在威斯康辛州, press reports have called frac sand the “new gold rush,” because of its critical importance in the process using hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – to extract oil and natural gas. The state’s abundant deposits of coarse-grained quartz sand have been mined for more than 100 years, 但是今天, oil and gas industries prize this sand that is found in the state’s countryside.
位于威斯康星州泰勒的Taylor Frac公司., provides energy producers around the country with the area’s high-quality silica sand. 然而, before beginning to process sand when it was founded in 2010, Taylor Frac had to find a site and meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s tough regulations and permitting requirements.
挑战
The 500-acre mine in Jackson County sits atop the Wonewoc Formation, 最受追捧的压裂砂的主要来源. As the number of mines continues to multiply in this area, concerns about environmental preservation have grown, making compliance with regulations a major part of the permitting process. 矿山选址在地方分区一级进行管理, and reclamation plans have to be in place before any mining begins.
“Some regulatory agencies are cracking down on allowing permitting,汤姆·奥尔森说, Taylor Frac工厂经理. “There are air and water issues that we addressed to make sure we were starting and operating the plant in an environmentally responsible way.”
水资源管理, it was imperative that Taylor Frac have a system to capture and reuse an abundance of the process water without risking potential losses to groundwater or spillage of tailings out of an impoundment area. 一个闭环系统就是答案. This system would allow them to process sand with minimal environmental impact. Taylor Frac was also clear on the fact that they needed to work with a company well-versed and experienced in frac sand processing solutions.
“We looked at a number of companies to help us build a reliable, 环保系统,” said Taylor Frac Operations Manager Robert Hargrave. “他们中的一些人刚刚进入这个行业, 而是菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全, 我们知道我们得到了什么. Trust is extremely important when it comes to processing frac sand, and we trusted 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全.”
解决方案
菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 came to Wisconsin and did an analysis of Taylor Frac’s site, running simulations and testing the sand to determine the best wet processing system to meet their needs. 最终, 一种植物, 它的特点是水力旋流器, 双加氢器™(或上升电流分级器), 消耗细胞, 脱水屏幕, 超细颗粒回收系统和增稠器, 被选中.
This system separates the coarse frac sand and scrubs it to produce the primary frac sand material to be sent for drying and final sizing. 剩余的沙子被回收并储存起来, while the tailings containing the bulk of the process water are directed to the Thickener. Byproducts or unused materials are returned to a pit for reclamation.
结果
有了这个系统, Taylor Frac以最大产能运行, usually about eight months a year from March through November. The mine processes approximately 250 tons per hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 因为威斯康辛州臭名昭著的冬天, it is crucial for the wet processing plant at Taylor Frac to process and stockpile sand for their dry finishing plant to ensure customer orders can be filled all year long.
“洗涤系统的可靠性是必须的, and the 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 system has been great – really reliable and dependable,哈格雷夫说. “That’s huge around here because you don’t know how Mother Nature is going to treat you, so you have to be producing when the weather allows it.”
Hargrave noted he appreciates the simplicity and ease of use in operating the system. “我可以在电脑上运行它, 因为它对我们来说是联网的, and you can literally start the plant with two command buttons. 一、推水. 二、推砂. 在那之后，你就可以开始了! I can also change the sand gradation, or cut, to meet the market demand in a matter of seconds.”
In addition to the power and flexibility of the system, Hargrave has also built a strong relationship with the 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 team.
“To get the plant up and running, the 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 reps were here helping us with the process,” he said. “Then we learned the system on our own, but for any problems, 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 helped us with any issues.”
Hargrave said that the 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 system is helping Taylor Frac serve today’s frac sand market, but he’s also excited about the opportunities the 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 system will give the company in the future as the market evolves.
“The frac market changes quite frequently,哈格雷夫说. “The 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 system gives you the flexibility to adjust your product according to what the market wants almost instantaneously. 这是一个惊喜.”
Olson stated that the 菠菜网最稳定正规平台_最全菠菜网大全 system has helped Taylor Frac meet its goal of mining in an environmentally responsible way.
“The system has been running just the way it’s supposed to pretty much around the clock,” Olson said. “We’re getting the sand without harming the environment, and the community has been supportive of what we’re doing.”
