Novel System for Environmental Protection and Cost Reduction During Hydraulic Fracturing

Abstract This paper presents the development, field application, and performance validation of an innovative wastewater containment system engineered to mitigate environmental hazards and improve operational efficiency during hydraulic fracturing flowback. Traditional open pits pose significant risks, including groundwater contamination, costly soil remediation, and logistical inefficiencies. In response, a mobile, reusable containment system was designed, piloted, and trail tested to validate its potential in addressing these operational and environmental challenges. Field implementation of the system upon 2 wells demonstrated its effectiveness in containing over 4800 barrels of flowback waste with zero leakage and zero soil or water contamination. The trial, conducted over a 21-days and 20-days respectively, provided quantitative evidence of superior containment, enhanced operational continuity, and substantial cost savings through elimination of pit construction and soil remediation. The system’s design is rooted in sustainability, reusability, and operational scalability, aligning it with Governmental and the operating company environmental goals and HSE regulations. This paper outlines the system’s design, deployment procedures, technical specifications, field performance, and comparative evaluation against conventional methods. It also includes an environmental and economic analysis that validates the technology’s broader application potential across upstream operations.