Advanced Oil Water Separation for Upstream Oil & Gas

Gun’Barrel Be Gone: Separation on the Fly for Modern Drilling

Two workers with laptops reviewing a large blue separator tank inside a plant

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Industry Overview

Mercer International’s enhanced gravity oil-water separators are redefining wastewater management for upstream oil and gas production. Don’t store it and wait — pull out oils and solids on the fly and keep moving.

From wellhead to tank battery, these systems handle the toughest produced and flowback water challenges, removing up to 99.9% of oils and solids while slashing maintenance and downtime.

The Compliance Master™ equipped with Mercer’s Multi-Pack™ coalescer system replaces outdated gun-barrel tanks, frac tank brigades, and 60,000-barrel ASTs that consistently accumulate feet of oils and solids with no place to go.

Designed for both traditional and unconventional drilling, these systems allow operators to treat water at the source — recycling or discharging with confidence, protecting injection wells, and recovering low-BS&W, saleable oil that would otherwise be lost.

ENERGY INDUSTRIES

Upstream Applications

Aerial view of two blue oil water separators with green piping at an industrial site

Produced Water Treatment

Mercer’s enhanced gravity separators efficiently remove free and dispersed oil from produced water, protecting secondary treatment, polishing steps, injection or reuse activities, and preventing loss of product.

Crews in blue coveralls lowering a coalescing plate pack into a Chevron separator vessel

Flowback Water Management

Handle variable, high-volume flows from fracturing operations with systems built for the true “witches’ brew” nature of muds, sands, and chemicals typical at the earliest stages of well maturity.

Blue oil water separator with yellow top rails and pump skid at an oilfield produced water pad

Tank or Tankless Batteries & Well Pad Drainage

Treat oily water from storage and production facilities to meet compliance limits, reduce hauling, and capture valuable oil product.

Large blue API separator tank with yellow guardrails and process piping at a refinery

Saltwater Disposal (SWD) Pre-Treatment

Shield SWD wells from oil carryover, scale, and plugging. Mercer’s system performance maintains consistent injection pressure and uptime while delivering measurable ROI through recovered oil volumes.

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MERCER ADVANTAGE

The Mercer Difference

Blue oil water separator and lined holding pond with pump skid and piping at an oil production site

Crane lifting a coalescing plate pack beside a large storage tank at a tank farm

Workers guiding a coalescing plate pack lifted by crane straps over a separator bay

Technical Highlights

Oil Removal: Up to 99.9% of free and dispersed oils
Flow Capacity: Scalable designs from pilot skids to full production sites
Solids Handling: Engineered for heavy loading; easy flush and cleanout
Material Options: Carbon steel, stainless steel, or FRP with internal coatings for harsh environments
Automation Ready: Available with level control, alarms, and flow monitoring for fully integrated operation

Real-World Performance

Reduced Injection Pressure: Cleaner water extends well life and reduces energy cost.
Oil Recovery: Captures saleable hydrocarbons instead of losing them to waste streams or gumming up downstream/downhole processes.
Operational Reliability: Consistent performance across variable flowback and produced water quality.
Proven Longevity: Systems in service for decades with minimal OPEX and maintenance.

Supporting Upstream Sustainability

By replacing obsolete separators and reducing hauling and chemical usage, Mercer’s systems help operators meet ESG goals while protecting revenue streams. The result is a cleaner operation — one that’s compliant, efficient, and built for the realities of today’s oilfield.

Let’s Talk About Your Produced Water Challenge

Learn how Mercer can optimize your upstream separation process and protect your disposal assets.