The ARID System Offers an Environmental Solution for CBM Produced Water

(CBM) Coal Bed Methane gas production is at about 11% of its capacity in the USA. It is inevitable that there will be 1,000's of new CBM wells that will be drilled over the next 10 years to tap the additional 89% of gas capacity that is still available. While we understand the need for energy, we know there are environmental concerns related to CBM wells such as:

1. What will happen with all the WATER that is produced from new and current wells?
2. What will be the long term impact of removing large quantities of water from our watersheds?
3. Will companies have the ability to complete the necessary surface reclamation?

The majority of the current CBM wells have been pumping the produced water to the ground surface. Then the water is sent down a drainage, pooled and evaporated, used for irrigation, or re-injected using a deep high pressure underground injection process where there is little chance of recovery. In many of these cases a large supply of our water resource is being depleted and our land will require surface reclamation when these CBM wells are depleted.

There is a better way to handle water that is produced from CBM wells that is more environmentally friendly and cost effective. Everyone needs to know that in MOST cases CBM produced water NEVER has to be brought above ground. Yet currently only a handful of CBM Operators in the USA have decided to become more environmentally friendly and lower their short and long term costs.

While gas prices do impact water handling decisions, old habits are hard to break. We understand the environmental concerns for our water sheds and our wild country, and know that there is a better way to handle produced water by using an Aquifer Recharge Injection Device, or ARID. This system allows groundwater to be retained, by using a low pressure re-injection process in the same well bore. This system eliminates the need to bring the CBM produced water to the surface.

This process is accomplished by installing an ARID Tool in the well bore above the coal seam, and pumping the water from the coal seam to a shallower aquifer that contains water of similar quality. The gas is allowed to pass through a separate riser pipe for removal from the well thus converting the production well into an aquifer recharge well at the same time.

By using the ARID Aquifer Recharge Injection System, it is estimated that 85% of the CBM wells in the Powder River Basin, and a large percentage of other Coal Bed Methane locations worldwide will eliminate the loss of precious ground water and will enhance the aquifers of landowners, public and private, for years to come.

This water handling system is a win-win for our environment, operators, and surface owners, while at the same time reducing costs and disturbance. We hope that more operators will consider the advantages of the ARID system over conventional methods of handling CBM produced water.

If you would like to learn more about the environmental and cost saving benefits of the ARID system, please review our web site or contact our Geologist, Ray Murphy at 307-462-4295 to discuss the environmental benefits of the ARID system for handling CBM produced water.