Water Treatment and Management

Dunham Well Impoundment

Converse County, Wyoming

EA provided consulting services to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in the layout and design of a freshwater storage, and distribution system in Converse County, Wyoming. The requirements of this project were to create a non-jurisdictional impoundment capable of storing at least 65 acre feet (af) of water, along with the site layout for an access road, vehicle parking, and a loading area for four trucks. The pond was created by excavating the impoundment into the existing ground such that no more than 40 af of storage would be located above the existing ground surface. The excavated soils were used to create a containment berm around the impoundment. The impoundment was lined with textured 60 mil HDPE anchored at the top of the berm. Access ramps were also provided in the design both to accommodate construction as well as maintenance access. Safety ropes were installed around the impoundment to provide a safe means of emergency egress.

Produced Water Treatment & Surface Discharge Support

Carbon County, Montana

EA provided consulting services to Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in the layout and design of a freshwater storage, and distribution system in Converse County, Wyoming. The requirements of this project were to create a non-jurisdictional impoundment capable of storing at least 65 acre feet (af) of water, along with the site layout for an access road, vehicle parking, and a loading area for four trucks. The pond was created by excavating the impoundment into the existing ground such that no more than 40 af of storage would be located above the existing ground surface. The excavated soils were used to create a containment berm around the impoundment. The impoundment was lined with textured 60 mil HDPE anchored at the top of the berm. Access ramps were also provided in the design both to accommodate construction as well as maintenance access. Safety ropes were installed around the impoundment to provide a safe means of emergency egress.

Produced Water Treatment & Surface Discharge Support

Carbon County, Montana

Engineering Analytics staff provided technical support for a conventional oil and gas production facility through the characterization of a 3,000 bbl/day produced water stream. EA analyzed water constituents, and evaluated viable water management options such as underground injection, on-site evaporation, treatment, and surface discharge. On-site treatment by reverse osmosis (RO) to reduce the total dissolved solids (TDS) with a final chemical addition reduce the pH and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) was recommended.

Salt Water Disposal Facility Design

Confidential Client, Mountrail County, North Dakota

EA staff prepared plans and specifications for a new salt water disposal facility in Mountrail County, North Dakota. The commercial facility is designed to take produced water and frac flowback and process the fluids prior to injecting down a deep disposal well permitted for 5,000 bbl/day. Fluids are received by tanker truck, filtered to remove solids, and sent to a tank battery for further settling and processing. Oil separation is enhanced by a gunbarrel separator prior to fluids entering injection feed tanks. EA provided project management, coordinated site surveying and geotechnical investigation, was the Engineer of Record for design, and facilitated procurement of major equipment, piping materials, and construction contractors. Mechanical equipment, including the injection pump, transfer pumps, and filtration, is housed in a custom designed pumphouse with a separate electrical control and equipment room.

Remote Monitoring and Alarms

Confidential Client, Lake County, Colorado

Engineering Analytics, Inc. (EA) was contracted to provide a Remote Monitoring and Alarm System at a historic mine site located at an elevation near 11,000 ft. At this location, a 300 HP pump, which is driven by variable frequency drive (VFD), is used to pump water from a 600-foot vertical mine shaft and convey the water to the site Water Treatment Plant (WTP) located approximately three miles away. A pressure transducer is used to monitor the water level in the shaft. The Owner desired a system to remotely monitor the shaft water level and the pump VFD fault and running signals to ensure the pump was functioning properly.

At a nearby location, the Owner collects mine-impacted seepage emanating from the toe of a tailings storage facility (TSF). The seepage is impounded behind a small earthen embankment dam, where it is conveyed by gravity to the Toe Drain Pumphouse and pumped to the WTP for subsequent treatment. The Owner desired a system to convey high and low-level alarms within the pumphouse.

EA worked with the Owner to design and install remote monitoring systems at both locations. A 900 MHz radio system conveys the high and low-level alarm signals from the Toe Drain Pumphouse to the mine shaft location. At the shaft, the water level and VFD data are collected. Due to the remote location, a satellite uplink system is used to wirelessly transmit all data to the WTP. EA obtained the satellite system license and coordinated the installation with the local electrician. EA’s integrator programmed the overall system to send the signals to the WTP, where the data are integrated into the plant control system.

Blue Lake Remote Control System

San Miguel County, Colorado

The Blue Lake Remote Control System provides remote flow control and monitoring for the water supply penstock of the Bridal Veil Hydroelectric Project.

Engineering Analytics, Inc. (EA) was retained to design and install a system for remotely controlling and monitoring system flows to both mitigate the safety hazards of back-country travel to the site and also to increase the year-round operational efficiency of the hydroelectric and municipal water delivery systems.  The new control system is comprised of an electronically-actuated flow control valve, with electronic monitoring of flow rate, pressure, and various system parameters such as communications, cabinet temperatures and battery voltage.  Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with human machine interfaces (HMIs) were installed both at Blue Lake and at the site office.  The system is powered with a solar array, with battery storage designed to provide over 8 days of power.  Radio communications were found to be cost-prohibitive, so wireless system communications take place via a secure, dedicated satellite link.  Valve control commands are sent and executed in real time and system parameters are monitored continuously, with instantaneous values transmitted to the office every 15 minutes where they are stored on a PC.

EA assists the client in project coordination with the Town of Telluride, FERC, Colorado Dam Safety, and San Miguel County to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the system.

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