Solutions

If a lake, river or dam is available, the Airwell floating pump can be used to pump this water over a long distance.

The Airwell system has the ability to operate remotely from power based only on compressed air which is reticulated from a compressor at the main plant out to the bore field up to 15 km away, pumping the water back to storage tanks.

In most outback remote communities and mine sites, it is incredibly difficult to find a source of potable water close by. It is even harder to effectively pump this water over long distances without access to power.

The ability of Airwell pumps to collect water from low flow bores means that we can often provide a water supply option from a source considered unviable.

The inbuilt automation of the Airwell system optimises water recovery from the bore field, while the addition of float valves in the storage tank enables the system to turn off once the tanks are full.

The Airwell design also means that there is limited servicing and maintenance required and most maintenance and servicing can be done without removing the pump from the bore.

This is all achieved at a fraction of the cost of running power and additional pump automation.

Airwell transfer pumps can be provided to transfer low volumes of water over long distances remotely from power.

Alternatively, electric pumps can be provided for large volumes of water if a power source can be found close by.

Airwell Group can provide pumping systems for water supply and water transfer aplications, which can be used for small scale irrigation projects.

This can be based on an Airwell pumping system depending on your flow requirements, alternatively if larger flow rates are required Airwell can provide a system with electric submersibles and electric powered transfer pumps.

Airwell have been providing a range of dewatering solutions for the mining industry for the past 25 years.

Airwell can provide conventional large volume water pumps for pit dewatering and blast hole dewatering to suit various mine site applications and requirements.

We can also supply Airwell’s unique direct air displacement pumping system, which is ideally suited for providing low flow dewatering solutions or for dewatering projects which are located large distances away from power.

Airwell has completed several types of dewatering including pit wall stabilisation and depressurisation, wet spot dewatering and also blast hole dewatering. The Airwell pump system is the logical solution for these dewatering situations because of the following advantages which normally hamper traditional dewatering methods.

Location: The ability for the Airwell system to operate in locations that are a long distance away from a power source makes it the ideal solution to mine site dewatering applications where the workshop power is a large distance away from the pit or tailings dam.

Variable Flow Rates: The variable flow nature of dewatering matches perfectly with the Airwell pump system, as the reducing flow rates normally associated with dewatering are easily handled by the Airwell pump right down to no flow at all without causing any damage to the pumping system.

Water Conditions and Quality: The Airwell pumping system is able to handle a variety of water conditions and quality which are normally encountered during dewatering. The Airwell systems ability to pump high and low ph water, acid forming tailings and large quantities of grit or suspended solids allow it to complete dewatering projects which traditional pumping equipment can’t.

Airwell pumps have remote telemetry and monitoring options and can also provide intrinsic safe systems for hazardous sites and areas.

Airwell system suits perfectly with low flow situations typically found on contaminated sites. Depending on the nature of contamination, a top filling or a bottom filling pump can be used, often in conjunction with selective skimmers, vacuum extraction and sparge systems.

The Airwell pump design, with no mechanical parts and the ability to handle incredibly polluted or toxic fluids, means that an Airwell system requires little service and maintenance. Unlike other pumps, any servicing or maintenance required can be done without regularly removing the pump from the bore, providing for less exposure to the site by personnel.

The option of intrinsically safe and/or PLC controlled systems give the advantage of:

• Accurate control.
• Telemetry (remote system monitoring and control).
• Incorporate to your existing SCADA system.
• Expandability.
• Operate in hazardous areas.
• Less time spent by personnel on site (health and safety benefits).

Airwell has extensive experience in a wide range of different remediation projects and can provide a solution for all your needs.

Airwell pumping systems are used extensively in leachate recovery both in Australia and overseas.  We have experience in developing systems for hazardous and non-hazardous environments.

Use starts from pumping leachate from landfill sites to residue ponds.

In some cases, leachate is being collected in vertical sumps and with the use of Airwell pumps it is forwarded to temporary holding tanks, leachate ponds or even back to the landfill.

The low flow capabilities of the Airwell system as well as its ability to handle grit, silt and iron oxide bacteria make it ideally suited to leachate recovery applications (tailing dams, landfill sites).

Not only does the Airwell system recover leachate, it also acts as a leachate detector as the pump will only operate when there is leachate present.

