Operations in the oil patch

Attending trade shows where I visit with our audiences and learn about new technology in the process industries, is one of the best parts of my job. Specifically, I get to see all the innovation involved in handling and treating water at all points in a process plant – including steam generation, heating and cooling a facility, cleaning or steaming in place, managing wastewaters with solids, or sourcing and treating process water. During the Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition, which focused on equipment used in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry, we saw new equipment involved in treating cooling tower water, heating process water, and water used for cleaning ingredients, equipment and other surfaces.

Operations in the oil patch are labor and water intensive. More than 2 million gallons of water are required to drill and complete an unconventional well. ¹ HERE the daunting task of transporting all this water to the well site is detailed. Specialized, durable hoses are required to handle all the water and send it (mixed with chemicals and proppants) downhole at high pressure during hydraulic fracturing processes. Oil and gas equipment, dedicated to and designed for this industry’s applications, is often required in this unforgiving atmosphere.