(ECNS) -- Research and creating technology are the keys to success in the energy industry, said David Bromley during an exclusive interview with the China News Service website.
As president and CEO of David Bromley Engineering Ltd., Bromley has invented a patented technology called nanoflotation, which is recognized by China's Ministry of Environmental Protection as one of the world's top 100 environmental technologies.
The technology uses a membrane with a unique replaceable skin layer during water treatment in oil sands mining operations, which allows operators to re-use all their water.
Compared to technologies using conventional membranes, it could reduce capital costs by 45 to 55 percent and lower operating costs by about 65 percent, according to Bromley.
"Because we use replaceable layers, we actually want the skin layers to foul. We never have an issue of having the whole membrane to be thrown away," he said.
The technology has started to be used in refinery and petrochemical facilities in China, as it provides a magnificent cost benefit, Bromley revealed, but was reluctant to give names.
"I've been coming to China. I think this is my eighth year. The issues in China today are no different than the issues in North America or in other locations that are dealing with oil and gas," he said during a "Canada in Conversation" event in Beijing.
"The difficulty in new technology is having somebody take a chance and put it into operation to test it," he added.
When analyzing where the focus of research should be, Bromley cited the water remediation business.
"We have technology today that can produce very high-quality water. Where we haven't done a very good job is figuring out ways to become much more efficient in getting that same quality water," he said.
"So I don't think the emphasis on research should be to make the water have even higher quality. I think the research is on how to make the process of getting that quality water much more efficient," he added.
Due to the oil price slump, many oil and gas companies have seen substantial earnings decline, and most simply try to do cost reduction. Bromley believes it will be a risk if large companies such as Sinopec and PetroChina do not look for new ideas.
If large companies do try advanced technologies and turn them into opportunities, startups can't get any access to the marketplace, he said.
"Right now it's an opportunity to capture a very important class advantage, an efficiency advantage," he added.
David Bromley is a world expert in the area of water infrastructure and energy management. He is co-author of two water treatment expertise books published by Elsvier publishing. He has evaluated or commercialized more than 50 water treatment technologies and has operated his own international consultancy firm for 36 years.
