Which two chlorides do you hang your hat on as a dust suppressant?

Simple - calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. The amounts of these chlorides in the brine are important because the lower the levels, the more material required to effectively suppress dust. The costs of added material can quickly offset any per-gallon cost savings on the material itself. MCS’ Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine contains at minimum a combined 22.2% calcium-magnesium chloride content, with total chloride content of 28.35%. In comparison, one particular Michigan oilfield brine company’s calcium-magnesium chloride content is only 9.2% - by far and wide the lion’s share of their chloride content comes from sodium chloride – 19.8% to be exact – the exact opposite of the chemical component wanted for dust control: sodium chloride has a drying effect on gravel
roads and is not hygroscopic and offers no dust suppression capability.

We understand some townships, because of budget constraints, are looking at the price per gallon, but we emphatically caution that science is science – oilfield brine used for dust control, if done according to Michigan application limits – simply cannot be an effective dust control agent and townships will not get what they are paying for.

To put in clear scientific terms, a township would require a minimum of 2.79 gallons of a popular Michigan oilfield brine to equal 1 gallon of MCS Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine. In financial terms, if Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine is bid at $0.1750 per gallon, a township should only be paying oilfield brine companies $0.06 per gallon applied for the same per gallon of effectiveness: don’t be tricked in to a price a few cents under that of Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine – to get what you’re paying for, oilfield brine should
cost a fraction of Mineral Well Brine prices.

MCS appreciates open conversations about the use of oilfield brine on Michigan roadways: it is urgent everyone understands the science and value of Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine versus oilfield brine. As Michigan’s premier provider of dust control services, MCS takes it commitment to Michigan’s environment seriously: The Michigan Department of EGLE has very clear limits for the application of oilfield brine, and we empathically caution all dust control providers to abide by EGLE standards.

Why Choose US?

What is “Oilfield Brine”?

Oilfield brine is a byproduct of oil and gas drilling operations and requires a discharge permit and annual testing. The dust palliative concentration of oilfield brines varies a great amount but is typically less than 10%. Oil well brine may also contain carcinogens, cancer-causing chemicals, and typically contains a very high sodium chloride content.

We make sure you are getting a high-quality Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine!

Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine is a naturally occurring liquid chloride containing high percentages of calcium chloride and magnesium chloride – two very hygroscopic salts which attract moisture from the air and surroundings to keep unpaved roads damp and the dust down. Calcium Chloride Mineral Well Brine also exhibits strong moisture film, high surface tension and low vapor pressure which all serve to bind aggregate particles together helping unpaved surfaces become compact. Over time, the chlorides penetrate the surface several inches to add a stabilizing effect to reduce frost damage and overall wear.