A multifunctional hybrid material based on sepiolite for environmental recovery and bio-remediation is described. In particular, the invention describes the design and development of suitably functionalized hybrid nanomaterials starting from sepiolite and the subsequent study of the absorbent and degrading properties in relation to aromatic hydrocarbons, by activating hydrocarbon-clastic bacteria. These nanomaterials have been prepared in order to remove hydrocarbon pollutants (e.g. oil) in natural matrices (marine environment), with potential applications in the field of environmental remediation.

A method is described to produce cellulose sheets and suspensions by fermenting biomass obtained from household and/or industrial waste. The inoculum in the fermentation includes cellulose producing bacteria and optionally yeast cells. The method has a high cellulose productivity. The resulting sheets or suspensions can be used to produce various further materials, such as disposable vessels, sachets, artificial leather. The sheet and suspensions can be used as additives in material production, such as paper making production. The method provides an alternative to make disposable items that are currently made of plastic, and textiles.

Solar thermal devices are formed from a block of wood, where the natural cell lumens of the wood form an interconnected network that transports fluid or material therein. The block of wood can be modified to increase absorption of solar radiation. Combining the solar absorption effects with the natural transport network can be used for various applications. In some embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to evaporate a fluid, for example, evaporating water for extraction, distillation, or desalination. In other embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to change transport properties of a material to allow it to be transported in the interconnected network, for example, heating crude oil to adsorb the oil within the block of wood.

The present subject matter relates to a composition for in-situ remediation of soil and aquifer comprising of a water miscible oil; a solvent (for dissolving the vegetable oil to form a solution); and a catalyst (selected from enzymes biocatalysts, particularly lipases, alkaline compounds, heat or combinations thereof). The present subject matter provides a process for the preparation of the composition and application of the same for surface remediation. Further, the present subject matter provides an in-situ alcoholysis remediation method to reduce contaminant concentrations in aquifer and soil by enabling the generation of both soluble and slowly fermenting electron donors required for the anaerobic remediation of organohalide compounds contaminating soils and groundwater. The method of remediation includes mixing an engineered water-soluble oil or water miscible oil with a solvent and adding a catalyst to groundwater to promote the formation of fatty acid alkyl esters, carboxylic acid salts and glycerol.

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 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.

Described herein are methods of treating fluid comprising hydrocarbons, water, and polymer being produced from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation are provided. The method can include adding a concentration of a viscosity reducer to the fluid to degrade the polymer present in the fluid and adding a concentration of a neutralizer to the fluid to neutralize the viscosity reducer in the fluid. The viscosity reducer is buffered at a pH of 7 or less (e.g., at a pH of from 2 to 7, such as at a pH of from 3.5 to 7, or at a pH of from 5 to 7). The addition of the concentration of the viscosity reducer is in a sufficient quantity to allow for complete chemical degradation of the polymer prior to the addition of the concentration of the neutralizer in the fluid such that excess viscosity reducer is present in the fluid. The addition of the concentration of the neutralizer is sufficiently upstream of any surface fluid processing equipment to allow for complete neutralization of the excess viscosity reducer such that excess neutralizer is present in the fluid prior to the fluid reaching any of the surface fluid processing equipment.

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 contaminant recovery device comprising a container sized to hold a body of contaminated liquid. A skimming arrangement adaptable to at least temporarily remove contaminants from the body of contaminated liquid and an assembly for inducing a flow in at least part of the body of contaminated liquid at or about the skimming arrangement. The skimming arrangement is adaptable to at least temporarily remove contaminants from around the surface of the body of contaminated liquid.