Filed in 2016 and published in 2018, this patent outlines a novel method for extracting hydrocarbons from oilfield sediments using a series of settling tanks and a ceramic membrane filtration system. The process significantly improves oil quality and solvent recovery efficiency.
Patent No.: US 2018/0023006 A1
Status: US Patent Application

Molecular Filtration, Inc. filed an international patent application for a mobile purification system equipped with activated alumina tanks for selective heavy metal removal. Designed for remote operations, this system allows on-site regeneration and modular tank operation in series or parallel configurations.
Patent No.: WO 2016/099469 A1
Status: International PCT Application

On October 1, 2015, Molecular Filtration, Inc. launched a multi-year research collaboration with the Curators of the University of Missouri on behalf of Missouri University of Science and Technology (MUST). The agreement spanned a full performance period through September 30, 2017.

The joint project, led by Dr. Muthanna Al-Dahhan at the M-REAL Lab, focused on innovative water and wastewater pre-treatment and treatment technologies, including:

• Ceramic membrane filtration
• Ion-exchange systems
• Bubble column reactors
• Advanced oxidation and radiation methods
• Electrochemical technologies

Molecular Filtration contributed $52,300 worth of equipment and technical resources, including a ceramic membrane pilot plant and proprietary technology under two international patents. This effort marked a significant step in bridging industrial application with academic validation in the field of molecular-level filtration.

On June 30, 2019, Molecular Filtration, Inc. deployed a fixed molecular filtration unit in the South Texas oil field, marking a major advancement in on-site water treatment. The system is capable of processing 200 gallons per minute (~6,857 barrels per day) of produced water. Utilizing proprietary organophobic ceramic membrane technology, the unit efficiently separates non-polar organic contaminants, yielding water clean enough for reinjection into subsurface formations. This operation validated the durability and performance of Molecular Filtration’s industrial platform in demanding oilfield conditions.

Molecular Filtration, Inc. filed its foundational patent for a functionalized porous ceramic membrane that separates non-polar organic compounds from liquids. This innovation is based on chemically bonded hydrophilic organic acid groups to ceramic surfaces, enabling effective oil/water separation at the molecular level.
Patent No.: WO 2015/066347 A1
Status: International PCT Application

Molecular Filtration, Inc. successfully deploys its first mobile filtration unit for on-site treatment of produced water in collaboration with Apache Corporation in West Texas. The unit demonstrated the removal of non-polar hydrocarbons, producing visibly clean effluent from heavily contaminated sources—validating the effectiveness of the Molecular Filtration® process under demanding oilfield conditions.

This milestone marked the transition from laboratory-scale validation to real-world industrial deployment, positioning the company as a pioneer in mobile water treatment for the energy sector.

Molecular Filtration, Inc. deployed its first mobile produced water treatment unit, based on patented activated alumina technology. Housed in a fully enclosed trailer, the system delivers on-site purification of frack and produced water with in situ regeneration and modular tank flexibility. The unit enables high-throughput, field-based treatment without needing permanent infrastructure.

Molecular Filtration, Inc. became the first company in the world to filter non-polar organics at the molecular level with high flow rates.
 

Molecular Filtration, Inc. incorporated.