New Nalco product could boost oil production

Naperville-based Nalco Holding Inc. said Wednesday it has a new chemical product that will help boost oil production at a critical time when the United States aims to reduce its dependence on foreign oil.

After nine years of development and testing, Nalco has launched BrightWater, a polymer that's injected into an oil field to help push out oil, as much as 80 percent more.

"This (product) and other energy services are helping them to get more oil out of the ground and that should be helpful to the global supply of oil," Nalco CEO J. Erik Fyrwald said during an interview.

Nalco's researchers in Sugar Land, near Houston, Texas, has been working their researchers in Naperville along with BP and Chevron to develop the new product on several fields nationwide. It's also been found to rejuvenate oil fields in decline.

"As the world continues to demand more oil, maximizing oil recovery from existing fields is more important than ever before," said BP spokesman Scott Dean in Naperville. "This is one of many technologies that BP has invested in aimed at getting the most out of some of the aging oil fields that America depends on."

BrightWater is part of Nalco's energy services business, which already earned $709.7 million in the first six months, or 16 percent more, compared to $611.3 million in six months of 2007, Fyrwald said.

Nalco, a global water processing and services company, forecasts that BrightWater will have $5 million in sales this year, and likely double next year.

"Everyone talks of oil and water not mixing, but at Nalco we see oil and water working together very well," said Fyrwald.