Flow Assurance Solutions to Mitigate Naphthenates Problems in Crude Oil Production

Oliveira, Márcia; Rosário, F.F.; Bertelli, Juliana N.; Pereira, Roberto; Albuquerque, Flávio Cortiñas; Marques, Luiz Carlos do Carmo

doi:10.2118/166235-ms

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Fluids from several wells and reservoir formations mix together on a single FPSO resulting in deposition of calcium naphthenate and calcium carbonate solids (see Figure 3) 7,8 In this paper, five different crudes have been investigated; three from a high TAN reservoir and two from low TAN reservoirs. The high TAN crudes produce with low calcium formation waters (1, 840 mg/l Ca) whereas the low TAN crudes are associated with high calcium formation waters (15, 000 mg/l Ca).…”

Section: Current Field Examplementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This result was similar to that recorded by ESI FT-ICR (Electrospray Ionisation Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance) mass spectrometry. 8 Comparison of the APCI-MS spectrum of one of the high TAN crude samples (where ARN is not observed) with a more sensitive HPLC-UV isolation and characterisation method is shown in Figure 5. This indicates that ARN acids present in the crude have been concentrated up in the calcium naphthenate deposits.…”

Section: Current Field Examplementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fields in areas such as West Africa, the North Sea and South America have all experienced calcium naphthenate scaling leading to significant flow assurance issues. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Problems with sodium naphthenate soaps in south-east Asian fields have also been reported. 9 Many studies have focused on solving the problems encountered in specific fields but an increasing amount of research has been done to investigate the importance of various factors, and the mechanisms involved, in naphthenate solids formations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Calcium Naphthenates in Complex Production Systems - Evaluation and Chemical Inhibition Challenges

Nichols¹,

Rosário²,

Bezerra³

et al. 2014

SPE International Oilfield Scale Conference and Exhibition

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Over the last 15 years, much research and many field application studies have led to considerable improvement in our understanding of the formation and mitigation of calcium naphthenate deposits.In this field example, calcium naphthenates and stable emulsions are formed following mixing of fluids from different reservoir formations on a single FPSO. High TAN crudes containing low levels of ARN produce with low calcium formation waters whereas low TAN crudes are associated with high calcium formation waters. Mixing of these two systems has led to calcium naphthenate deposition and associated problems with its removal.This paper outlines the challenges in this complex deepwater subsea production system and the interpretation of the cause of the deposit. A series of laboratory tests using a specialised flow rig were conducted to illustrate the effects of mixing different fluids and identify those mixtures with the largest naphthenate potential.The work further illustrates the effect of bicarbonate ions on the system. Laboratory tests at low levels of bicarbonate (to prevent carbonate scaling at separator conditions) do not result in calcium naphthenate formation when mixing the high TAN crude with the current produced brine (moderate calcium). Naphthenates only formed when mixing with the high calcium brine. When bicarbonate is included at full field levels (in the presence of a scale inhibitor) significant calcium naphthenate formation is recorded with the lower calcium brines. The effect of CO 2 within the produced fluids has also been evaluated.The paper describes how several variables contribute to the likelihood of calcium naphthenate deposition and presents results from several naphthenate formation and inhibition tests covering a range of fluid compositions and mixtures. Chemical qualification in the lab using the worst case fluid mixtures has been conducted to select a calcium naphthenate inhibitor for field deployment. Field trials demonstrate both the effectiveness of the treatments and also the qualification exercise conducted for this field.The results further indicate the complexity of accurately predicting a calcium naphthenate risk while illustrating that, even under challenging conditions, chemical inhibitors are effective in this system.

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Section: Current Field Examplementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Current Field Examplementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Calcium Naphthenates in Complex Production Systems - Evaluation and Chemical Inhibition Challenges

Nichols¹,

Rosário²,

Bezerra³

et al. 2014

SPE International Oilfield Scale Conference and Exhibition

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“…The crude from field B located in this area presents naphthenic acids (high molecular weight naphthenic acids with four acid groups) that are potential for the deposition of calcium naphthenate (17) .…”

Section: Heavy Oil Production In the North Portion Of Campos Basin -Smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Calcium Naphthenates and Calcium Carbonate mixed gunk accumulated in the electrostatic separator vessel of the FPSO(17) .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Scale Management in Deep and Ultradeep Water Fields

2013

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Carbonate and sulfate scales formed on oilfields under natural depletion or water injection support, can occur on a number of critical points from the reservoir to topside facilities impacting on well productivity. Scale control has become a challenging task as oil industry tends to go for deeper water with complex completion wells which may produce from harsh environment conditions (HP, HT). Scale management has become a power tool to assure that oil loss due to precipitation along oil production process be avoided and costs associated to its prevention and remediation treatments be minimized. The most important factor for the success of this approach is that flow assurance strategies are considered in the field planning. Scaling risk analysis should be carried out, assessing scale tendency and intervention difficulties associated with the well design and field features. These issues are addressed in the exploration phase of the field, determining, based on risk analysis and economic evaluation criteria, the appropriate technology to be adopted. In the production phase, production data, down hole pressure measurements as well as chemical monitoring of produced water are essential for diagnosing whether any scale is being formed and to review the decisions made if necessary. In order to demonstrate the suitability of this approach, cases regarding a siliciclastic turbidite and a carbonate reservoirs in the deepwater and ultra-deepwater fields will be discussed showing different scale management strategies, such as, scale modeling by thermodynamic calculations, scale control by using downhole scale inhibitor injection, scale inhibitor squeeze treatment, scale dissolver treatment, sulfate removal unity, and downhole surveillance instrumentation (PDG, TPT).

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Oilfield metal naphthenate formation and mitigation measures: a review

Eke

Victor-Oji

Akaranta

2019

J Petrol Explor Prod Technol

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Process facilities for the separation of hydrocarbons from produced water in the oilfield are critical to flow assurance, product quality and environmental compliance. The formation of metal naphthenates, which are emulsion stabilizers and equipment foulers, is deleterious to performance and integrity of these processes and facilities. Manual removal of deposits of these organic salts formed at the oil-water interface during separation processes is difficult and expensive; hence, the best operational option is inhibition. The conventional method for the inhibition of metal naphthenates, which relies on suppressing the deprotonation of naphthenic acids by common ion effect, is no longer tenable because it exacerbates internal corrosion problems in topside facilities. Current industry focus is on the development of effective surface active agents for inhibition of naphthenates. There are a plethora of chemical compounds with naphthenate inhibition potential such as sulphonates, phosphate esters, aminated phosphonates and sulphosuccinates, but compatibility issues make the choice of inhibitor a complicated process. In this paper, the drivers and mechanism of oilfield metal naphthenate formation are reviewed. Surfactants for oilfield metal naphthenate inhibition and the mechanisms of inhibition are highlighted with a view to process optimization.

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Flow Assurance Solutions to Mitigate Naphthenates Problems in Crude Oil Production

Cited by 12 publications

References 7 publications

Calcium Naphthenates in Complex Production Systems - Evaluation and Chemical Inhibition Challenges

Calcium Naphthenates in Complex Production Systems - Evaluation and Chemical Inhibition Challenges

Scale Management in Deep and Ultradeep Water Fields

Oilfield metal naphthenate formation and mitigation measures: a review

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