첨단 여과 솔루션 전문업체인 리크텍(LiqTech International, Inc)은 미국 내 생산수(Produced Water) 처리를 위한 컨테이너형  파일럿 시스템을 레이저백 다이렉트(Razorback Direct Oilfield Solutions and Services LLC)로부터 수주했다고 지난 3월 12일 밝혔다. 이번 주문은 미국에 기반을 둔 첫 번째 수처리 파일럿 시스템으로, 북미에서 사업을 확장하려는 리크텍의 노력에 중요한 이정표가 될 것이다.   

지난 2월 리크텍은 텍사스(Texas), 오클라호마(Oklahoma), 루이지애나(Louisiana), 오하이오(Ohio), 펜실베니아(Pennsylvania) 등 미국 내 5개 주에서 재주입, 재사용 및 리튬 추출을 위한 리크텍의 ‘여과 기술’을 상용화하기 위해 레이저백 다이렉트와 유통 계약을 체결했다.

이번 컨테이너형 파일럿 시스템은 리크텍의 한외여과 기술의 효과를 입증하고, 검증하기 위한 전략적 움직임의 일환이다. 파일럿 시스템은 현장에서 기술의 효율성을 테스트해 궁극적으로 미국 내 석유 및 가스 산업을 위한 본격적인 상업용 시스템을 출시하는 것을 목표로 한다.  

이 파일럿 시스템은 리크텍의 검증된 실리콘 카바이드 세라믹 막 기술을 사용하며 이는 2022년 5월 중동에 배치된 상업용 테스트 장치와 유사하지만 더욱 발전했다. 

중동 시스템은 지난 2년 동안 성공적으로 운영돼 왔으며, 99% 이상의 급수가 사용자가 원래 정의한 성능 요구 사항을 뛰어넘는 깨끗한 염수(투과액)로 다시 공급됐다. 또한 이 시스템은 최소한의 화학 물질을 사용하며 우수한 에너지 효율성을 보였다.

페이첸(Fei Chen) 리크텍의 CEO는 “미국 내 가스 및 석유 산업을 위한 수처리는 리크텍의 주요 전략 분야 중 하나다. 미국에서 담수 자원이 점차 제한됨에 따라 유전 안팎의 담수 수요를 상쇄하기 위해 생산수를 사용할 수 있는 능력은 운영비용(OPEX), 규제 및 환경 관점에서 점점 더 중요해지고 있다”고 말했다.

한편, 휴스턴에 본사를 둔 레이저백 다이렉트는 석유 및 가스 산업을 위한 수처리 컨설팅에 중점을 두고 있으며, 생산수의 유익한 재사용 및 재활용에 대부분의 연구 개발 초점을 투자한다. 그들의 최종 목표는 효율적인 화학 기반 솔루션을 통해 운영자의 운영 비용을 절감하는 것이다. 최근 리크텍과의 새로운 협력을 통해 리크텍의 세라믹 한외여과 기술을 고객에게 제공함으로써 레이저백 다이렉트의 포트폴리오를 강화할 수 있게 됐다.

[원문보기] 

LiqTech Receives First U.S.-Based Oil & Gas Produced Water Order as Part of New Agreement with Razorback Direct

LiqTech International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIQT), a clean technology company that manufactures and markets highly specialized filtration products and systems, today announced the receipt of a significant order for a containerized pilot system for produced water treatment from Razorback Direct Oilfield Solutions and Services LLC, a Houston based company providing water treatment solutions consultancy for oil & gas water treatment in the U.S. This order becomes the first U.S.-based oil & gas produced water order for LiqTech, marking a significant milestone in the Company's efforts to expand it operations in North America.

In February, LiqTech entered into a distribution agreement with Razorback Direct to commercialize its produced water treatment filtration for re-injection and reuse, as well as lithium harvest in the U.S. including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

The containerized pilot system that Razorback Direct has acquired will be used at a customer site to test, demonstrate and document the efficiency of LiqTech's ultrafiltration technology in treating produced water to facilitate beneficial industrial reuse and meet current and future regulatory requirements. Longer term, the strategic intention is to use the results from this pilot operation as the basis to design and implement full-scale commercial systems for the onshore oil & gas application in the U.S.

The pilot system leverages LiqTech's proven silicon carbide ceramic membranes technology and is similar, yet further developed from, the commercial test unit that was deployed in May 2022 in the Middle East. The Middle East system has been successfully operating for the past two years, with more than 99% of the feedwater passing through delivered back as clean brine (permeate), exceeding the performance requirements originally defined by the end user. Furthermore, the system operates with a minimal amount of chemicals while demonstrating excellent energy efficiency.

Razorback Direct invests most of its research and development focus on the beneficial reuse and recycling of produced water. Their end goal is to help operators lower their OpEx by deploying highly efficient chemistry enabled solutions. The company's core mission revolves around managing natural resources, reducing waste and assisting oil and gas operators extract the most value from subsurface produced resources. The newly formed collaboration with LiqTech, along with the recent order, enhances Razorback Direct's produced water treatment value proposition by bringing highly complementary ceramic ultrafiltration technology to customers.

Fei Chen, CEO of LiqTech, commented, "Produced water treatment for the onshore gas & oil industry in the U.S is one of the key strategic focus areas for LiqTech. As freshwater resources have gradually become more constrained in the U.S., the ability to use produced water to offset freshwater demand both inside and outside the oilfield has become increasingly necessary from an OpEx, regulatory and environmental point of view. We are pleased that our distribution agreement with Razorback Direct signed only a month ago has already resulted in a highly interesting pilot project that we believe will potentially pave the way for full-scale implementation of our technology."

Razorback Direct President & CEO Ray Juman, commented, "The ability to demonstrate the capability of LiqTech's system in a real world, onsite scenario in the U.S. offers a highly compelling opportunity for the industry to once again define its lead role in the preservation of a vital natural resource. This first operation signals our growing commitment towards this initiative. We are very proud of our ability to collaborate with LiqTech, and provide a platform for novel engineering applications with heightened efficacy enabled via the prudent use of chemistry."

[출처 = LiqTech(https://liqtech.com/corporate/press-releases/liqtech-receives-first-u-s-based-oil-gas-produced-water-order-as-part-of-new-agreement-with-razorback-direct/) / 2024년 3월 12일] 

[번역 = 박원희 기자]