Adsorbent Slurry Treatment for Produced Water WSO Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional produced water treatment systems struggle to effectively remove Water Soluble Organics (WSO) from produced water, leading to regulatory compliance issues and increased costs due to the need for additional treatment and disposal facilities, which can exceed the value of the hydrocarbon produced from the well.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a slurry by mixing produced water with 1 ppm to 50,000 ppm by weight of an adsorbent particulate, such as activated carbon or ultra-high surface area silica, to form a stable slurry that flows through conduits, allowing separation of purified produced water with reduced WSO concentration using filtering or centrifugation techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional water treatment chemistries are used to remove TPH from produced water, then TPH removal is effective, but WSO removal is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter by introducing acid facilitation to alter the solubility and distribution of WSO between aqueous and oil phases, enabling effective WSO removal through subsequent separation processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary substance (acid) to facilitate the transfer of WSO from the aqueous phase to the oil phase, making the WSO removable through conventional oil-water separation techniques
2Manufacturing precision
If acid facilitation is applied to promote WSO dissolution into the oil phase, then WSO removal is improved, but corrosion risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial acid facilitation by using controlled amounts of acid and limiting the treatment to specific conditions where WSO removal is maximized while corrosion is minimized, rather than complete acidification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully controls the pH parameter and acid concentration to achieve the threshold needed for WSO dissolution while staying below the level that causes significant corrosion, optimizing the trade-off between removal efficiency and equipment protection
3Manufacturing precision
If produced water with high WSO concentration is treated using conventional methods, then regulatory compliance becomes difficult, but treatment costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses acid as an intermediary to enable WSO transfer to the oil phase, allowing conventional, cost-effective separation equipment to achieve regulatory compliance rather than requiring expensive specialized treatment facilities
Solution Approach 2:
By controlling the pH parameter and using stepwise treatment approaches, the patent achieves regulatory compliance through optimized chemical conditions rather than through capital-intensive treatment infrastructure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves in situ purification of produced water by reducing WSO concentration, enabling compliance with regulatory discharge limits and reducing treatment costs by utilizing existing equipment, thereby improving the profitability of oil and gas production.
Implementation Method 1
mixing a produced water with 1 ppm to 50,000 ppm by weight of an adsorbent particulate to form a slurry
Implementation Method 2
separating a purified produced water from the flow of slurry, wherein the purified produced fluid includes a lower concentration of one or more WSO than the produced water
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of treating a produced water having one or more water soluble organic compounds (WSO) dispersed therein include mixing the produced water with 1 ppm to 50,000 ppm by weight of an adsorbent particulate to form a slurry; and separating a purified produced water from the slurry, wherein the purified produced fluid includes a lower concentration of one or more WSO than the produced fluid, wherein WSO is the fraction of the dissolved and dispersed hexane extractable compounds in the produced water that does not flash off at 85° C., and adsorbs onto silica gel.