Penrice Soda Holdings Ltd and General Electrics have struck a deal to provide the coal seam gas (CSG) industry with a process to remove brine from wastewater.

 

The process, controlled by the consortium, will produce saleable chemicals and cleaned wastewater that can be returned to the environment, according to Penrice.

 

The water and process technologies arm of GE and Penrice will construct the demonstration plants with an eye to commercialise the technology developed by Penrice.

 

Currently the CSG sector uses the “fracking” technique which uses an array of chemicals, a process which has drawn concern from local communities and environmental groups about the potential damaging effects.

 

 Penrice has announced that the use of brine will diversify its business while allowing the recycled water will be clean enough for use as either environmental flow or potable consumption.

 

"Penrice is confident that its technology provides a valuable opportunity to assist the CSG industry solve one of its major environmental challenges in dealing with its CSG water - by producing saleable chemicals as the water is cleaned," Mr Roberts said in a statement to The Age.