Evaluation of Subsurface Flow and Free-water Surface Wetlands Treating NPR-3 Produced Water - Year No. 1
This paper is a summary of some of the activities conducted during the first year of a three-year cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) between the Department of Energy (DOE) Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) and Texaco relating to the treatment of produced water by constructed wetlands. The first year of the CRADA is for design, construction and acclimation of the wetland pilot units. The second and third years of the CRADA are for tracking performance of pilot wetlands as the plant and microbial communities mature. A treatment wetland is a proven technology for the secondary and tertiary treatment of produced water, storm water and other wastewaters. Treatment wetlands are typically classified as either free-water surface (FWS) or subsurface flow (SSF). Both FWS and SSF wetlands work well when properly designed and operated. This paper presents a collection of kinetic data gathered from pilot units fed a slipstream of Wyoming (NPR-3) produced water. The pilot units are set up outdoors to test climatic influences on treatment. Monitoring parameters include evapotranspiration, plant growth, temperature, and NPDES discharge limits. The pilot wetlands (FWS and SSF) consist of a series of 100-gal plastic tubs filled with local soils, gravel, sharp sand and native wetland plants (cattail (Typha spp.), bulrush (Scirpus spp.), dwarf spikerush (Eleocharis)). Feed pumps control hydraulic retention time (HRT) and simple water control structures control the depth of water. The treated water is returned to the existing produced water treatment system. All NPDES discharge limits are met. Observations are included on training RMOTC summer students to do environmental work.
- Research Organization:
- Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center, Casper, WY (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DOE/RMOTC CRADA No. 2001-001
- OSTI ID:
- 794470
- Report Number(s):
- DOERMOTC - 020144; TRN: US200220%%184
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 13 Oct 2001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Productivity of wet soils: Biomass of cultivated and natural vegetation
Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) Report; Sandy River Delta, Technical Report 2000-2002.