Methods and systems are provided for desalting wash water treatment and recycling processes and control of those processes. More specifically, treatment of wash water and wastewater streams using forward osmosis are provided. Additional methods and systems for desalting processes are provided, including recycling wash water. Methods for controlling operations of desalting systems and processes are provided.

An apparatus for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon-containing fluid in an oil and/or gas production facility, the apparatus comprising: (a) an inlet for a multiphase hydrocarbon-containing fluid, wherein the inlet comprises a first pipe network configured to be connectable to a plurality of oil well heads in an oil field; (b) a separation system comprising: (i) a solids separator in fluid communication with the inlet; (ii) a solids outlet connected to the solids separator; (iii) a fluid separator in fluid communication with the solids separator, the fluid separator being configured to separate the remaining multiphase hydrocarbon-containing fluid into an oil phase, a water phase and a gas phase; (iv) an oil outlet connected to the fluid separator; (v) a gas outlet connected to the fluid separator; and (vi) a water outlet connected to the fluid separator; (c) a solids cleaning system connected to the solids outlet, wherein the solids cleaning system is configured to clean deposits of residual oil from the solid particles separated by the solids separator to provide cleaned solid particles and first residual oil, the solids cleaning system having a first output for outputting the cleaned solid particles and a second output configured to output the first residual oil; and (d) a water cleaning and recycling system connected to the water outlet, wherein the water cleaning and recycling system is configured to clean residual oil from the water phase separated by the fluid separator, the water cleaning and recycling system comprising an oil filter for separating the residual oil from the water phase to provide cleaned water and second residual oil, the oil filter having a third output for recycling the cleaned water to at least one well head of the oil field, wherein the third output comprises a second pipe network configured to be connectable to the at least one well head of the oil field, and a fourth output configured to output the second residual oil. Also disclosed is a corresponding method.

An apparatus for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon-containing fluid in an oil and/or gas production facility, the apparatus comprising: (a) an inlet for a multiphase hydrocarbon-containing fluid, wherein the inlet comprises a first pipe network configured to be connectable to a plurality of oil well heads in an oil field; (b) a separation system comprising: (i) a solids separator in fluid communication with the inlet; (ii) a solids outlet connected to the solids separator; (iii) a fluid separator in fluid communication with the solids separator, the fluid separator being configured to separate the remaining multiphase hydrocarbon-containing fluid into an oil phase, a water phase and a gas phase; (iv) an oil outlet connected to the fluid separator; (v) a gas outlet connected to the fluid separator; and (vi) a water outlet connected to the fluid separator; (c) a solids cleaning system connected to the solids outlet, wherein the solids cleaning system is configured to clean deposits of residual oil from the solid particles separated by the solids separator to provide cleaned solid particles and first residual oil, the solids cleaning system having a first output for outputting the cleaned solid particles and a second output configured to output the first residual oil; and (d) a water cleaning and recycling system connected to the water outlet, wherein the water cleaning and recycling system is configured to clean residual oil from the water phase separated by the fluid separator, the water cleaning and recycling system comprising an oil filter for separating the residual oil from the water phase to provide cleaned water and second residual oil, the oil filter having a third output for recycling the cleaned water to at least one well head of the oil field, wherein the third output comprises a second pipe network configured to be connectable to the at least one well head of the oil field, and a fourth output configured to output the second residual oil. Also disclosed is a corresponding method.

A continuous oil-water separation system includes a storage tank having an inlet and an outlet and storing an oil-water mixture, a filter housing including a storage space having a predetermined height and having an inlet connected to the outflow portion of the storage tank to allow the oil-water mixture to flow in therethrough, a water drain hole allowing water separated from the oil-water mixture to be discharged therethrough, and an outlet allowing a residual oil-water mixture to flow out therethrough, a super-hydrophilic oil-water separation filter positioned in the storage space of the filter housing to absorb water from the oil-water mixture and connected to the water drain hole to allow the absorbed water to be discharged therethrough, a pressure control valve installed on an outlet pipe extending from the outlet, and a hydrophobic membrane connected to a rear end of the pressure control valve on the outlet pipe.

