REFINING THE
METHOD T
here is always an element of risk when selecting chemistries to facilitate oil, water and gas separation, particularly if the test work is conducted using synthetic emulsions and foams created from dead oils and/or assumed brines, rather than freshly sampled, live, produced fluids. In some cases, such as a new field start-up, this is the only option for product selection testing. It is therefore imperative to ensure the test methodology is correct in order to maximise the likelihood of selecting separation products – such as demulsifiers and antifoams – that will provide effective separation performance for the produced fluids not just in the laboratory but in the live process itself. This article summarises the demulsifier and antifoam selection test work for a unique heavy oil start-up in the North Sea. The major focus is on the early selection work and field testing (using pre-production drilling samples), then the subsequent changes to approach and methodology used for further product selection work in order to improve upon the original recommended chemistries, with a particular focus on demulsifier and antifoam applications.
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