The Research Behind the $30M Scale-Up
You read the claim. Here is the paper trail.
Anyone can say they took a technology from concept to $30M. Here is the actual work.
The Papers
While I led business development for TORR Canada Inc., I co-authored 7 technical papers on environmental technology for upstream oil and gas applications. These were not marketing pieces. They were peer-reviewed engineering work, written for the same skeptical technical buyers I was trying to sell to.
Managing Produced Water Through Total Oil Recovery: An Integrated Innovative Technology
SPE Russian Oil and Gas Technical Conference and Exhibition · Oct 3, 2006
Produced water can become a major operational, environmental and economic concern when oil fields continue to mature. Managing and handling large quantities of produced water efficiently and effectively requires both understanding of the fundamental physical and mechanical characteristics of the water as well as the changes of those characteristics with both time and additional mechanisms.
TORR Canada Inc. (the company) have developed an innovative technology called TORR™ - Total Oil Remediation and Recovery (the technology) that integrates several oil and water separation and recovery principles is presented. The basis of operation of the technology to handle produced water oil separation and recovery characteristics is explained.
The critical produced water fluid characteristics such as oil droplet size distribution, dispersed oil stability and nature of the dispersed oil are presented and discussed. Performance is demonstrated through field data. Oil concentrations in the range of 100 to 300 mg/L have been reduced to well below 20 mg/L with the technology.
The performance of the technology represents a wide operational range of applications and associated economic and environmental benefits. Operators on offshore platforms who need to comply with stringent regulations may achieve the discharge targets with one technology and one stage. Additionally the technology deserves serious consideration to for the application of de-oiling produced water. Operational complexity of more traditional water treatment process trains can be greatly reduced.
De-Oiling of Produced Water from Offshore Oil Platforms Using a Recent Commercialized Technology Which Combines Adsorption, Coalescence and Gravity Separation
International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference · Jun 1, 2006
In upstream oil and gas operations, saline water is co-produced with the crude oil. On a global spectrum, it is estimated that 3 barrels of water is produced for every barrel of crude oil. As the asset matures, the ratio of water produced vs. crude oil begins to increase. In North America, the ratio is approaching 10:1. Treatment and disposal of produced water is becoming a leading economic factor in the viability assessment of the asset. This is especially so with offshore platforms where produced water must meet and exceed environmental regulations.
The Company has developed, validated and commercialized a technology to remove and recover dispersed crude oil in water 2 microns and larger. The technology is a combination of filtration, coalescence and gravity separation. Solutions for several challenging aspects of produced water properties have been developed and tested, through both field trials (onshore and offshore) and laboratory experimental simulations. Results obtained have been measured with an advanced video imaging particle size-distribution apparatus that measures samples online and in real time. The results show that the technology has been successful in polishing produced water to oil-inwater concentrations of less than 10 mg/L without the need for chemicals or additional heat. The theory behind the technology will be explained and offshore field results will be presented to support the
technology’s claims.
FURTHER ADVANCES IN PRODUCED WATER DE OILING UTILIZING A TECHNOLOGY THAT REMOVES AND RECOVERS DISPERSED OIL IN PRODUCED WATER 2 MICRONS AND LARGER
ResearchGate.net · Jan 13, 2005
In upstream oil and gas operations, saline water is co-produced with the crude oil. On a global spectrum, it is estimated that 3 barrels of water is produced for every barrel of crude oil (1). As the asset matures, the ratio of water produced vs. crude oil begins to increase. In North America, the ratio is approaching 10:1. Treatment and disposal of produced water is becoming a leading economic factor in the viability assessment of the asset. This is especially so with offshore platforms where produced water must meet and exceed environmental regulations. EARTH (Canada) Corporation have developed and validated a technology, Total Oil Remediation and Recovery (TORR™) (2), (3), (4), (5) to remove and recover dispersed oil in water 2 microns and larger. The technology is a combination of filtration, coalescence and gravity separation. Solutions for several challenging aspects of produced water properties have been developed and tested, through both field trials (onshore and offshore) and laboratory experimental simulations. Results obtained have been measured with an advanced video imaging particle size-distribution apparatus that measures samples online and in real time. The results show that the technology has been successful in polishing produced water to oil-in-water concentrations of less than 10 mg/L without the need for chemicals or additional heat. The theory behind the technology will be explained and laboratory and offshore field results will be presented to support the technology's claims.
TORR ™-The Next Generation of Hydrocarbon Extraction From Water
Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology · Sep 1, 2004
EARTH (Canada) Corporation is commercializing a revolutionary development in oil/water separation at the Global Petroleum Show. TORR (Total Oil Remediation and Recovery) removes free-floating and emulsified oils in water without the need for heat or chemicals. No waste is crated from this technology. Treated water can reach non-detectable hydrocarbon limits and the recovered oil is of low water content. The introduction of TORR is a significant breakthrough for water treatment solutions for SAGD, conventional oil and gas production water, environmental remediation, and any other applications where oily water is a concern.
De-Oiling of Produced Water - A New Technology
Produced Water Society · Apr 12, 2004
This paper presents a novel technology called TORR(TM) (Total Oil Remediation and Recovery) for the de-oiling of produced water. This technology offers the producer a unique opportunity in produced water treatment since it coalesces and recovers dispersed hydrocarbons with a rise velocity of 0.8mm/hr or greater without the need for additional heat, chemicals or pH adjustment.
The technology is a combination of filtration, coalescence and gravity separation principles and has the ability to address a broad spectrum of dispersed oil emulsions in water'. Produced water is cleaned for efficient and economical reinjection or to exceed environmental discharge regulations.
The paper shall explain the basic principles of oil/water separation, the limitations of existing technologies and the theory behind this new development. A detailed explanation of the operation of the technology will be reviewed and reference will be made to actual onsite testing of the technology.
Total Oil Remediation & Recovery TORR(TM) - Remediate Hydrocarbon Contaminated Groundwater
Environmental Services Association of Alberta (ESAA) · Oct 16, 2002
An explanation of the basic fundamentals of the Total Oil Remediation & Recovery - TORR technology and how it applies to hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater clean-up procedures.
Total Oil Remediation and Recovery ( TORR ) Remediate Hydrocarbon Contaminated Water No Additional Waste Created
Engineering · Apr 5, 2002
Hydrocarbon contamination of groundwater is a serious environmental problem and presents many challenges when a treatment process needs to be designed to remediate hydrocarbons and other contaminants. EARTH (Canada) Corporation has developed a revolutionary technology that separates free-floating and emulsified hydrocarbons from water. The technology TORR (Total Oil Remediation and Recovery) separates the hydrocarbon contaminants, which can then be reused or recycled. No waste is created and no additional heat or chemicals are required. The treated water can then be sent to other membrane technologies for further treatment of heavy metals and other aqueous pollutants. The TORR technology principles will be explained along with actual case histories to further exemplify the benefits of this technology when tackling groundwater issues and where possible cost reductions can be realized. Other examples of remediation will be highlighted.
Why This Matters to You
I did not learn how to sell technical products by reading case studies. I learned by writing the technical case myself, then turning it into a business case a buyer's finance team could approve.
That is the same translation I build for my clients: spec sheet to sales tool, engineering data to ROI calculator, technical credibility to a closed deal.
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