Project No.: 0172.09.037.072 Page 1 of 2

Project Name: Coal Bed Methane CBI?

Yes

No

TELEPHONE CALL RECORD

Incoming

Outgoing

Date: 2/14/12 Time: 12:00 am

pm

Company Name: EMIT Water Technologies ERG Staff Name: Steve Strackbein 

Lori Weiss

EPA Staff Name: Ahmar Siddiqui

Contact Name: Douglas Beagle Contact Phone Number 307-673-0805

General Subject: EMIT Higgins LoopTM Technology (Ion Exchange)

TOPICS DISCUSSED AND ACTION TAKEN

EPA contacted Exterran (formerly EMIT) on February 14, 2012 to speak with Douglas Beagle regarding the 

current state of CBM operations in the Powder River Basin and to discuss the EMIT Higgins LoopTM

Technology. Prior to the call, EPA emailed the following questions to Mr. Beagle:

1. What are the flow requirements for the EMIT system? Are there upper boundaries such that two 

systems may be required if flow is high? Are there lower boundaries such that a collection tank 

would be needed and water would be batch treated if flow is low? 

2. What are the TDS and TSS requirements for the system? At what point would water need to be 

treated to avoid system fouling?

3. Do operators typically treat only a portion of their flow?

4. Can you provide any information on the costs of the system? 

5. How many operators are currently using the EMIT system?

Mr. Beagle stated that the current operations in the Power River Basin have been significantly affected by the 

price of natural gas. He stated that the quantities of water being treated continues to drop and this month he saw 

a ~40% reduction in treated water. 

Mr. Beagle’s responses to the listed questions are as follows:

1. Mr. Beagle indicated that the ion exchange units can be modified to address flow demands. The ion 

exchange units come in two sizes, 200 gal/min and 800 gal/min. If the flow is less that 200 gal/min, 

EMIT will include a collection system prior to the ion exchange unit in order to collect enough water to 

run the unit and if the flow is greater than 800 gal/min EMIT will run more than one unit in parallel.

2. Mr. Beagle stated that the EMIT Higgins LoopTM Technology does not have issues with TSS and 

produced water does not require filtration prior to ion exchange treatment. He indicated that the EMIT 

Higgins LoopTM Technology has a high tolerance for TSS. In regard to TDS, Mr. Beagle said that 3,500 

mg/L is the upper limit TDS concentrations for effective ion exchange treatment. The EMIT Higgins 

LoopTM Technology can treat sodium levels as high as 1,500 mg/L. Mr. Beagle indicated that produced 

water from the Power River Basin is ideal for the Higgins LoopTM Technology because the levels of 

sodium bicarbonate are high and allow the system to run efficiently. Water without levels of sodium 

bicarbonate similar to that of the Power River Basin are not optimal for the Higgins LoopTM

Technology.
3. Mr. Beagle stated that all of his treatment systems incorporate flow bypass and blending. The treatment 

system is setup to treat only the amount of produced required to meet permit limits. Treated water is 

blended with untreated water prior to discharge. Mr. Beagle indicated that many of the projects have 

eliminated the need for treatment by using impoundments or moving the location of the outfall to meet 

Wyoming permit requirements.

4. Mr. Beagle stated that EMIT Higgins LoopTM Technology treatment is priced on a per barrel treated 

basis. Each system is setup on a contract basis with varying costs per barrel and includes everything 

needed to treat and discharge the water and dispose of any residual waste.

5. Mr. Beagle indicated that there is only one operator in Montana and two in Wyoming using the EMIT 

Higgins LoopTM Technology. Mr. Beagle indicated he thought that one of the two operations in 

Wyoming would stop in the near future.