Polymer Flood Produced Water Treatment Trials

Al-Maamari, Rashid S.; Sueyoshi, Mark; Tasaki, Masaharu; Kojima, Keisuke; Okamura, Kazuo

doi:10.2118/172024-ms

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…• Water treatment costs required to meet water quality standards for polymer preparation, water re-injection and/or water disposal (Al-Kalbani et al, 2014c;Al-Maamari et al, 2014;Batonyi et al, 2016;Henthorne, Walsh & Llano, 2013;Jacob et al, 2015;Rambeau et al, 2014Rambeau et al, & 2015Wu et al, 2013;Yang, L., Zhihua, W., Xianglong, Z., & Shanzhe, W., 2015).…”

Section: Summary Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, most of the studies documented in the literature mainly focus its attention on emulsion stability and its impact on oil-water separation, water treatment and production facilities (i.e. nutshell filters, heater treaters) due to the back produced polymer (Al-Kalbani et al, 2014;Al-Maamari et al, 2014;Bartz and Gotterba, 2015;Delamaide et al, 2014b;Geremia, and Bennetzen, 2016;Jacob et al, 2015;Rambeau, O., Jacob, M., Jouenne, S., & Cordelier, P., 2014;Wu et al, 2013;Wylde, Slayer & Barbu, 2013;Yang, Zhihua, Xianglong & Shanzhe, 2015;Zheng, F., Quiroga, P., & Sams, G. W., 2011).…”

Section: Water Emulsions In the Presence Of Polymersmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Historical and recent observations in polymer floods: An update review

Manrique¹,

Ahmadi²,

Samani³

2017

CT&F Cienc. Tecnol. Futuro

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Polymer flooding has been the most widely used chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method. The experience gained over the past decades from laboratory studies to project design and field implementation has been well documented in the literature. The main objectives of this paper are to evaluate recent observations of polymer floods that report injection rates leading to pressure values above the formation fracture pressure (FFP), high polymer production, formation of tight emulsions and/or productivity losses.Based on this review, it can be concluded that no direct evidence exists to support that injecting polymer above the FFP will lead to more polymer production. However, uncertainties associated with the estimation of fracture propagation/dimensions using pressure Fall-Off Tests (FOT) still remain. High polymer production, other than severe channeling, is generally reported in large scale/commercial projects. The impact of oil geochemistry/ composition and water salinity on oil-water-polymer emulsions is commonly overlooked in polymer flood studies. The formation of in-situ emulsions can also explain the injectivity and/or productivity reduction and well test interpretation (i.e. FOT) reported in polymer floods. It was also identified that the OPEX (Operational Expenditures) associated with oil-water separation in the presence of polymer and productivity losses (i.e. workovers, stimulation costs) are generally underestimated. Finally, this review is expected to contribute with the planning, design and implementation of future polymer flood pilots and field expansions. OBSERVACIONES HISTÓRICAS Y RECIENTES EN INYECCIÓN DEPOLÍMEROS: REVISIÓN ACTUALIZADA. OBSERVAÇÕES HISTÓRICAS E RECENTES DE INJEÇÃO DE POLÍMEROS:REVISÃO ACTUALIZADA. EDUARDO MANRIQUE et. al. 18 L a inyección de polímeros es el método químico de recobro mejorado con mayor número de implementaciones a escala de campo. La experiencia adquirida en las últimas décadas desde estudios de laboratorio hasta el diseño e implementación de campo ha sido bien documentada en la literatura. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es evaluar observaciones recientes de proyectos de inyección de polímero reportando tasas de inyección por encima de la presión de fractura de la formación, alta producción de polímero, formación de emulsiones viscosas y/o pérdidas de productividad.Basados en esta revisión, se puede concluir de que no existen evidencias directas de que la inyección de polímero a tasas que impliquen superar la presión de fractura induzcan a una mayor producción de polímeros. Sin embargo, existen incertidumbres relacionadas con la estimación de las dimensiones y propagación de fracturas utilizando pruebas de caídas de presión (FOT). La alta producción de polímero, por razones diferentes a canalizaciones severas, generalmente se reportan en proyectos a escala comercial. Por otra parte, el impacto de la composición y geoquímica del crudo y de la salinidad del agua en la formación de emulsiones agua:petróleo:polímero ha sido subestimado en estudios de in...

