Oil in Water emulsion specialists

[chowles]

I am involved in an issue regarding the formation of an emulsion on a gas production platform. Currently, an emulsion forms downstream of the production separator due to high oil carry-under with the produced water being accelarated through the Pressure Control Valve.

We are in the process of changing the operating conditions of the platform, this will result in increased velocities in the production flowlines - there is a concern that an emulsion could be formed as a result of the increased velocities.

Does anyone have any experience of this probelm themselves, or can anyone suggest a specialist company or consultant who can help predict the likely hood of an emulsion forming and formulate a solution/preventative action?

Thanks

 

[olaya]

Breaking "oil in water" emulsions is a well known technique among water treatment companies. I have worked with very tough emulsions in petrochemical plants. The following questions must be answered:

1.- How much emulsion are we expecting, GPM? approx?
2- Approximate % oil in the water (range)?
3- If you can obtain a 1 gal sample i can refer you to 3 or 4 companies that will gladly do the tests for you and recommend an EMULSION BREAKER compound for your specific emulsion.

In other words, i recommend to wait for the emulsion to form and then break it. You will get an oil phase (mostly oil with some water) and and an oil-free(relatively speaking) water phase.

 

[chowles]

Olaya, thanks for your reply. I would be very interested to know the names of some companies that can do tests and find a suitable demulsifier. We have a number of samples of the current emulsion - the exact concentration is being analysed, but visually, we have a bottle of full cream milk! We are in the process of sending the samples to specialist companies to find a demulsifier, so your recommendation for companies will be very helpful.

Thanks

 

[saxon]

chowles, There are two types of emulsions that can be created, one chemical and the other mechanical. As for the formation of a mechanical emulsion (which seems to be your problem)this is dependant on the Reynolds No. calculated and the flow regime; either laminar, transitional or turbulent which are Reynolds number dependant. Mechanical emulsions normally begin to occur in the transitional regime and are guaranteed to occur in the turbulent regime. The secret to not creating this type of emulsion is to reduce rate of flow/fluid density or increasing pipe dia./viscosity. Thereby reducing the Reynolds number and hence keeping the flow regime laminar.

As for any companies that specialize in oil/water separation, contact any of the manufacturers of API Separators or associated types of equipment.

Hope this helps.
saxon

 

[olaya]

Suppliers of REVERSE EMULSION BREAKERS (chemicals to break oil in water emulsions) are, among others:

ONDEO NALCO
PETROLITE
TRAMFLOC (

http://www.tramfloc.com)

GE BETZ

 

[yorkjim]

Another possible solution would be to prevent, or at least reduce, oil carry over from the production separator. This may be possilbe with recently developed coalescing media.

 

[Muggle]

You will find that Orenda Technologies (800-322-1648) makes a very good emulsion breaker that is EPA rated. Dick Kersey is the owner -give him a try.

Dave Orlebeke/Aquatic Technologies

 

[209larry]

chowles,

Emulsions are actually asphaltenes, and not formed by mixing oil and water. It structure contains oxygen, nitrogen and sometime sulfur. You cannot separate as oil and water. These are the characteristics of your reservoirs. The only way to combat these is reduce flowrates from the identified wells.

209larry

 

[Nosey]

209larry,

Have spent some time recently working on gas platforms and their produced water systems I can safely say that I have NEVER thought that emulsions were asphaltenes. I have read extensively on subject of produced water in general and gas/cond platforms specifically and never seen any reference to this. I have also spent a significant amount of time working on oil platform produced water systems (although not so recently).

In my experience emulsions tend to be formed by high shearing (due to high pressure drops or pumping) of one of the liquid phases. This problem can then be compounded by the presence of various chemicals such as corrosion inhibitor. Emulsions can also be formed by overdosing some other production chemicals.

I have no doubt that asphaltenes do form and that in some cases this exacerbates the emulsion problem, but in the overwhelming majority of cases (and the one asked about in this thread) it is not the cause of the problem.

Regards

Nosey

 

[asesor]

Asphaltenes do not tend to form emulsions due to the fact that they drop to the bottom of the tank or container where they are. The best and technically correct explanations were those of saxon and olaya. I work designing treatment plants for tool washing areas and Nalco, Champíon and Baker have very good demulsifiers. Now if you have a white milky fluid it means a high water/oil proportion, and also a mechanical homogeinization proccess ( a pump may do that) .
Check if you can reduce the oil entering the solution before the pump, with olefhilic filters .

 

[asesor]

Sorry, I meant to write oleophillic filters ( filters that absorb oil and let water pass through)

 

[lyonramirez]

An easy estimation for the type of emulsion is to take a sample and let it stay for 24 hour. Observe the %volume of oil that separates. 80 to 90% separation implies mechanical emulsion. 65 to 85% implies chemical tendency emulsion and 65% or less implies chemical emulsion. Conduct a Jar test using diferent emulsion breakers and use a coalescer for oil-water separation. Separation will be very easy since oil spec gravity is very low.

 

[209larry]

Chowles,

Crude oil with high asphaltene content has a high probability of having permanent emulsions. Asphaltenes are usually in cluster formations with resins and oil. Asphaltene clusters when crushed and opened by mixing or by passing thru chokes, orifice and control valves, attracts water molecules. Thus you will have oil-asphaltene-water bonding together to form emulsion.

What I suggest is not to have three-phase(gas,water and oil) separation offshore. Separate your oil, water and emulsion onshore. Onshore, drain your water/emulsion via coriolis meter. For example, liquid with specific gravity >1.00 should be diverted to waste water treatment, 0.85 to 0.98 to emulsion and slops tank and shutoff valve when your coriolis meter is detecting oil.


209larry

 

[Nosey]

209Larry

what sort of offshore facilities have you been working on that could possibly allow such a scheme? I would love to hear how we could justify removing all the processing offshore.