System for clarifying process water in oil and gas operations

Abstract

A portable unit and associated processing are described for clarifying process water used in oil and gas operations such as fracking or drill-out operations. In the portable unit, dirty water (402) is introduced into a clarifier (400). The dirty water (402) is directed to a bottom of the clarifier (400) where dissolved air 408 from a dissolved air flotation pump (410) is injected into the water (402). The water (402) then passes across the inclined plates (412). Particles are separated from the water (402) via interaction with the plates (412) and directed to collectors (414), at the bottom of the clarifier (404), by gravitation. In addition, a floc, enhanced by the injection of the dissolved air (408), is skimmed from the water surface. The result of this process flow is clarified water (430) that can be returned to the frack and post-frack completion process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.