Tekna

Heavy Oil Technology for

Offshore Applications
Chemistry and Physics of
Heavy Oil and other
Dispersions
Per Eivind Gramme
Special Advisor
Grenland Group ASA
Stavanger, 14.-15. May 2009
Factors stabilizing emulsion and slows
down gas/oil/water separation
Inorganic particles
Organic precipitated particles
Napthenic acids
Asphaltenes
Resins
Wax
Organic acids
Etc.
1. Surface active components stabilizing the
gas/oil and oil/water interface
a) Foam
b) Emulsion
2. Large molecules (ex.: wax and asphalthenic
components) increasing the viscosity
of the crude oil
TWO MAIN FACTORS STABILIZING CRUDE OILS
Interface stabilisation by
surfactants
Handeled by adding
antifoam agent and de-
emulsifier
Oil viscosity
Handeled by increasing
the processing
temperature
100 cP
Factors stabilizing emulsion
Viscosity of crude oil
Surfactants
Particles that are surface active
The emulsion stability is a function of Water Cut
The emulsion stability is a function of Water Cut
Water cut
Water cut
The effect of water cut and the need for de-emulsifier
The crude oil separation properties are dependant on the
system pressure!
1 10 100 1000
System pressure (bar)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Relative rate of separation
Bottom hole sample
Wellhead sample
Separator 1
Separator 2
Stock
tank oil
Downhole Separation
Subsea Separation
Topside Separation
Oil/water separation is strongly dependent on system
pressure
0 20 40 60 80 100
Water cut (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Water separated within 4 min (%)
P sep = 1 bara
Crude 1 at 245bar
Crude 2 at 300bar
Crude 3 at 180bar
Crude 4 364bar
Crude 5 at 170bar
Crude 6 at 1bar
Crude 7 at 1bar
Crude 8 at 1 bar
Downhole
Topside
0 20 40 60 80 100
Water cut (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Water separated within 4 min (%)
P sep = 1 bara
Crude 1 at 245bar
Crude 2 at 300bar
Crude 3 at 180bar
Crude 4 364bar
Crude 5 at 170bar
Crude 6 at 1bar
Crude 7 at 1bar
Crude 8 at 1 bar
Downhole
Topside
0 20 40 60 80 100
Water cut (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Water separated within 4 min (%)
Crude 9 at 175bar
Crude 9 at 1bar
100% sep.
Downhole
Topside
0 20 40 60 80 100
Water cut (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Water separated within 4 min (%)
Crude 9 at 175bar
Crude 9 at 1bar
100% sep.
Downhole
Topside
Light and medium heavy crudes Heavy crude
S
e
p
a
r
a
t
i
o
n

e
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y
Topside and LP separation
Subsea separation
Downhole separation
The structure of oil/water interface and fluid viscosity
changes with T and P
T
1
and P
1
T
2
and P
2
The important stages of destabilization
Step 1: Drainage of liquid
between droplets
Step 2: Breaking the droplet
surface
Surfactants
Polymerization at
the interface
Action 1: Control viscosity by
temperature or use
diluent
Action 2: Remove surfactants
from the interface using
de-emulsifier or (Psys)
Step 1
Design the prosess such that the
oil viscosity in the gravity
separators and the electrostatic
coalescer is less than 5 7 cP!
0
5
10
15
20
10 60 110 160 210
Temperature (deg.C)
O
i
l

v
i
s
c
o
s
i
t
y

(
c
P
)
Oil continuous separation of heavy crudes is dependent on the
viscosity which is controlled by the the processing temperature
0
50
100
150
200
10 15 20 25 30
API Density (-)
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

(
D
e
g
.
C
)
The heavy crudes
need to be heated in
order to bring the
viscosity below
approx. 5 to 7 cP for
efficient processing
Operation at higher
temperatures is limited
by materials and
corrosion aspects,
instrumentation and
safety aspects!
Data from fields offshore Brasil
Naphtha as diluent may also be used to reduce the oil viscosity
1.Naftas high API
density ensures very
efficient dilution of
heavy oil
2.Nafta is compatible
with asphaltenes and
is easily reuseable
3.Nafta has low affinity
versus water ( 0,04
g/l)
Effects of viscosity and surfactants on separation
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
2 7 12 17 22 27 32 37
Viscosity continuous phase
R
e
q
u
i
r
e
d

