SBIR Phase II: Advancing a Novel Low-voltage Electric Arc Method to Oxidize Organic Material in Contaminated Water

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)二期项目将支持Symbios Technologies等离子处理系统的最终开发和商业化，使石油和天然气行业的产出水得到有效处理，从而使其安全排放到地表水或回收以刺激新油井的生产，而不是被处理在注入井中。产出水是指在从地下地层中开采石油、天然气和煤层气时，无论是否进行水力压裂，都会被带到地表的水，以及预定的燃料产品。一般来说，产出水受到碳氢化合物、盐类和有害微生物的污染，这意味着必须对其进行处理，然后才能将其排放或重新用于农业和其他目的。这是美国一个重要的环境、公共安全和经济问题。在该项目期间进行的研究将用于评估反应堆的改进，包括工艺传感器和控制系统、电极几何形状和表面涂层、采出水中污染物的降解、现场测试和技术经济模型。预期的技术成果是，Symbios等离子系统将降解碳氢化合物污染物，并杀死压裂回流或采出水中的微生物，使水适合安全地重复使用或排放。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，它将促进石油和天然气生产行业中关键资源水的清理和再利用，对保护环境、保障人类安全和降低国内能源成本具有重要的社会效益。这项拟议的技术是基于一种创新的低压等离子体放电，它可以产生强大的氧化物种来破坏采出水中的生物和化学污染物。Symbios Technologies已经与采油污水处理领域的关键公司建立了关系并签署了协议，这些公司已经确定了许多近期的商业机会，并为第二阶段为该技术的商业成功做好准备提供了重要的见解。以客户为中心的重点是解决石油和天然气行业的水污染问题，2010年全球市场规模估计为450亿美元，这将导致商业成功的可能性很高。第二阶段研发计划将通过改善反应堆的耐腐蚀性和市场化系统的自动化操作、处理采出水中的微生物和有机污染物、现场测试以及展示所开发系统的经济竞争力，来加强对科学和技术的了解以及商业影响。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will support the final development and commercialization of Symbios Technologies plasma treatment system to allow produced water in the oil and gas industry to be effectively treated, thereby allowing its safe discharge to surface waters or recycling to stimulate production in new wells, rather than being disposed of in injection wells. Produced water is the water brought to the surface, with or without hydraulic fracturing, along with the intended fuel products during extraction of oil, gas, and coal bed methane from formations underground. In general, produced water is contaminated with hydrocarbons, salts, and harmful microorganisms, meaning that it must be treated before it can be discharged or reused for agriculture and other purposes. This is an important environmental, public safety, and economic problem in the US. Research conducted during this project will be used to evaluate reactor improvements including process sensors and control systems, electrode geometries and surface coatings, degradation of contaminants in produced water, field testing, and techno-economic modeling. The anticipated technical results are that the Symbios plasma system will degrade hydrocarbon contaminants and kill microorganisms in frac flowback or produced water, leaving the waters suitable for safe reuse or discharge. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that it will facilitate cleanup and reuse of a critical resource, water, in the oil and gas production industry, with crucial societal benefits for protecting the environment, guarding human safety, and keeping domestic energy costs down. The proposed technology is based on an innovative, low-voltage plasma discharge that creates powerful oxidizing species for destroying biological and chemical contaminants in produced water. Symbios Technologies has developed relationships and executed agreements with key companies in the produced water treatment field, which have identified numerous near-term business opportunities and provided crucial insights into preparing the technology for commercial success during Phase II. The customer-centered emphasis on solving water contamination problems in the oil and gas industry, which was estimated to have a global market size of $45 billion in 2010, will result in a high likelihood for commercial success. The Phase II R&D plan will enhance scientific and technical understanding as well as commercial impact by addressing reactor improvements pertaining to corrosion resistance and automated operation for a market-ready system, treatment of microbial and organic contaminants in produced water, on- site testing, and demonstration of economic competitiveness of the developed system.