Clariant Oil Services Solves Overboard Water Problems for Gulf of Mexico Facility

Benefits

• Clariant Oil Services provided a production system analysis and solution for the operator 
• Successful treatment resulting in no water discharge violations for several years

Background

A major operator in the Gulf of Mexico had been experiencing intermittent overboard water problems. The field consisted of five platforms (A, B, C, D and E) that flowed total fluids to the main facility (also E), where the fluids were separated and the water discharged overboard.

Fluids from Platforms A and B flowed to C, and then pumped to Platform E. The process equipment on E consisted of a high and low pressure separator that was two-phased and flowed to a heater treater. At this point, the oil was sold and the water went to a small skimmer, then a float cell before discharging overboard. The fluids from D flowed into the separators on E, while the fluids from C went directly to the treater. Incoming temperatures were between 65oF and 80oF with 125oF at the treater.   

The incumbent demulsifier was only effective when the temperature of the treater was above 110oF and had 30 minutes of retention time. Due to fluids from Platform C being pumped twice a day to the treater, the retention time would decrease and the temperature would drop to 105oF during pump start-up.

Clariant Oil Services Solutions and Value Delivered

At the request of the operator, Clariant Oil Services designed a demulsifier, PHASETREAT 6208, to solve the overboard water discharge problems. The product showed excellent oil and water separation at 80oF with 15 minutes of retention time.

PHASETREAT 6208 was injected into the incoming line from D on E, while the injection point for C was moved back to Platform C. This allowed Clariant Oil Services to lower the injection rate and take advantage of the pipeline shipment crude to break the emulsion before it entered the treater. Due to the emulsion being broken before it entered the treater, only a 5oF drop was noticed with very little change in water quality. A water clarifier from Clariant Oil Services, FLOCTREAT 7874, was used at the treater water dump outlet, making the skimmer and float cell more efficient and allowing for more consistent water quality. 

Clariant Oil Services also was given the opportunity to introduce its paraffin inhibitor, WAXTREAT 3028, on Platform D, which showed significant performance increases over the incumbent.

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