Boldwater has developed and field implemented, patent-pending processes to remediate and recycle hydrocarbon-contaminated soils generated in oil and gas drilling and other industrial operations.

Boldwater’s bioremediation process employs select microorganisms to break down hydrocarbons producing no harmful or environmentally unfriendly byproducts. The process maximizes microorganism activity and contact to aggressively decompose hydrocarbons. As a result, hydrocarbon levels are rapidly reduced to thresholds well below regulatory requirements defined by the EPA and the TxRRC.

After remediation steps have been completed, the treated material is processed into high quality road base. Recycling can include both oil and water based drilling waste materials. Through our permitted and turnkey solutions, the recyclable material is tested by third party labs to ensure regulatory compliance and that the material exceeds the TxDOT specifications for Flexible Road Base Material.

Each remediation objective requires a through characterization of the material and conditions impacting the Work Plan. Project Work Plans are tailored to each situation taking into account factors such as the hydrocarbon contamination, volume to be treated, ambient conditions and time allowed on site. The equipment required to complete the process onsite easily integrates with existing operations working behind solids control equipment such as drying shakers, cuttings dryer and centrifuge equipment designed to recover usable drilling fluids.

Permitted bioremediation is supported by regulatory authorities such as the TxRRC and the EPA. Regulatory agencies are advocating “reduce, recycle, reuse”. The Boldwater processes align with this effort, transforming waste into high quality reusable material while eliminating the need for traditional oil and gas waste disposal facilities.

The Boldwater Difference

The unique Boldwater processes work to maximize the optimum level of microbial performance and addresse the pitfalls associated with many treatment alternatives including:

Relying on naturally occurring microbes

Beneficial microbes are not universal in the environment making burying waste an ineffective remediation process. Such processes do not ensure contact between microbes and hydrocarbons and do not provide sufficient nutrients or oxygen for decomposition to occur.

The Boldwater process introduces unique microbial blends that have proven to target specific hydrocarbon chains and break down element bonding. Boldwater then maximizes microbial contact with contaminated particles in an environment managed for optimal hydrocarbon decay. Testing insures hydrocarbon levels and 12 other compounds are below regulatory limits before releasing the recycled material for reuse.

Using surfactants and bio-solvents

Use of chemicals can help separate some hydrocarbons from the waste material but only washes contamination into the soil and accelerates leaching toward ground water. Hydrocarbons have been documented to leach 300 feet in just the first year.

The Boldwater process rapidly breaks down the hydrocarbon chains into basic compounds CO and H₂O so that there is no contamination that can leach into the soil. VOC’s and similar aromatics and other short chain hydrocarbon contamination is eliminated in minutes including benzene and toluene.

On-lease burial or road use

Burying wastes or spreading a mixture of drilling waste and stabilizing materials on lease roads still includes the total volume of hydrocarbons (TPH) initially present and requires landowner written approval and carries full ongoing environmental and financial liabilities for the operator as well as the landowner.

Only processes permitted by state regulatory groups such as the Boldwater’s are recognized by the EPA to remediate and recycle contaminated soils and sever the chain of liability for an operator as well as the landowner.

Using waste disposal sites

In many areas, regulatory agencies have limited or denied new waste facility site permits and current capacity is constrained. Offsite disposal also requires the expense and liability of trucking in addition to costly disposal fees that is then managed by the waste facility on your behalf but all risks remain with you the operator.

The Boldwater process eliminates the need for and use of waste disposal sites and the associated transportation that generally involves 25 to 40 heavy haul trucks. Boldwater solutions provide the Operator with superior high quality flexible road base material which is pre-approved for construction or maintaining lease roads, drilling or production pads, compressor or pump stations, and county roads.