Polymer membranes have advantages over ceramic membranes for oil/water separation. Polymer membranes can provide similar water quality as ceramic membranes but at lower capital and operating costs. Recent developments show polymer membranes standing up better than expected in oil/water separation applications. This allows produced water to be treated to high qualities suitable for reinjection or enhanced oil recovery.

1. What you don’t know about
Membrane Solutions
Membrane solutions have gone significant
improvements that make separation of oil/water
separation now more sophisticated and costeffective. In a recent interview by IQPC’s Darwin
Jayson Mariano with Angela Chan, Marketing
Manager-Asia Pacific and China, Filtration & Process
for Pentair Water Purification Systems (Shanghai)
Co., Ltd, she spoke about the recent advances in
membrane solutions as well as other interesting
technologies related to produced water
management.
Please give us an overview of your company and
your role in the organization.
Pentair X-Flow is manufacturer of polymeric
membranes with focus on water treatment
membranes in UF-range and MF-range for food &
beverage applications. The water treatment section
is split between ‘clean water’ applications with limited
suspended solids loading and no oil and the
‘wastewater’ applications with more suspended
solids, oil and other potential foulants to be
separated. The latter section is covered by me as
product manager. The
membranes available in this market either separate a
biomass (in so called Membrane Bioreactors) or
direct, as is happening in oil-water separators.
What are the common technical challenges faced
today when it comes to managing produced
water? How do you think this can be addressed?
Today there is a noticeable drive to getting the water
quality improved above levels reached in the earlier
days. More technologies are available or get
improved and also more stringent requirements are
coming up to deal with the water part of oil and gas
production. Membranes offer a way of separating oil
from water by filtration, which is becoming a viable
and attractive opportunity both for user and supplier.
What interesting technologies or innovations do
you see lately in produced water management?
How will it affect/help key stakeholders?
Closing the loop, or improving the quality of effluent
from a well on the water side, allows to reinject the
water at ideal configuration. So called ‘designer
water’ or techniques covered by ‘EOR’ require high
www.producedwaterevent.com

2. “Membrane solutions as such are known, but less
known is the fact that polymer membranes can be
applied in oil/water separation.”
quality water. The additional step ensures the quality
by applying membranes to allow to skip on one hand
a few technologies and offer a better quality of
filtrate/water on the other hand.
Please tell us more about the latest
developments in membrane solutions? What key
benefits does it provide?
Membrane solutions as such are known, but less
known is the fact that polymer membranes can be
applied in oil/water separation. Current technologies
apply ceramic membranes which is highly costly
technology, although it comes with high robustness
of chemistry and mechanical endurance. Polymer
membranes however, do stand better than
anticipated and will offer similar water qualities for
better Capex and Opex evaluation.
Can you talk about Pentair’s solutions/product
lines that can help address key concerns in
produced water management
Lately we have seen the applications of our polymer
membranes in produced water, either including
biological treatment steps, or without. With these
solutions, plants are already helped with creating a
high water quality out of produced water in an
efficient and simple way.
Learn more about Utilising the Latest
Technologies for Water Minimisation,
Separation, Treatment and Reinjection at
Produced Water Management 2013
To find out more, visit
www.producedwaterevent.com
www.producedwaterevent.com