Produced Water Deoiling
Organic & Inorganic Coagulants | Emulsion Polymeric Flocculants
NovaPhase 6000 Series comprises emulsion polyacrylamides (EPAM) that are used for effective phase separation of suspended oil in water. Removal of tiny droplets of oil from water can be achieved through chemical assisted flocculation. Utilizing synthetic water-soluble/water-dispersible polymers known as cationic polyelectrolytes, the negatively charged surfaces are neutralized which aid in overcoming the repulsive forces at the oil drop surface. Novamen has a series of emulsion polyacrylamide differentiated by molecular weight and charge densities. Molecular weight can range from 1-60 million Daltons and is characterized indirectly by the measurement of standard viscosity.
Applications
Water reuse is an important aspect of steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) operation to minimize waste generated while providing quality water to the boilers for steaming. To successfully convert the produced water to soft and clarified water, the use of flocculant through careful on-site jar testing or bottle testing is a requirement for every facilities.
In produced water de-oiling, a cationic flocculant is being injected into the flow line before entering the Induced Gas Floatation (ISF) chamber. With the gas induced to the chamber, small bubbles entrained disperse into the vertical chamber attract and adhere to hydrophobic particles. The bubbles expand in size and rise in the ISF chamber. The turbulence flow inside the chamber and sweeping motion helps the flocs and oily froth skimmed from the surface. A constant supply of bubble prevents the flocs and oily froth from settling avoiding recontamination of produced water.
In water softening, a warm lime softener (WLS) or hot lime softener (HLS) are utilized for removal of hardness and improve the turbidity of the produced water. Because the formation of flocs or sludge plays a key function in those softeners, it’s critical to select a flocculant that could produce a sludge blanket of controlled depth and consistency.
Product Screening
Novamen recognizes that selection of flocculant for SAGDs ISF, WLS or HLS units can be a challenging job. It requires a thorough understanding of the system and careful planning to come up with the correct flocculant. At the treating facilities, on-site jar testing or bottle testing with a fresh produced water is recommended for the screening of NovaPhase 6000 series of products.
Dosage Rate
Product dosages will vary based on specific applications and oil content. On average optimum performance is achieved within a range of 2 ppm to 10 ppm. In cases where there’s really high oil content on the produced water at the inlet of ISF, WLS or HLS units, an organic coagulant (NovaPhase 7000 Series) can be used with the flocculant. To carry the process, a stand-by provision to introduce the organic coagulant should be in place during a high-oil excursion situation.
Benefits
Novamen’s list of flocculant offers the following benefits:
- Total removal of oil & grease on produced water
- Improve the produced water turbidity (removal of suspended solids)
- Improve the efficiency of the ISF, WLS or HLS units
- Increase water re-use thus decrease freshwater usage for boiler applications
