[en] Full text: The coal seam gas (CSG) sector in Australia is looking to achieve the lowest environmental impacts in the treatment of its water.The application of moving bed ion exchange systems like Associated Water's continuous ionic filtration (CIF) system may prove to be a low-energy, robust and reliable treatment or pre-treatment of CSG-produced water. A DeSALx plant (dual stage CIF) has been commissioned at the WAMBO Feedlot in Queensland, processing CSG-associated waters for beneficial reuse applications. The WAMBO Feedlot is located among the Arrow Energy Petroleum and QGC petroleum licences which authorise the exploration, appraisal, development and production of CSG.The processed water is planned for applications such as stock watering, crop irrigation trials and augmentation of existing water storage. In October the dual CIF water treatment plant arrived at the feedlot near Dalby in the Darling Downs. The plant consists of two 12m mobile containers; one contains the CIF water treatment infrastructure and the other the water handling infrastructure. In addition, a fixed plant provides the second stage of the CIF treatment combining with the mobile plant to provide full desalination through the DeSALx system. Accompanying this plant was a 14,500 litre EuroTainer for safe storage and handling of the 98% sulphuric acid required to recharge the cationic circuit of the DeSALx plant. The anionic circuit will be recharged by common non-hazardous lime. Under an existing water use agreement between Arrow Energy and the WAMBO Cattle Company, CSG associated water will be sourced as feed water (with total dissolved salts of about 5000 milligrams per litre) from the DeSALx plant. This will be processed to agricultural grade (total dissolved salts of about 1500mg/1) and returned to WAMBO Cattle Company for its operations. Hot commissioning is due to commence in November, with feed water introduced and maintained at half flow. When fully commissioned, the plant's capacity will be about 500,000 litres per day, treating about 94% of CSG feed water to 'fit for purpose' agricultural grade. Associated Water general manager Peter Bates said: “It is fantastic and exciting to see this landmark project coming to fruition and commencing operations within CSG-producing country. This proof of concept water treatment plant will prove the suitability of this technology in the treatment and conversion of CSG associated waters into 'fit for purpose' water facilitating beneficial reuse by landholders. The DeSALx plant showcases both the fixed and mobile type of water treatment plant capabilities of Associated Water, providing great flexibility for end use clients in real world gas field applications,” he said.