## Treatment of Coal Mine Drainage (CMD )

for Beneficial Reuse

A case study on the Gilberton Power Plant presented by Aquatech InternationalDrainage from thousands of abandoned coal mines, has led to a unique opportunity to beneficially use these waters for hydraulic stimulation in Marcellus and Utica Shale wells in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Aquatech has been treating CMD for over 20 years and will
present a case study for beneficial reuse of CMD for the Gilberton Power plant located in Frackville, Pennsylvania. 

### IntroductionGilberton Power Company (John B. Rich Memorial Power Station)

-- Located in Frackville, PA

-- Began operations in 1988

-- Generating over 590 million KW hrs/ yr of electricity

-- Sale to Pennsylvania Power & Light. 

### Gilberton Power Company

### Gilberton Power CompanyThe Gilberton Power Company utilizes make

- up water

-- Rate of 1100 gpm

-- Source is drawn from nearby mine pool and deep wells

-- Steady supply of large volumes of local accessible source

-- Treatment is required before the source water is used

-- Source water has an undesired level of iron of 46ppm

-- Aquatech treatment reduces iron levels to 0.05 ppm. 

### Water Sourcing and TreatmentThe Aquatech treatment process consists of the following
main elements:

1. Filter trays
2. Aeration tower / Premix tank

3. Lime Slurry / pH adjustment
4. Flocculation tank
5. Clarifier
6. Mixed

- bed filters 7. Holding tank of cleaned water 

### Treatment Scope

### Close

- up of Clarifier

### Process Flow Diagram #1

### Process Flow Diagram #2

### Additional Treatment Methods

Element Method

Iron (Fe) Passive system via oxidation

Sulfate (SO4) Nanofiltration membranes

Sulfate (SO4) Chemical / Physical filtration With consideration to O&G industry, additional methods and/or treatment needs may be required beyond the example of this case study, such as...The PA DEP is responsible for addressing the acid mine drainage and discharging it into the Mahanoy Creek.

From April 2010 to May 2011

-- PA DEP operated on an average of 11 hours per day

-- Pumping 3000

- 5000 gpm of Coal Mine Drainage (CMD)

-- Pumped into the Mahanoy Creek. 

### PA DEP activityAs a result of the Aquatech water treatment process operating at the Gilberton Power Company

-- Plant is able to utilize 1.2 MGD of CMD for operations

-- Thereby avoid 1.2 MGD of the total CMD volume being discharged to the Mahanoy Creek. 

### Local Project Benefits #1The plant utilization of the CMD has following benefits

-- No cost to the taxpayer

-- Provides community the generated power

-- Reduces the impact of the CMD upon the environment (Specifically the Mahanoy Creek and adjacent waterways and vegetation) 

### Local Project Benefits #2

### Close

- up of Water

Untreated TreatedDrainage from thousands of abandoned coal mines has
contaminated more than 3,000 miles of streams and associated ground waters in Pennsylvania.

It is the most extensive water

- pollution problem affecting the four major river basins in Pennsylvania. 

### Bigger Issue: EnvironmentWhile the state spends about $19 million annually on abandoned mine reclamation, this modest effort is dwarfed by the magnitude of the environmental problem.

To date, relatively few CMD areas have been remediated, because of cost, potential liability and a lack of meaningful
economic incentives. 

### Bigger Issue: Cost & LiabilityMany current and future Marcellus and Utica Shale wells are in close proximity to CMD areas

There is a unique opportunity to beneficially use these waters for hydraulic stimulation. 

### The OpportunityThe CMD treatment applied at the Gilberton Power Plant can similarly be implemented throughout Pennsylvania to condition the water to meet requirements by Marcellus and Utica operators to meet their requirements for an abundant source water for hydraulic stimulation.

The CMD treatment can be implemented in fixed, modular, and mobile treatment offerings and thereby accommodate local and regional requirements

. 

### Pennsylvania BenefitsDevesh Mittal

VP & GM Shale Gas
mittald@aquatech.com

724

- 746

- 5300 Ext 281 Michael Nawrath

Sales Manager
nawrathm@aquatech.com

724

- 263

- 1027 Charles Kozora

Business Development Mgr.
kozorac@aquatech.com

724

- 746

- 5300 Ext 307 

### Contacts