Produced Water Emulsion Testing for Low-OGC Chemical Screening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The use of chemical products in petroleum processing leads to increased oil and grease content (OGC) in produced water, violating environmental regulations and causing reservoir damage during reinjection, with suppliers lacking information on product impacts and offshore evaluations being complex.
Innovation Solution
A method to evaluate the impact of chemical products on OGC by preparing synthetic emulsions mimicking produced water, measuring OGC, and assessing filtration time and oil retention to identify products with minimal impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If chemical products are added to the oil stream for petroleum processing, then processing efficiency is improved, but the oil and grease content (OGC) in produced water increases, violating environmental regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by conducting impact evaluations of chemical products on OGC before they are deployed in offshore operations. Synthetic emulsions are prepared in advance to simulate produced water conditions, allowing the surfactant activity and potential OGC increases to be assessed beforehand. This enables selection of chemical products that maintain processing efficiency while minimizing environmental impact, thus preventing regulatory violations before they occur.
2Productivity
If chemical products with surfactant activity are used to improve petroleum processing, then separation efficiency is enhanced, but dispersed oil concentration in water increases, causing environmental compliance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying the concentration of chemical products and the composition of synthetic emulsions to evaluate their impact on dispersed oil concentration. By changing parameters such as surfactant concentration, oil type, and salinity in controlled experiments, the patent identifies optimal product formulations that maintain effective separation while minimizing oil dispersion in produced water, thus resolving the contradiction between separation efficiency and environmental compliance.
3Productivity
If produced water is reinjected into the reservoir, then waste disposal is achieved, but cake formation increases, plugging the rock and increasing injection pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by evaluating the impact of chemical products on cake formation and injection pressure before reinjection operations begin. Synthetic emulsions mimicking produced water are prepared with various chemical additives, and their behavior during simulated reinjection is assessed. This allows identification of chemical formulations that minimize cake formation and pressure buildup, enabling effective waste disposal through reinjection without excessive pressure increases that could cause fracturing or other undesirable consequences.
4Measurement precision
If chemical product impact evaluation is conducted at the primary processing plant, then direct assessment is achieved, but offshore operations require complex boarding procedures, increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by creating synthetic emulsions that replicate the key characteristics of actual produced water, including salinity, pH, and oil content. These copied samples can be evaluated in controlled laboratory settings or onshore facilities, eliminating the need for complex offshore boarding operations while maintaining measurement precision. The synthetic emulsions preserve the essential behavior of produced water regarding chemical product interactions, allowing accurate impact assessment without the logistical complexity of offshore field tests.
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
Reduces OGC irregularities and intervention frequency, selecting products that minimize OGC and facilitate filtration, thus reducing fines and reservoir damage risks.
Implementation Method 1
preparation of synthetic emulsions using oil, mimicking produced water, produced water mimicked with the chemical product whose impact is to be evaluated and saline water with said chemical product (without oil)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a method for evaluating the impact of chemical products on the OGC of produced water, comprising the steps of: (i) preparation of synthetic emulsions using oil mimicking produced water, produced water mimicked with the chemical product whose impact is to be evaluated, and saline water with said chemical product (without oil); (ii) measurement of the OGC of the samples; and (iii) evaluation of the obtained data.Further, the invention refers to a method for evaluating the impact of chemical products on the reinjection of produced water, comprising the steps of: (I) preparation of synthetic emulsions using oil mimicking produced water and produced water mimicked with the chemical product whose impact is to be evaluated; (II) measurement of the OGC of the samples; (III) measurement of the filtration time; and (IV) evaluation of the obtained data.