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Oil, Gas, Petrochemical Industry News
News Release from: Oil Plus | Subject: Crude oil screening tool
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 October 2006
Oil screening to predict calcium
naphthenates
A revolutionary new service launched by Oil Plus has made available a unique set of benefits to upstream oil industry operators, predicting potential naphthenate and sodium emulsion soap problems
A revolutionary new service launched by Oil Plus has made available a unique set of benefits to upstream oil industry operators The new service centres on a reliable and cost-effective crude oil screening tool developed by Oil Plus that enables operators to predict potential naphthenate and sodium emulsion soap problems well ahead of time, and build the appropriate measures into their field development plans at the design stage
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 16 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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In addition, it will assist operators in existing producing fields, who are experiencing calcium naphthenate or sodium emulsion soap formation, to understand these problems and plan effective soap management strategies.
While traditional predictive screening methods are costly, time-consuming and require large volumes of oil, the Oil Plus method provides rapid, accurate and reliable predictions of naphthenate problems.
Applicable to both new and existing oilfield developments the service requires only a 50ml oil sample (stabilised oil samples are acceptable) in order to predict the degree of risk of naphthenate and sodium emulsion soap solids forming during production.
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This provides valuable data, enabling operators to plan management strategies that can be used in the design and development of suitable new production systems.
This wet chemistry method isolates two organic acid fractions from the oil sample.
These are then used to measure the relative concentrations of the waxy acids which lie at the root of sodium emulsion soaps and naphthenic acids which cause calcium naphthenate problems.
Oil Plus then quantifies these results against a comprehensive database of screened crude oils built up as a result of the company's 30 years experience.
These range from oils with no known soap formation, to severe calcium naphthenate and sodium emulsion soap problem oils.
They provide a scale against which the oil sample can be measured and the risk quantitatively assessed.
"Naphthenate and sodium emulsion soaps are problems that are going to become increasingly common in the future," says Oil Plus principal technologist Colin Berry.
"Working closely with our clients we are helping to resolve severe flow assurance issues including ultra-stable emulsions and solids plugging of separation trains.
Previously these have resulted in unplanned plant shutdowns, loss of production and off-specification export oil quality control problems.
The prevention of loss of production is saving operators millions of dollars.
By providing operators with the data they require well before any problems arise, we can give them the tools they need to plan effectively, design new production facilities to mitigate these soap problems and reduce their costs.".
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