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Section: Summary Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Water Emulsions In the Presence Of Polymersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical and recent observations in polymer floods: An update review

Manrique¹,

Ahmadi²,

Samani³

2017

CT&F Cienc. Tecnol. Futuro

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…It has been reported that the viscosity of the back produced water can reach few centipoises. Conventional water treatment technologies are directly impacted by the increase of viscosity (Al Kalbani 2014;Al-Maamari 2014;Zheng 2011). Loss of efficiency can reach more than 50% for flotation devices, and up to 90% for hydrocyclones.…”

Section: Water Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management of Viscosity of the Back Produced Viscosified Water

Rambeau

Alves²,

Andreu

et al. 2016

Day 3 Wed, March 23, 2016

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A side effect of EOR polymer flooding on topsides process chain is the generation of stable thin emulsion in viscous water phase. Both viscosity and severe emulsion impede the efficiency of water treatment technologies. The viscosity of the back produced polymer increases the time of clarification of oily water phase. The target of the water treatment specialist would be to collapse the viscosity of the produced water.The main concern is to decrease the viscosity of the produced water containing polymer back produced, acting on the degradation of the polymer without generating more severe oily emulsion. Shearing, a well known mode of degradation has been compared to other techniques such as chemical oxidation (bleach) and sonication. All the tests were performed with a high molecular weight polyacrylamide commonly used in EOR; at bench lab scale on synthetic viscosified produced water and on back produced water from field with cEOR flooding. Degradation efficiency was evaluated through viscosity measurements and polymer molecular weight analyses. This paper presents the results of the different investigations carried out to drop the viscosity of the produced water to an acceptable value for water treatment. Chemical oxidation using bleach has proved its efficiency on synthetic produced water. Different shearing conditions and different powers of sonication have also highlighted actions on the polymer and on the viscosity of the water phase.Even if all the tested degradations lead to a significant viscosity drop of the synthetic viscosified water, the improvements on water treatment were not equivalent. Analytical measurements of the molecular weight of the degraded polymer allowed initiating a scale of degradation efficiency.The efficiency, feasibility, difficulty, beneficial impact on water treatment and level of readiness of the technology have been estimated. An assessment of the different techniques for the polymer degradation in water treatment is presented at the end of this paper.The feasibility to decrease the viscosity of the back produced water would allow to simplify the water treatment process chain dedicated to polymer flooding case. Works continues on integrated water treatment process, including pre-degradation of the polymer back produced.

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“…Combining chemicals is a promising way to get good water quality. Use of complex coagulants optimizing the flotation has been reported (Al Maamari 2014;Deng 2011;Zhang 2015). However, avoiding the formation of deposits, depending on their type, is a paramer to consider as well, as it has a great impact on process maintenance.…”

Section: Bench Lab Tests On Synthetic and Real Viscosified Produced Wmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical Solutions to Handle Viscosified Back Produced Water in Case of Polymer Flooding

Rambeau

Alves²,

Loriau

et al. 2015

Day 3 Wed, November 11, 2015

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Polymer flooding is used as a secondary or tertiary recovery mechanism to enhance oil production and increase oil reserves. In such situations, part of the injected polymer will be back produced at the topsides at different ratios depending on the injection mode and along field life. The side effects of polymer flooding on the topsides process chain are identified as manageable trouble regarding oil/water separation, and major issues at the water treatment stage.The presence of polymer in the produced water increases the viscosity and the severity of the emulsion. Literature dealing with viscosified water has already highlighted decreases of efficiency of water treatment technologies such as hydrocyclones, flotation, generating inadequate water quality for produced water reinjection (PWRI). A common way to optimize flotation on field is to inject additives. But the polymer impedes the action of conventional chemicals used in O&G Production.Chemicals usually help to improve the water quality, regarding constraints of PWRI. This paper focuses on chemical approach along the separation and water treatment chain in case of back produced polymer.For this study, we used HPAM, a high molecular weight polyacrylamide commonly used in EOR. Previous works on conventional water treatment additives have shown a high consumption of chemical to clarify viscosified water, which is not economically practicable. Therefore, we proposed to explore another approach, first taking care of water quality upstream at the separation stage, then pursuing on chemical optimization at the water treatment stage.At first, a lab methodology for separation studies was developed to generate a thin emulsion with controlled degradation of the polymer, simulating the characteristics of the back produced viscosified water on field. A screening of demulsifiers was carried out on emulsion containing 10% oil and synthetic polymer back produced water (up to 500 ppm HPAM). These tests have shown that water quality can be improved at the separation stage, at conventional dosage at lab scale. The remaining oil in water for 10% initial oil, depending on the residence time, is maintained in the range of few tens to few hundreds ppm. Water treatment optimization reference case was then based on few hundreds ppm of remaining oil.For water treatment studies, oil in water emulsions were prepared by mixing oil with synthetic or real viscosified water (up to 500 ppm HPAM) with an ultra-turrax homo genizer. Different types of clarifiers ranging from 50 to 100 ppm were evaluated. These tests have shown that water quality can be improved using a combination of adequate additives. These bench lab results were confirmed on a lab conventional technology, and could be further evaluated in field trials for an integrated solution.

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Polymer Flood Produced Water Treatment Trials

Cited by 7 publications

References 5 publications

Historical and recent observations in polymer floods: An update review

Historical and recent observations in polymer floods: An update review

Management of Viscosity of the Back Produced Viscosified Water

Chemical Solutions to Handle Viscosified Back Produced Water in Case of Polymer Flooding

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