GE’s advanced evaporator and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology is to be used to recycle up to 98% of produced water at six Total E&P Italia SpA oilwells in the Tempa Rossa field in the Basilicata region of southern Italy.
Engineering, procurement and construction contractor Maire Tecnimont SpA, which is overseeing the development of the project for Total E&P Italia, chose GE to provide the technology, the company announced during the IFAT Entsorga 2014 exhibition on 5 May 2014.
GE will provide two identical produced water treatment units including de-oiling, forced circulation brine concentration, evaporation and crystallization for ZLD. It is a complex process in which GE’s multiple-effect steam-driven units will be used for concentration and crystallization.
Vapors generated during the evaporation process are condensed in GE air condensers and coolers to meet the required temperature for demineralized water production and firefighting reuse.
The energy-efficient technology will treat up to 52 m³/h of feed water per line and will recover the produced water as distillate and solids. Completed delivery is expected by the first quarter of 2015 with installation by the third quarter of 2015.
The project marks the first application of GE-produced water treatment in Europe, leveraging on GE’s wide experience in produced water treatment in Canada, the US and Australia.