Artist's rendering of GE's mobile evaporator.
Problems provide an opportunity to provide solutions.
GE announced today a “mobile evaporator” unit that will assist natural gas producers recycle untreated water that is a result of the hydraulic fracturing process at the well site. Water is mixed with chemicals and sand and pumped at high pressure thousands of feet below the surface to create fissures in the rock and release the natural gas.
Fracking uses large amounts of fresh water and produces billions of gallons of wastewater annually, GE said. The company says its mobile evaporator will cut the volume of wastewater and fresh water needed by between 50% and 90% by recycling water directly at the well site lowering producers’ transportation and disposal costs at the same time.
Jeff Connelly, vice president, engineered systems–water and process technologies for GE Power & Water is quoted;
“GE’s objective is to create a solution that not only lessens the environmental impact of gas drilling, but also one that reduces the current treatment cost to service providers and producers. As the mobile evaporator illustrates, our research and development teams are continually working toward offering new solutions to meet our customers’ challenges throughout the industry.”
