The rise in CSG developments and associated infrastructure in
Australia presents numerous opportunities for the water
industry.
With reserves of CSG in Australia estimated to be in excess of
16,000 Petra Joules (PJ), producers are looking to innovative
solutions to address potential water management challenges.
GHD Principal Process Engineer Kostas Athanasiadis
explains, “Large volumes of water are generated as part of the CSG
extraction process, known as Associated Water (AW) or as Produced
Formation Water (PFW). Salinity of the AW needs to be addressed
before reuse of the water can be considered.”
GHD is working closely with all four major CSG advocates to
design the required infrastructure and facilities for treatment of
the annual estimated 100 GL of CSG AW in Australia. Integrated
solutions for the initiative include current and emerging
desalination technologies, blending and amendment systems to
maximise reuse and reduce desalinating costs, and
evaporation/crystallisation technologies to achieve zero liquid
discharge, reducing the potential impact on the environment.
Kostas adds, “Some CSG producers are looking
to use this excess water for their own irrigation schemes or for
use in servicing mine requirements (after purification).
“We are currently modelling scenarios in Water
reuse in Coal Seam Gas for aquifer recharge and are looking at
sending purified water directly to surrounding farms for
irrigation, thereby indirectly replenishing stocks of groundwater
by reducing farm use, or by pumping treated water directly into the
groundwater table.”
Application in aquaculture and fisheries has
also emerged as an area of interest for CSG water, providing an
additional boost to local economies in regional areas.
“We are examining all available options,” says
Kostas, “Our people are currently involved in research and
development projects to assess the feasibility of producing
commercially viable salt products such as soda ash and cooking salt
from the CSG brine. Additionally, we are involved in engineering
designs of regulated waste collection facilities for the management
of non-commercial mixture of salts produced during the
crystallisation of brine.”
GHD is also providing the relevant civil
infrastructure — roads, tunnels, water supply, accommodation and
mine design — to CSG producers. We are delivering Environmental
Impact Assessments integrated with pipeline design, treatment plant
development and combined feasibility, planning and design of pilot
facilities (both on-shore and off-shore).
For more information, contact:
Kostas Athanasiadis
Tel:
+61 7 3316 3277
Email: konstantinos.athanasiadis@ghd.com.
This abridged story
appeared in GHD News 135. Click here to view the entire
story.