E3 Solutions will use the following comparative example of current disposal methods used in drilling operations with the main focus of using E3’s Varimax-40 enhanced evaporation system versus trucking and injection: "The costs for hauling away wastewater for deep-well injection ranges between $0.07 and $0.17 per gallon. For a newly fracked well, the cost could reach $100,000 for transporting over 588,000 gallons of flowback – water levels produced from each basin, and indeed, each wellhead can vary. Plus, an additional potential 142,800 gallons each day of transported produced wastewater, at $20,000 per day. To haul water off-site for disposal over the 20-year life of a hydraulic fracturing well-project, it was estimated to cost $160 million (includes trucking costs, water disposal costs and labor)."-Source Energy Central website article.
Trucking to Evaporation Pond Disposal Site
- One disposal truck holds ~100 barrels, or 4200 gallons produced water.
- Average round-trip travel from well to disposal site is 86 miles.
- Increased diesel emissions.
- Dust emissions from driving on dirt roads.
- Impacts on road surface with heavy loads.
- Potential to harm wildlife crossing on roadways.
- Potential for wrecks and spills.
- Still need to dispose of the produced water.
Source: Truckers Report (click on above picture for redirect to infographic)
Deep Injection Wells
- Initial expense for well between $1 to $4 Million dollars depending on depth of well.
- Disposal cost between $0.01 and $0.04 per gallon.
- Well hole is drilled through and often breaches local freshwater aquifers.
- No tracking method of what happens to water once back in the ground.
- No long-term monitoring on wells.
- Well failures and clogging.
- Limits on pressures which limits amounts of gallons downhole.
- Injection wells cause seismic activity. Source: USGS
Injection Well Picture Source: Stanford University
E3 Solutions Sustainable Varimax-40 Advantage
A single Varimax-40 typical operational and maintenance cost per 1000 gallons evaporated using industrial grid power is $1.05, making the Varimax-40 one of the most economical choices for wastewater disposal equipment on the market. Using a single water truck capacity of 4200 gallons, see the chart below to compare the Varimax-40 operating and maintenance cost versus trucking and injection.
Here are a few more sustainable reasons to consider E3 Solutions Varimax and MegaMist systems for your next water disposal project.
- Keeps pure water in the hydrologic cycle.
- Huge reduction in environmental related damage.
- No trucking cost, diesel emissions, or road damage.
- No Earthquakes.
- Handles high TDS & TSS water with no pre-treatment.
- Quiet operation.
- Lowest energy consumption.
Is it time to consider using an E3 enhanced evaporation system as an alternate to trucking and injection? If you answered yes, please use the contact button below to contact one of our evaporation specialists.
