Improve the quality of used and treated water
Water runs through every stage of oil and gas operations, and much of it sits in pits and ponds before treatment, reuse, or disposal. In warm, stagnant, nutrient-rich conditions, that water is a ready environment for algae, and uncontrolled growth drives up pH, BOD, and TSS: the exact parameters your discharge permit is written around.
The costs compound fast. Non-compliant water has to be re-treated before release, adding chemical spend and slowing throughput. Algae and biofilm clog filters and pipework, forcing unplanned shutdowns. And because this water already carries process contaminants, an out-of-spec discharge can mean penalties, mandatory reporting, and heightened inspection. What starts as a water-quality issue becomes a treatment cost, then a production interruption, then a compliance exposure, each stage more expensive than the last.
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How is water used in oil and gas operations?
Water is essential at every stage of oil and gas operations, development, extraction, and processing. Alongside the water brought in for these processes, operations also generate large volumes of produced and process water, which is stored in pits, ponds, and reservoirs before it can be treated, reused, or disposed of. Managing that water efficiently is central to keeping operations running and staying within environmental limits.
These storage ponds are prone to algae because they combine the classic triggers: prolonged stagnation, warmth, and nutrient-rich water. As algae grow, they push up pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total suspended solids (TSS), the parameters that determine whether water can be discharged or reused, and they clog the equipment used to move and treat it. Because sourcing is often limited and treated-water requirements are strict, controlling algae in these ponds directly affects both compliance and productivity.
What defines oil and gas water management?
Water handling in oil and gas differs from other sectors in a few defining ways:
- Used at every stage: water is integral to development, extraction, and processing alike.
- High produced-water volume: operations generate large quantities of process and produced water to store.
- Discharge and reuse limits: treated water must meet strict parameters before release or reuse.
- pH, BOD, and TSS sensitive: the parameters algae worsen are the ones regulators measure.
Why oil and gas operations need pond-scale algae control
Oil and gas operations differ from other water bodies because water is both a constant input and a constant output: it is used across development, extraction, and processing, and the resulting produced and process water must be stored, treated, and either reused or disposed of within strict limits. Uncontrolled algae in these storage ponds drive up pH, BOD, and TSS, which complicates extraction, wastewater treatment, and disposal, and clogs the equipment that keeps the operation moving. With sourcing often constrained and treated-water requirements demanding, inefficient water handling translates directly into higher costs and lost productivity.
Rather than relying on chemical dosing in water that already carries process contaminants, ultrasound controls algae directly and continuously while monitoring water quality in real time, so operators can hold pH, BOD, and TSS within range and prevent equipment clogging with minimal maintenance. It works without cavitation and releases no algal toxins, improving treated-water quality, reducing operating costs, and keeping production uninterrupted.
Read water quality challenges
Benefits of ultrasonic algae treatment
Lower chemical expenses
Improve operations of filters and pipes
Prevent toxic algal blooms
Algae problems in the oil & gas industry
Stop algae at the source, keep pH, BOD, and TSS within permit limits, cut treatment costs, and prevent equipment clogging across your operations.
- Low-power ultrasound, no cavitation
- No release of algal toxins
- 100% safe for the environment
Water management across oil & gas operations
Managing water is vital in the daily operations, as it is used in all stages: development, extraction, and processing.
Environmental regulations require oil & gas operations to monitor and manage water quality parameters throughout extraction and processing activities.
Due to sourcing limitations and required parameters of treated water, efficient solutions are key for water monitoring and control the problems caused by algal blooms, which are relatively common in prolonged water stagnation and warm and nutrient-rich waters.
MPC-Buoy
All-in-one solution for controlling algae in drinking water reservoirs.
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Read MoreFrequently asked questions
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What is the impact of LG Sonic ultrasound on zooplankton?
Recent studies commissioned by the Dutch water board and conducted by research agency Ecofide have concluded that the LG Sonic ultrasound is safe for fish, plants, zooplankton, and other aquatic organisms.
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Why control the algae if nutrients are the problem?
Reducing nutrients is, of course, also necessary but difficult to achieve, even in the long-term. The majority of nutrient management methods are costly and require frequent dosing with unknown side-effects for the aquatic ecosystem. Besides, the duration and intensity of algal bloom events is strongly depended not only on nutrients but also on a combination of environmental factors, such as climate change, weather patterns, and an unbalanced ecosystem.
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What kind of water does your ultrasound work in?
The MPC-Buoy technology can be installed in freshwater, salt water, and brackish water.
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What’s the largest water body that has LG Sonic implemented? Any issues linking many buoys?
We have multiple projects with large numbers of MPC-Buoy units installed. For example, in Dominican Republic, 50 MPC-Buoys are in operation in a 7km2 reservoir. The buoys communicate with each other for optimal treatment.
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What's the minimum depth of water required for LG Sonic treatment?
We recommend a minimum water depth of 3 feet / 1 meter.