l
i
q
u
i
d

r
e
s
i
d
e
n
c
e

t
i
m
e
Separation limited by viscocity
Separation limited by
surfactant
stabilization
Oil from
field A
Destabilization using
de-emulsifiers
Viscosity reduction by
increasing the
prosessing temperature
For efficient gravity separation
the viscosity of the oil should
be less than 10 cP preferably
below 7 cP
10 cP
Step 2
Select a de-emulsifier that is
reactive towards the surfactants
stabilizing the water droplet
surface!
1. The de-emulsifier is specific for the present crude
oil !
2. The de-emulsifier is specific for the processing
temperature and pressure !
3. The way of adding the de-emulsifier and dosage
control is important !
4. Multiple dispersions caused by mixing wells is a
challenge !
The basic effect of a de-emulsifier
+
=
Surface active
Oil soluble
+
=
Effect of de-emulsifier
What dosage of the de-emulsifier is required .
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 10 100 1000
Dosage (mg/l)
E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
Optimal dosage
The required dosage of de-emulsifier depends on:
1. The type of surfactants present
2. The concentration of surfactants at the interface
3. The droplet size distribution and the droplet concentration.
4. The flow rate of crude oil
Add de-emulsifier only once unless otherwise specified!
Dosage
The dosage of de-emulsifiers .
0 20 40 60 80 100
Demulsifier dosage (ppm)
0
20
40
60
80
100
% of water separated in 2 min.
Up
Do
1. De-emulsifiers should always be added just
upstream choke valves or a high shear device
in order to obtain fast mixing into the crude and
to improve the access to the surface of the
droplets.
2. The more viscous the crude is the longer
reaction time is needed. If possible,
deemulsifiers should be added at well head or
ever better, down-hole.
3. The dosage of de-emulsifier is dependent on
the system pressure.
Usually less de-emulsifier is required at higher
system pressure
4. De-emulsifier should be eveluated at system
conditions and NOT using stabilized crudes and
bottle tests.
Effect of adding deemulsifier upstream a choke
valve (19 API crude)
What affects separation in a gravity separator?
GAS
OIL
WATER
Free sedimentation
Break-down of foam
Free sedimentation
Hindered sedimentation
Break-down of emulsion
The important mechanisms are:
1. Droplet break-up due to shear upstream
separator
2. Sedimentation (free and hindered)
3. Droplet coalescence
4. Droplet coalescence in dense packed bed
5. Gas flotation
6. Other mechanisms?
Viscosity correction factors for break-up models
( )

+ =
5 . 0
sm d
d
disp
D
964 . 0 02 . 1 F
Correction factor for dispersed phase viscosity based on the Viscosity no.:
Correction factor for the continous phase (tentative):
4 . 0
0 c
c
cont
F

=
where
c0
= 1 cP
Effect of viscosity on droplet break-up
Continuous phase viscosity
Dispersed phase viscosity
Effect of oil viscosity on coalescence and sedimentation in
gravity separation
Droplet coalescence Droplet sedimentation
Effect of oil viscosity on emulsion layer break-down
Break-down of emulsion layer
Gas bubbles in emulsion band counteract break down
of emulsion layer and separation
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Watercut (%)
W
a
t
e
r

s
e
p
a
r
a
t
e
d

w
i
t
h
i
n

4

m
i
nOW separation
GOW separation
Why is gas entrained into the oil/water phase?
G
G
O/W
1. There is always small gas bubbles present in
the G/O/W fluid entering the inlet cyclone.
2. As the oil is gas saturated and the pressure
is partly released before the separator, small
bubbles are formed (20 150 m)
3. At higher watercuts the apparent viscosity of
the liquid may be significantly higher than
the pure oil.
4. The water droplets and gas bubbles move
countercurrent within the cyclone. The gas
bubbles is therefore hindered in reaching the
gas core.
Inefficient gas/liquid separation by
inlet devices / inlet cyclones due to
small bubble size and high oil phase
viscosity (heavy oils)
Why is gas entrained into the oil/water phase?
1. High velocities and bubble flow in
upstream piping
2. Upstream inlet heater
3. Choking at manifold
4. Pressure drop across inlet device
Bubble flow in the upstream piping
Size of dispersed bubbles in bubble flow regime.
Mixing multiple wells in a manifold
Conclusions
Evaluate chemicals and required dosage level at realistic process
conditions.
Be careful trying to assess the separation properties of a given
crude oil based on operational experience from a given gravity
separator.
The separability reflects the fluid itself, but also the upstream
system and the actual separator design.
For more viscous crude oils both
viscosity and droplet stability has
to be adjusted in order to attain
optimal separation.
Be careful avoiding gas bubbles in
dense packed droplet layer when
designing the separator.
Avoid or control multiple
dispersions.
Thank You !