Wellhead Extraction Technology®

Iofina uses a new method of natural gas extraction with the subsequent extraction of iodine known as Wellhead Extraction Technology® (WET®). The Directors believe that the Group’s WET® method will enable it to become one of the world’s leading low cost producers of iodine, and become a significant player in an industry which has been dominated by Chilean and Japanese producers for over 50 years. As far as the Directors are aware, the Group is the only independent iodine producer in the USA and control the largest currently known reserve in North America.

Existing iodine extraction technologies that extract iodine rely on the incoming brine stream’s pH being carefully controlled, by large volumes of acid and base which are added at various stages in the process. This is costly in terms of both operating and capital expenditure. The WET® method employs two different iodine extraction methods depending on brine chemistry and temperature for optimal efficiency. The first technology for cold brine streams is a chemical-based method using an anion exchange resin, to which the iodine anions are attracted and this method can also be based on a “physical system” for separating out iodine molecules in a physical trap using carbon. The second method is called the WET® IOsorb™ method and is used on higher temperature brine streams which may include oil and other impurities. What distinguishes both technologies from other processes is that the incoming brine stream only has to undergo minor pre-treatment for effective extraction. Either method can create elemental iodine or sodium iodide depending the iodine derivative that is desired to be manufactured. Being able to directly convert the iodine into a chosen molecular form can enable Iofina to reduce costs by skipping certain synthesis steps, as well as avoid certain hazardous processing steps.

Each mobile WET® unit is capable of production rates of up to 10,000 bbpd per unit. Iofina also has modular WET® plants capable of handling 30,000 bbpd. If the operator site produces more than those quantities a custom designed plant can be built or multiple modular WET® plants can be used together. The mobile WET® units are mounted in a standard trailer that can be rapidly deployed to locations using an articulated truck. The self-contained WET® units is key to Iofina’s ability to extract third party brine streams in a rapid and highly cost effective manner that has not previously been available in the iodine industry. Iofina has a series of patents pending relating to its technology for capturing iodine from iodine-rich brine from wells and converting it into a range of iodine molecules.

Iofina uses its WET® technology on its own production and offers it to third party producers on a contract basis. This allows the operator to have additional income on a waste brine stream. If you are interested in Iofina as Iodine operator on your existing brine stream please e-mail wet@iofina.com.