations and the need for sustainable reprocessing of production water. BOLLFILTER can offer both SiC Tubular and SiC Flatsheet membrane systems depending on application suitability, ensuring optimal customization to specific requirements.

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Benefits BOLLFILTER SiC membrane systems

Economical benefits:

Significant savings in operating costs:
Low energy consumption and reduced use of chemicals cut operating expenses to a minimum.
Rapid amortization:
Thanks to the reuse of water and the recovery of oil, investments are amortized in a short time.
Longer service life:
The high longevity of SiC membranes significantly reduces replacement and maintenance costs.

Ecological benefits:

The ceramic membrane solutions from Boll & Kirch make a significant contribution to reducing environmental pollution:

Virtually no chemicals required during the filtration process
Reduction of waste volumes through more efficient membrane filtration
Reusability of purified water for fracking processes, reinjection and deep well disposal
Increased lifetime of oil fields through removal of sulphur reducing bacteria (SRB)

Technical details

The ceramic membranes made of silicon carbide (SiC) offer a wide range of advantages for various industrial applications. Thanks to their excellent performance and scalability, SiC membranes are ideal for large-scale industrial applications.

The following table summarizes the most important properties and advantages of these membranes:

Properties	Details
Material	Silicon carbide (SiC)
Essential properties	Hydrophilic and oleophobic
Filtration efficiency	Free and emulsified oils and suspended solids to less than 2 ppm
Temperature range	Up to 500 °C
Pressure range	0.1 to 10 bar
Chemical resistance	Exceptionally high
Bacteria removal	99.99 %
Maintenance requirements	Low maintenance due to anti-fouling properties
Operating costs	0.02-0.03 $ per barrel
Electricity consumption	Less than 90 Wh/barrel
Filtration capacity	Up to 1,000,000 barrels per day

Technology comparison

	SiC Membranes (BOLLFILTER)	Walnut Filters	Polymeric Membranes	Al2O3 Membranes
Porosity	> 45%	30-35%	< 10%	30-40%
pH Range	0-14	5-8	3-8	0-11
Abrasion Resistance	++	+	-	+
Lifespan	++	+	-	+
Operating Temperature	Up to 800 °C	Up to 120 °C	Up to 90 °C	Up to 400 °C
Economy	Highest capacity, lowest operating costs	Acceptable, moderate operating costs	Low capacity, high operating costs	Medium
Filtration Efficiency	Particle removal to <2 ppm	Particle removal to 5 ppm	Particle removal to 15 ppm	Particle removal to 5-10 ppm

Comparison with traditional filtration methods

	SiC Membranes (BOLLFILTER)	Walnut Filters/Media Filters
Filtration Principle	100% mechanical—particle separation	Depth filtration and adsorption
Oil Content (ppm) in Treated Water	< 2 ppm	5–10 ppm
Solid Content (mg/L) in Treated Water	< 2 mg/L	5–10 mg/L
Waste Volume	< 1%	~2%
Long-Term Operating Costs	Low	High

Applications of BOLLFILTER membrane technology

Wastewater treatment in offshore installations

Offshore exploration platforms generate a large quantity of production water daily, often containing high concentrations of oil, particles, and chemicals. BOLLFILTER SiC membrane systems ensure effective removal of these contaminants, enabling the water to be either safely disposed of or reused for injection processes.

Water treatment for enhanced oil recovery (EOR)

EOR processes require high-quality water to extract oil from hard-to-reach reservoirs. BOLLFILTER SiC membranes reliably remove suspended solids and biological impurities, ensuring the water meets the required quality standards.

Zero-Liquid-Discharge (ZLD) systems

Operators with the strictest environmental requirements rely on ZLD systems to avoid liquid waste disposal. BOLLFILTER SiC membrane technology enables maximum water reuse while simultaneously recovering valuable resources such as oil.

Water treatment for environmental discharge

In many regions, the disposal of production water is subject to strict regulations. BOLLFILTER provides solutions that clean the water through reverse osmosis technology and SiC membranes to such an extent that it can be safely discharged into the environment without disturbing the ecological cycle.

Treatment of fracking wastewater

Fracking processes generate large quantities of contaminated water containing residues of chemicals, sand, and oil. BOLLFILTER's SiC membranes are ideal for treating this wastewater, reducing operating costs through their high efficiency and long service life.

Recycling of backwash water

Backwash water from various filtration systems can be reused through BOLLFILTER technology, minimizing water losses and improving the sustainability of operations.

BOLLFILTER FineFilterUnits are used in a wide range of possible applications where a high filtration capacity and high reliability are required.
If you have any questions about your individual application, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Example of pilot testing and implementation results of BOLLFILTER SiC membrane technology

Key steps in pilot testing

Pilot testing of BOLLFILTER SiC technology was conducted at several locations in the USA, addressing specific objectives and challenges at each test site:

April 2023 – Louisiana: Use in a saltwater disposal facility (SWD) to improve the injection capability of a disposal well.
August 2023 – Wyoming: Application of BOLLFILTER SiC technology as pretreatment for a reverse osmosis system (RO) aimed at direct discharge.
February 2024 – New Mexico: Exploration of its use for treating production water, including the processing of UF concentrate into dewatered sludge.

Implementation results

The BOLLFILTER SiC technology achieved impressive results in removing solids, oil, and hydrocarbons from production water. Below are the key outcomes from pilot projects:

Parameter	Inlet Values	Outlet Values	Reduction
TSS (Total Suspended Solids)	457 mg/l	22 mg/l	-95%
BTEX Total	2.27 mg/l	0.03 mg/l	-99%
Hydrocarbons (GRO C6-C10)	56.8 mg/l	<1.0 mg/l	Below detection limit
Hydrocarbons (DRO >C10-C28)	96.6 mg/l	<1.0 mg/l	Below detection limit

Summary

The pilot tests demonstrated that BOLLFILTER SiC technology efficiently treats production water. Particularly noteworthy are the high reduction rates of TSS and BTEX and the removal of hydrocarbons below the detection limit. These outcomes confirm the suitability of BOLLFILTER SiC systems for demanding water treatment applications, especially in the oil and gas sector. Furthermore, the flexibility of modular designs and low operating costs emphasized the technology's appeal for industrial use.

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Michael Hormes Director Business Unit Fine Filtration Technology

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