A continuous oil-water separation system includes a storage tank having an inlet and an outlet and storing an oil-water mixture, a filter housing including a storage space having a predetermined height and having an inlet connected to the outflow portion of the storage tank to allow the oil-water mixture to flow in therethrough, a water drain hole allowing water separated from the oil-water mixture to be discharged therethrough, and an outlet allowing a residual oil-water mixture to flow out therethrough, a super-hydrophilic oil-water separation filter positioned in the storage space of the filter housing to absorb water from the oil-water mixture and connected to the water drain hole to allow the absorbed water to be discharged therethrough, a pressure control valve installed on an outlet pipe extending from the outlet, and a hydrophobic membrane connected to a rear end of the pressure control valve on the outlet pipe.

A nanofiber membrane includes a polymer nanofiber; and an amphiphilic triblock copolymer bonded to the surface of the polymer nanofiber, the amphiphilic triblock copolymer includes a hydrophobic portion; hydrophilic portions positioned at both ends of the hydrophobic portion; and a low surface energy portion positioned at one end of each of the hydrophilic portions positioned at both ends of the hydrophobic portion, and the hydrophobic portion of the amphiphilic triblock copolymer is bonded to the surface of the polymer nanofiber and the hydrophilic portion and the low surface energy portion are exposed to the outside of the surface of the polymer nanofiber. The membrane simultaneously exhibits hydrophilicity, underwater oleophobicity, and low oil adhesion force, thus has surface segregation properties, and as a result, has an excellent oil permeate flux, exhibits antifouling properties, and can excellently separate oil in water.

A nanofiber membrane includes a polymer nanofiber; and an amphiphilic triblock copolymer bonded to the surface of the polymer nanofiber, the amphiphilic triblock copolymer includes a hydrophobic portion; hydrophilic portions positioned at both ends of the hydrophobic portion; and a low surface energy portion positioned at one end of each of the hydrophilic portions positioned at both ends of the hydrophobic portion, and the hydrophobic portion of the amphiphilic triblock copolymer is bonded to the surface of the polymer nanofiber and the hydrophilic portion and the low surface energy portion are exposed to the outside of the surface of the polymer nanofiber. The membrane simultaneously exhibits hydrophilicity, underwater oleophobicity, and low oil adhesion force, thus has surface segregation properties, and as a result, has an excellent oil permeate flux, exhibits antifouling properties, and can excellently separate oil in water.

A coalescence filter for purifying a fluid which contains a carrier and at least one liquid contaminant by coalescing of the at least one contaminant, where the coalescence filter includes an inlet for supplying the fluid to a filter element present in the coalescence filter, where the filter element includes a primary coalescence medium which is provided for coalescing of the at least one contaminant in the primary coalescence medium during the displacement of the fluid through the primary coalescence medium. The coalescence filter further includes an outlet for discharging the coalesced contaminant from the filter element, where the primary coalescence medium comprises at least one layer of a porous material, where the primary coalescence medium has a total thickness of at least 3.5 mm.

A coalescence filter for purifying a fluid which contains a carrier and at least one liquid contaminant by coalescing of the at least one contaminant, where the coalescence filter includes an inlet for supplying the fluid to a filter element present in the coalescence filter, where the filter element includes a primary coalescence medium which is provided for coalescing of the at least one contaminant in the primary coalescence medium during the displacement of the fluid through the primary coalescence medium. The coalescence filter further includes an outlet for discharging the coalesced contaminant from the filter element, where the primary coalescence medium comprises at least one layer of a porous material, where the primary coalescence medium has a total thickness of at least 3.5 mm.

Systems and methods for treating produced water and/or flowback water from fracking operations include: an oil water separator; a first filter downstream of the oil water separator; and an electrocoagulation unit downstream of the first filter. Systems and methods can be used for producing a concentrated brine for use in industrial applications and a separate stream of fresh water