The Larkin Group
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Water Reclamation

Describes the Larkin Groups work with produced water and other forms of water reclamation.

 Water Reclamation

Creative approaches to water management offer new secure sources of water

Produced Water Treatment for Beneficial Reuse

The Larkin Group is working in conjunction with engineering groups and water specialists to design systems to treat produced water – that water brought up as part of every oil drilling process – so that it can be used for beneficial reuse - as a new water supply for operations, irrigation and groundwater recharge.

Produced water is water that is naturally mixed in with oil underground. In Texas there are typically 3 to 5 barrels of water mixed with every barrel of oil pumped to the surface. In California, the ratio is well over 10 barrels of water for every barrel of oil. Currently this produced water is crudely separated from the oil, and then reinjected underground - either into the original formation, or into special, very deep, Class II wells. This is both a waste of the water, and expensive. The Larkin Group is actively working to demonstrate cost-effective treatment methods for produced water that will safely turn it into a much-needed addition to our stressed water supply.

This approach is currently being used in the Central Valley of California for agriculture, viticulture, and support of aquifers and species. Arroyo Grande is using it to enhance the Pismo Creek steelhead trout fishery. Our partners are using key parts of our technology train in the Middle East and in American oil fields.

Vandenberg Plan - Produced Water

Supplying sufficient water to the planned Vandenberg Dunes resort project on Vandenberg Space Force Base was always the greatest challenge. Through the course of the project Larkin Group Sustainable Solutions had to repeatedly adjust to changing conditions and rapidly strategize effective new water sources.

Our most recent proposal would use cleaned produced water from local rigs located near Vandenberg and routed to the base for irrigation, operations, and fire control.

We are advancing the latest technologies to clean produced water to the needed high quality standards so that it meets all environmental regulations for beneficial reuse. Our testing has included:

  • Running multiple pilots over the last 3 years

  • A series of 5 successful pilots over the last year run in conjunction with Global Water Innovations to demonstrate practical and cost-effective Zero Liquid Discharge

  • Current pilot on Produced Water using Advanced Oxidative Processes to eliminate VOC’s, carbon chains, and heavy metals

  • Extended pilot from one of GWI’s partners on produced water using advanced membrane technology to inhibit scaling and enhance RO recovery.

  • Working with Santa Barbara County Supervisors, SBC Water Resources Division, SBC Public Works Dept., and Municipal Community Service Districts

Wastewater Conversion

The Larkin Group has been working with MNS Engineers to develop plans to treat human wastewater more efficiently. The Cloacina stainless steel package wastewater treatment plants convert human wastewater through a membrane bioreactor treatment plant with proven and licensed technology.

The Larkin Group tested using hydrodynamic cavitation (developed at the Codiga Resource Recovery Center at Stanford University) to increase the efficiency of their MBR system to reduce operating & management expenses. Unfortunately this method proved unsuccessful.

Two of GWI’s projects have involved desalinating secondary effluent from wastewater treatment plants in order to use it for groundwater recharge. Water recovery of 95% was achieved at the first project, and 98%+ at the second.

The focus of The Larkin Group’s work is to lower the overall cost, energy use, footprint, and chemical additives necessary to treat municipal wastewater. We continuously research the latest technologies.