Modeling of Inversion Point for Heavy Oil-Water Emulsion Systems

Ersoy, Gizem; Yu, Mengjiao; Sarica, Cem

doi:10.2118/115610-pa

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…The selection of the demulsificator is crucial for breaking emulsions, and to date its mechanism of action still is not fully understood. In this regard, it is crucial to understand the behavior and properties of the potential formation of emulsions in the system and the role and effect that different chemicals might play during the treatment of emulsions 10,25,26 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow Assurance Applied Research Proposal for Heavy Oil Crudes from Green Offshore Naturally Fractured Reservoirs to Delivery Points

Camacho-Velázquez

Gómora‐Figueroa

Cortés

et al. 2014

Day 1 Wed, September 24, 2014

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This paper presents a research project proposal to ensure the optimum flow assurance for the development of heavy crudes, from offshore reservoirs to delivey points, considering several field facilities, which include optimum application and performance of chemicals to suppress or attenuate the precipitation of organic and inorganic deposits, corrosion inhibitors, as well as the treatment of emulsions produced due to the presence of formation water during production. The interaction between chemicals employed in well stimulation treatments and those used for crude dehydration is also considered.This proposal intends setting the basis to optimize flow assurance by minimizing the chemical dosage in the production and transportation facilities, maximizing the useful life of the employed chemical products. In order to achieve this goal it is necessary to include; -Laboratory studies to characterize heavy oil, water and gas properties and the interactions between the different fluids present, which allow evaluating the generation and stability of emulsions, hidrocarbons stability, and corrosion index of water, for example. -Evaluation of chemicals for flow assurance in the reservoir, lifting fluids in production wells, including artificial lift systems, as well as surface transportation and treatment fluids, and the interaction between these chemicals at different points during hydrocarbons production. -Generation of reservoir, well completion, wellbore and surface transport models.Pressure analyses show that production is dominated by high porosity vugs, and that the vertical permeability of vuggy areas is relevant for fields sharing an aquifer due to water channeling and the possible formation of emulsions inside the reservoir in the reion close to the producing wells.The assessement of the aforedmentioned issues can lead to the control and/or prevention of emulsion formation, solids deposition and corrosion. Besides, addressing each of these issues individually, it is important to assess the influence of a mixture of several chemicals at the bottomhole and surface facilities, providing useful information to anticipate and avoid additional complications derived from the application of several chemicals to address flow assurance problems from the reservoir to the delivery points.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow Assurance Applied Research Proposal for Heavy Oil Crudes from Green Offshore Naturally Fractured Reservoirs to Delivery Points

Camacho-Velázquez

Gómora‐Figueroa

Cortés

et al. 2014

Day 1 Wed, September 24, 2014

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Characteristics and Inversion Point of Heavy Crude Oil Emulsions in Kuwait

Ghloum

Rashed

Al-Attar

2015

SPE Middle East Oil &Amp; Gas Show and Conference

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This paper presents an experimental study on how to characterize the heavy crude oil emulsion necessary for the development of design basis. Heavy crude oil emulsions (as oil-in-water or water-in-oil) are generated through the production system starting from well bottom pump, gathering flow line network and fittings all the way to the process facility. Most of the cases, these emulsions are very challenging to be broken and this challenge could be very sharp with the presence of higher asphaltene content. Emulsions nature is an important aspect in the heavy crude business to look at it as this will determine the project feasibility (in terms of $/barrel oil treated). The paper shows the stability and rheological properties of hot and cold-produced heavy crude oil emulsion samples over a wide range of operation and field conditions. Emulsion samples were first characterized including physical properties for both water and oil phases. A comprehensive testing program has considered a number of sensitivities such as: temperatures, demulsifiers dosage, mixing and shear rates and water cuts. Through the lab results, it can easily be seen that cold-produced heavy oil emulsion (CP-HO) is very stable over the tested sensitivities. However, the addition of chemical dispersants has accelerated the water separation regardless the presence of demulsifier. Another important finding is that the inversion point of the CP-HO emulsion could not be seen over the water cut range tested while the hot-produced heavy oil emulsion (HP-HO) inversion point has been noted at around 60% of Water cut. Moreover, five different viscosity correlations were validated against the experimental data for one HP-HO emulsion sample at different water cuts. The results showed that the correlation described the experimental data quite adequately at low shear rate and low temperature.

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Viscosity Modelling of Pyrenees Crude Oil Emulsions

Tjoeng

Loro

2016

SPE Asia Pacific Oil &Amp; Gas Conference and Exhibition

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The formation of oil-water emulsions presents a major challenge for the petroleum industry. Emulsions in wells and flowlines cause higher viscosities and lead to larger pressure drops, reducing production performance. The empirical modelling of emulsion viscosity as a function of water cut is presented. Measurement techniques for emulsion viscosity in a laboratory are explored and their use in a multiphase flow simulator to predict well and flowline pressure drops is explained. The reverse of this methodology can also be used with field data to back calculate the ostensible emulsion viscosity curve. Using the BHP Billiton operated Pyrenees oil development as a case study, this paper contrasts the laboratory derived and reverse engineered viscosity curves generated across a number of wells that have produced to the point of natural emulsion inversion. A possible mechanism for the differences between the two is proposed. In the latter part of 2014, a campaign of downhole demulsifier dosing across the Pyrenees fields was intiated with considerable success. The impact of this chemical injection on emulsion viscosity modelling is also explored in detail.

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Modeling of Inversion Point for Heavy Oil-Water Emulsion Systems

Cited by 5 publications

References 13 publications

Flow Assurance Applied Research Proposal for Heavy Oil Crudes from Green Offshore Naturally Fractured Reservoirs to Delivery Points

Flow Assurance Applied Research Proposal for Heavy Oil Crudes from Green Offshore Naturally Fractured Reservoirs to Delivery Points

Characteristics and Inversion Point of Heavy Crude Oil Emulsions in Kuwait

Viscosity Modelling of Pyrenees Crude Oil Emulsions

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