Reverse Osmosis Desalination Technology in the Oil & Gas Industry

RO desalination

Offshore industry needs for potable water

Offshore platforms are located in some of the most remote, inhospitable environments on the planet. At any given moment, more than two hundred people may be living and working on a platform, each requiring gallons of potable water for diet and sanitation. Freshwater is also required for operations aboard a platform. In fact, the main ingredient in most oil and gas industry operations is freshwater, but shipping this invaluable asset to offshore platforms is prohibitively expensive and inefficient.

On-site water purification solves this problem by allowing platforms to generate their own potable water from high salinity seawater and brackish water. One of the most reliable forms of water purification for offshore production is reverse osmosis. MECO’s RO plants equip offshore platforms to produce water quality at well below 500 parts per million in a single pass.

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Reverse osmosis desalination technology

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) has been the favored water purification technology for the oil and gas industry for decades due to its low energy consumption. In SWRO, seawater or brackish water is forced through a semipermeable membrane. Salt and other contaminants are retained on the pressurized side of the membrane while pure water is allowed to pass through.

MECO’s MMRO product line

MECO has been producing SWRO systems for the offshore oil and gas industry for more than forty years. Today, our MMRO reverse osmosis plants provide clean water for marine operations around the world. Our streamlined designs are engineered for ease of installation and operation and for long-term reliability, and our wide range of standard unit sizes and modular construction allow customized output and configuration. The table below shows a cross-section of our 20 models to offer perspective on the range of capacities available.

MMRO 2 MMRO 6 MMRO II MMRO V MMRO VII MMRO XXIV MMRO LX
GPD 1,590  4,760  8,450 21,100 29,600 105,700 264,250
M3/DAY 6 18 32 80 112 400 1000

Though RO is an efficient desalination solution for the offshore industry, the systems themselves are complex. MECO’s experts support you every step of the way. We thoroughly evaluate your situation and requirements in order to develop a system perfectly suited to your needs, and we’re fully engaged and focused when it comes to routine maintenance and troubleshooting because water is all we do, and we do it right. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help you produce the potable water you need for your operations.