Membrane Desalination in Shale Gas Industry: Applications and Perspectives

Abstract Shale gas has drawn increasing investments as an unconventional primary resource to renovate the global energy market. Over the last decade, factors linked to supply reliability and the recent developments in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing—or “fracking”—technologies have boosted the natural gas production from tight shale formations. Nevertheless, shale gas operations remain a contentious issue due to their environmental and social implications. With regard to water-related impacts, shale gas production usually requires excessive freshwater amounts and produces large volumes of damaging high-salinity wastewater. Under this scenario, zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) membrane desalination emerges as an effective wastewater management option for maintaining sustainable progress of shale gas sector, while reducing risks associated with water resources depletion and brine disposals. This chapter provides a critical overview on the most innovative membrane-based ZLD applications for shale gas wastewater desalination. The main challenges and perspectives are outlined as well, to evaluate the barriers in the further employment of ZLD membrane systems in the shale gas industry.