(514j) Sustainable Treatment of Produced Water Using Algae

The produced water from petroleum industry is laden with chemical contaminants, such as high levels of salinity, dissolved solids, heavy metals, and dissolved hydrocarbons. The volume of produced water from petroleum oil fields is substantial and a significant cost to crude oil producers. The ratio of water to oil ranges from 5:1 to 15:1. In addition, the reinjection of produced water, not hydraulic fracturing itself, has led to the induced seismicity seen in oil fields. Therefore, developing water management processes for land application or industrial use is needed for increased sustainability of the petroleum sector. Current treatment options such as membrane systems and chemical precipitation are often viewed as costly and unsustainable with ever-changing environmental regulations and guidelines. This research focuses on developing an algal-based photobioreactor system to bioremediate produced water and determine the usability of algal residues for economic viability. In addition, this study assesses the challenges in large scale development of algal-based produced water treatment system. Overall, this research aims at promoting the sustainability of the produced water treatment process through the generation of waste-to-value product streams.