Desalinating Coal Bed Methane water for irrigation in Northern Alberta

Since early in 2024, Ionic Solutions has been working with producers and regulators to establish a pilot project to desalinate Coal Bed Methane (CBM) water.

CBM gas is interspersed with a highly fractured bed of coal. An aquifer above and within the coal formations seals the gas in place. To produce the gas, the water levels within the well bore must be kept at low levels to ensure the flow is not blocked. This water is regularly removed and is typically very clean, as it has permeated the coal formation, which is a natural carbon filter, although it is salty.

The typical process is to treat this water as a waste stream and have it trucked to appropriate underground disposal sites, which is costly and greenhouse gas intensive.

We believe it is possible to desalinate and treat this water to agricultural standards and make it usable. This would benefit nearby agriculture operations, many of whom face challenging yearly droughts. 

We continue to work with regulators on green-lighting this important project.