Agree of difficult challenge. ...

Published October 9, 2019 23:32 by Rafael Gay-de-Montella MSc PEng, Water Wastewater Treatment Expert, Oil-Gas, Tailings, Boilers, ZLD; Evaporators, Sludge

Agree of difficult challenge. After removing TSS and O&G as much as possibly; I would try a pH shock lowering further down to 4, following with rise to 10, to neutralize to around 8. Apply AOP and finally a bio-treatment if needed. I would do a bench test to determine dosages and exact sequence.

2 Comments

You may want to have your water treatment company try some emulsion breakers at the already depressed pH in the 5 range. You may actually be able to increase the pH to find where the chemistry has the best break with little concern about H2S evolution. Thanks, Sean

Published October 10, 2019 14:03 by Sean Roop, Industrial and Engineering Consultants, LLC - Senior Water and Process Consultant

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I am not sure of your sulfur loading, but if you drop the pH to 4, then yes the oils will break out, but you run the chance of generating H2S in areas at the front end of your process while the pH is depressed. BE PREPARED! Not something to mess with. I have lost friends/colleagues to being overwhelmed by H2S due to purposeful pH depression without any type of fume containment or scrubber. Just my thoughts. Thanks, Sean

Published October 10, 2019 14:01 by Sean Roop, Industrial and Engineering Consultants, LLC - Senior Water and Process Consultant

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