ENGINEERED ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS

THE EVOLUTION OF TREATMENT 

TECHNOLOGIES IN THE MARCELLUS 

SHALE

Presented by Quay Schappell

Manager Technical Services NEWALTA
• Water quality and associated treatment technologies for 

water reuse/recycle.

• How these have changed over the development of the 

play

• Business decisions E&P companies face when deciding 

how to move forward with water recycle. Mobile vs. 

Fixed asset, Customer owned or Merchant plant or some 

other business arrangement with supplier

• Marcellus case study of one service provider’s approach 

to the ever changing business and regulatory climate in 

meeting the customers water supply requirements

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Discussion Topics
Water Quality Needed – the changing variable

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• Most suppliers have the before and after photos of a specific process 

and how the water can be treated and reused

• Over the development of the play the exact quality of water needed has been

a moving target as producers gain more operating experience

• Initial thoughts were that evaporation was needed to get the 

flowback and produced water as pure as possible.

• With the advent of reuse with minimal treatment and blending with fresh makeup

the treatment required has varied from simple solids removal to potential

crystallization.
Challenges in treatment selection

Changing economics with fluctuations in natural gas and oil 

prices

TDS, TSS variations from field to field

Frac chemical variation

Flow back vs. produced water quantities

Oil and other organics present

Intended use for treated water – reuse or disposal

Mobile vs. fixed assets

Producer owns and operates vs. working with service 

provider
The Facts on Water Usage

Water requirements average approx. 3–5 million gallons 

per well in the Marcellus and Utica.

About 89% is applied to hydraulic fracturing, a critical

 step for stimulating natural gas production.

Four million gallons of water is 1.8 inches of rain over

 80 acres.

Pennsylvania receives about 40 inches of rain

 annually.

Source: Barnett Shale Water Conservation and Management Committee www.bswcmc.org—Ray Walker, Range 

Resources
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Typical Treatment Options

Source: Gas Technology Institute
Current treatments vary and can range from 

$2-$20/BBL

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Location: TARM-WTS Permit: WMGR123D001

Located: Lycoming County, Williamsport, PA

Physical/Chemical Treatment, Storage: 48,000 bbl, Mud Processing

Note: TARM-WTS also has secured a NPDES permit: PA 0233650
TARM-WTS; existing facility

TARM locations with land development approval or location under option

TARM locations for Operator-led water warehouse equivalent

FUTURE: TARM ASSETS, PROPOSALS, PROJECTS, & DEVELOPING TRENDS

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Conclusions

 Flow back and produced water treatment can be a 

potential obstacle to producers when developing shale 

plays

 Water quality required continues to change as 

Operators gain more knowledge.

 Because of this one technology is not the answer

 Working together – suppliers and producers can 

develop a water management program to bring 

operation costs down and reduce fresh water demand
Quay Schappell | Manager Technical Services | NEWALTA

Montgomery | 145 Miller Ave. | Montgomery, PA 17752 

570.547.0429 Phone

570.220.6536 Cell

570.547.0462 Fax

www.newalta.com