Aquatech and FMC Enter Cooperation Agreement for Spent Caustic Treatment Technology

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Sep 14, 2010, 07:35 ET

CANONSBURG, Pa., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to further strengthen its technology-based offerings for the Oil and Gas Industry, Aquatech has signed a Cooperation Agreement with Spain's FMC Foret S.A., to market Foret's OHP Technology for Spent Caustic Treatment. The agreement is exclusive for the Arabian Peninsula and also gives Aquatech the opportunity to market this technology in its other key markets worldwide.

OHP is an advanced Wastewater Treatment Technology based on advanced oxidation. It is a safe and efficient way to reduce contaminants in effluents through chemical oxidation with the use of special grade hydrogen peroxide and a catalyst. This technology also allows for construction of a plant that is safely operated in a continuous and automatic way. OHP can be utilized where other similar technologies are not working properly. FORET has been extremely successful with this new technology having applied it in various chemical processing and petrochemical plants in Europe and Asia.

The basis of the process is the creation of hydroxyl radicals from hydrogen peroxide. This is done by optimal combination of process conditions and catalyst addition. Hydroxyl radicals are capable of oxidizing a wide range of chemical compounds that can be quantified by means of COD and TOC reduction.

FMC FORET has obtained patent US 7,666,315 and has applied for a worldwide patent for this new sophisticated and superior technology.

Vikrant Sarin, Manager - Technology & Business Development for Aquatech, is excited about OHP. "I have seen great interest in this technology so far and I was impressed with regards to how safe it is and how it can solve problems that other technologies could not. Nearly every refinery and petrochemical plant in the Middle East has issues with existing spent caustic treatment systems and I look forward to utilizing this technology to help solve our customers' problems."

Francisco Montero, Environmental Applications Manager for FMC Foret, is convinced that "we have found in Aquatech an ideal partner for selling this technology in the Arabian Peninsula. Aquatech is very strong in the Oil and Gas Industry upstream and downstream and understands the water challenges of this industry very well."

Aquatech (http://www.aquatech.com) is a global leader in water purification technology for the industrial and infrastructure markets with a focus on desalination, water reuse, and zero liquid discharge. The company is headquartered in the United States and has offices throughout North America and significant presence worldwide through subsidiaries in Europe, the Middle East, India, and China. Aquatech has executed over 1000 major projects, integrating several of its product groups, in over 60 countries across the globe

Aquatech strives to provide Technology Leadership and Performance Excellence to the Global Water Industry and aims to support its clients with cutting-edge Sustainable Solutions, minimizing their Life Cycle Cost, as well as their Carbon and Water Footprint.

FMC Corporation is a diversified chemical company serving agricultural, industrial and consumer markets globally for more than a century with innovative solutions, applications and quality products. The company employs approximately 4,800 people throughout the world. The company operates its businesses in three segments: Agricultural Products, Specialty Chemicals and Industrial Chemical.

FMC Foret is one of the main producers of chemical products in Spain with its own manufacturing plants and global business interests. It is integrated into the Industrial Chemicals Group of FMC Corporation. FMC Foret is committed to a philosophy of continuing improvement in safety health protection and the environment as well as complete transparency in communications relating to its activities and achievements.