The Airwell evaporating systems (pump + floating evaporator) can be effectively used to increase the water evaporation rate of a leachate pond.

Airwell's unique pumping technology has been used successfully on several major salinity management projects across Australia. The low flow capabilities and the ability for the pump to handle highly saline and grit laden water make it ideal for salinity management and interception projects.

Airwell pumps are ideally suited to the low flow nature and harsh conditions usually associated with salinity management.

Shallow gas well deliquifying (up to 1000m)

Airwell’s oil and gas technology using the direct gas displacement principle of using high pressure, low volume gas to displace fluid which can operate multiple pumps across a site is ideally suited to shallow gas well deliquifying applications for both coal bed methane and conventional gas operations.

The Airwell shallow gas well technology can deliquify gas wells down to 1000m and can deliquify anywhere from 100 down to 0 barrels of fluid per day withut risk of damage to the equipment.

Airwell’s pumping technology is suited to low flow applications and its ability to modify its pumping rate to match the well yield minimizes work over time to change pumping equipment. This work over time is further reduced by the Airwell pumps long “down well life” with most of the control and mechanical technology located outside of the pump.

Airwells ability to vary flow also means that Airwells pumping equipment can operate at a high flow rate to pump off the well and then change its rate to keep the well producing without having to change pumping equipment or even with the addition of remote telemetry having to visit the well site.

Airwell can also reduce the environmental impact of deliquifying a well, with less visual impact on the well site, reduced noise with the compressor operating the pump located away from the well at a central location and the addition of remote telemetry and monitoring meaning less time spent on site.

Key to Airwells reliability and reduced site downtime and work over costs is the ability for the Airwell pumping technology to handle suspended particulates and fines normally associated with shallow gas well deliquifying . Even if the Airwell pump does become clogged with fines it will not damage the pump and can be cleaned and replaced in the well.

Deep gas well deliquifying (up to 2400m)

Airwell Oil and Gas has trialed a unique “Slug Lift” technology which proved able to provide a deliquifying solution for the shale gas well industry with an ability to pump to depths of 2400m and a capability to pump from 0- 500 barrels of fluid per day.

The Airwell slug lift technology has the main advantage of being able to pump down deviated gas wells and pump low flow rates. This allows for Airwell to deliquify gas wells which other traditional pumping equipment cannot. Airwell’s Slug Lift methodology also supports well head compression giving multiple uses for a compressor located on the well site.

Airwell’s slug lift pump also has the same features as the Airwell direct gas displacement pumping equipment in that it can handle suspended particulates and fines without damaging the pumping equipment, it can also vary the pumping flow rate to match the fluid production in the well saving on costly down time. With all the mechanical parts located outside the well and Airwell’s ability to remotely operate and monitor the pumping equipment there is less maintenance time spent on site.

• Gas production – Custody transfer grade metering gas production.
• Fluid production – As each cycle of the Airwell system is 25 litres the system can batch calculate the fluid produced without the need for additional metering equipment.
• Casing pressure – Live casing pressure is available with its trend logged over time.
• Standing fluid level – True bottom hole pressure is available at all times, standing fluid level is then calculated using the casing pressure and the known specific gravity of the fluid.
• Constant pumping rate - It is possible to set an exact maximum pumping rate via the control system.
• Constant standing fluid level - The Airwell system can automatically modulate the pumping rate to maintain an exact standing fluid level.
• Constant gas production – The system can automatically modulate a choke value to maintain an exact gas production rate remotely set by the operator.
• Remotely adjustable pressure sustaining valve – Airwell can provide a pressure sustaining valve that can be set by an operator remotely to maintain a minimum casing pressure.
• Emergency shut off valve - Additionally an emergency shut off valve can also be included in the valve box for the Airwell system to prevent the gas gathering lines seeing excess pressure in the event of a sales compressor malfunctioning.
• Lateral well head pressure – Airwell can provide a standalone solar powered radio unit that will provide the Airwell telemetry system with a live reading of the well head pressure of any lateral well on site to be displayed on the Airwell dashboard and automatically logged.
• Compressor monitoring unit – Airwell can provide a mains powered radio unit that can be wired into each sales compressor and show that data remotely on the Airwell dashboard.