(Hong Kong, 10 November 2015) - Environtech Services (Hong Kong) Ltd. today announced the launch of a one-step turnkey Desalination and Oil & Water Separation System ("the System"). This revolutionary technology not only brings a water-conscious, cost-effective and energy-efficient desalination and oil & water separation system for the oil and gas sector, but provides an unparalleled oil & water separation solution to a wide-spectrum of industries such as food and beverage, automobile or heavy industries for the transformation of polluted water into clean water.
When oil is spilled into water, it disperses into tiny droplets and well mixes with water forming a stable mixture known as emulsion. The separation of oil and water from emulsion is extremely difficult and therefore causes serious damage to the environment. For decades, industries have been looking for a cost-effective, continuous and efficient solution to remove oil from water.
With Environtech's patented technology, oil can be continuously separated from water through a unique process of surfactant addition, coalescing filtration and nano absorption. This revolutionary technology is so powerful that oil can be removed to less than 1ppm in fresh water or 2ppm in seawater, which significantly outperforms other separation methods available in the market such as filtration unit, membrane or absorption products.
"There are many different approaches available in the market to separate oil from water. However, none of these methods can at the same time achieve what Environtech's patented technology can provide. The unparalleled benefits of our technology are extremely high quality result, energy and cost saving, and most importantly compact in size and mobility for turnkey application in different industry settings and environments", said Mr. Hao Michel Chhoa, Managing Director of Envriontech Services Ltd.
The company's patented oil and water separation technology also forms part of the proprietary design of its Desalination and Oil & Water Separation System for onshore and offshore oil and gas industry.
Hydraulic fracturing, a procedure that can increase the flow of oil and gas from a well, requires nearly 23 million liters of fresh water to break open the rocks underneath the surface. Flowback (water that returns to the surface during hydraulic fracturing) and produced (water that is produced as byproduct along with oil and gas) waters are hazardous waste produced from drilling and fracturing processes. These fluids are high in salt concentration and contain chemical additives, dissolved metal ions and total dissolved solids (TDS) that are severely harmful to the environment.
In the views of growing concerns on water preservation and stringent environmental regulations, Environtech's one-step turnkey Desalination and Oil & Water Separation System provides oil and gas sector a proprietary approach to treat the harmful and salty wastewater for reuse during the drilling and fracturing processes or return to the environment.
The System includes a three-phase process of coalescing filtration, nano absorption and electro-dialysis. After oil is separated from water with Environtech's patented technology, electro-dialysis is used to desalinate brine by migrating the sodium ions towards the negative cathode and chloride ions towards the positive cathode.
"The biggest concern of desalination has always been cost. The most commonly known method is (RO) reverse osmosis by pumping water through a membrane that does not allow salt ions to pass through. However, reverse osmosis requires a lot of space and the desalination process is limited by the rate at which water can pass through the membrane”, Chhoa said. “Our system brings a new perspective in oil brine desalination because the water throughput in electro-dialysis is much higher".
Unlike reverse osmosis, electro-dialysis requires 25% less space and consumes 60 to 70% less energy. Combining with the patented oil and water separation technology, the System can not only save cost and energy but space. It is available in different throughput from 30L/Hr to 5,000L/Hr and achieves compelling result of lowering TDS from 35,000ppm to 400ppm (throughput of 30L/Hr) or 200ppm (throughput of 5,000L/Hr).
“Environtech’s Desalination and Oil & Water Separation System can fit into different oil and gas field settings and is perfect for remote areas, smaller atolls and islands where fresh or portable water is unavailable. I am confident that our patented technology and proprietary design will take the industry benchmark to new heights and most importantly, the possibility of bringing a solution to the world’s water shortage problem”, said Dr. Albert Sun-Chi Chan, JP, one of the partners of Envriontech Services Ltd.
The System may potentially create a new drinkable water source for some of the world’s driest places. For instance, the Tarim basin in Xinjiang, China is believed to possess an abundant resource of underground salt water.
“Our scientists are also looking to improve The System so that it can turn brine into drinkable water”, Chhoa added. “We hope to take part and help alleviate water shortage problem”.
Environtech (Hong Kong) joined the incubation programme of The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation in 2012. During the three-year programme, the company has received multifaceted support and industry information in both Hong Kong and China, which opens up vast opportunities for Environtech to expand its network.
"Hong Kong has a vibrant startup environment and ample resources for technology companies to grow and develop. For this reason, we have selected Hong Kong to be our APAC headquarters”, commented Chhoa. “Environtech’s revolutionary technology could not be launched without the city’s large pool of technology talents as well as the staunch and comprehensive support from HKSTP”.
“I am thrilled to witness the launch of Envriontech’s Desalination and Oil & Water Separation System. The innovation of the technology is truly unprecedented bringing a good news to all mankind. I am sure there will be more revolutionary technologies gradually launching from Science Park’s thriving ecosystem”, Mr. Peter Mok, Head of Incubation Programmes, The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation commented.
