Removal of organic pollutants in shale gas fracturing flowback and produced water: A review

Shale gas has been developed as an alternative to conventional energy worldwide, resulting in a large amount of shale gas fracturing flowback and produced water (FPW). Previous studies focus on total dissolved solids reduction using membrane desalination. However, there is a lack of efficient and stable techniques to remove organic pollutants, resulting in severe membrane fouling in downstream processes. This review focuses on the concentration and chemical composition of organic matter in shale gas FPW in China, as well as the hazards of organic pollutants. Organic removal techniques, including advanced oxidation processes, coagulation, sorption, microbial degradation, and membrane treatment are systematically reviewed. In particular, the influences of high salt on each technique are highlighted. Finally, different treatment techniques are evaluated in terms of energy consumption, cost, and organic removal efficiency. It is concluded that integrated coagulation-sorption-Fenton-membrane filtration represents a promising treatment process for FPW. This review provides valuable information for the feasible design, practical operation, and optimization of FPW treatment.