Treatment of the Polymer-Flooding Produced Water

Rajnish Choudhary / Siddharth Gupta

INTRODUCTION
The polymer used to sweep oil towards production wells in EOR
technique is resulting in the generation of polymer-flood produced
water (PFPW) of increasing viscosity. Current methods of treating RJOps oilfield produced water must be reconsidered for the effective
treatment of PFPW of such changing quality
The selection of suitable treatment methods/technologies depends
on the water characteristics and chemistry, as well as numerous
other factors, including target treated water quality for re-injection

CHARACTERISTICS OF POLYMER FLOOD PRODUCED

WATER (REF. SPE 95343)
Oil Con. (mg/L) Polymer Con. (mg/l)
550 ~ 650
300 ~450

Viscosity (cP)
2.5 ~4

Temp
40 ~ 45

CHALLENGES

EXISTING
FACILITY

PROPOSED DcASH

PFPW ( multitude of
residual high
molecular weight
polymer , Ca, Mg,
high turbidity and
TDS)

Not ready
for
treatment of
such
changing
water
quality

DcASH ( very low

retention time, high
efficiency & capacity ).
The separation process
of oil droplets from water
phase takes place not
only in the cylindrical
part, but also in the
conical part

OIW ( Smaller &

Existing
stable oil droplets , facility alone
Higher concentration insufficient
) with High viscosity

DcASH - Generation of a
large number of small air
bubbles, which
facilitates the floatation
of fine hydrophobic
particles high viscosity
and small oil droplets

Decreased
Interfacial tension &
Increased zeta
potential

The generation of a
large number of small air
bubbles in hydro cyclone
, could enhance the
separation efficiency

DcASH
INJECTION WATER QUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS
AS PER FDP
Solid
particles
(m )
<5

TSS
mg/L

DO
ppb

< 10

< 10

Iron ppm
<5

Oil content ppm

< 50

Mangala Processing Terminal Process

Flow Diagram

Nil
Bacteria

SEPARATION EFFICIENCY

Ref: - SPE 95343

1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

DcASH ( DOUBLE CONE AIR SPARGED

HYDROCYCLONE )

DcASH
(Double
cone Air
Sparged
Hydro
cyclone )

A new type of Double-cone Air Sparged Hydro cyclone (DcASH)

that is designed to treat produced water from polymer flooding.
More air bubbles are generated in DcASH, more oil droplets are
absorbed on air bubbles and separated from the water phase and
separation efficiency is increased. DcASH - It is based on energy
for inertial collision between a fine particle and an air bubble will
be increased sufficiently in a strong centrifugal force that is
generated by conversion of pressure head into the rotational
motion of swirl flow.
Efficiency
COMPARISON
OF DcASH
CONVENTIONAL
= ( 1 Cu/Ci
) , Cu & AND
Ci oil
concentration in under
flow & Influent
TREATMENT PROCESS
Treatment process
HRT ( Hydraulic Residence Time )
DcASH
2 - 3 Sec
Gravity settling
12 Hrs
Conventional hydrocyclone
2 - 3 Sec
IGF ( Depurator )
30 min

CASE
STUDY
Alkali
, Crude
oil
Coagulants ( AS & PAC
Saponification ( Neg.
recommended )
Oilfields
in OMAN: A pilot plant developed for PFPW
Charge
density
treatment
from an oil field at which polymer EOR was
increase
)
under way. For the inlet PFPW ( viscosity >1.4 cP, 40C,
OIW >200 mg/L ) . AS (Aluminum Surfactant) / PAC
(Polyaluminium chloride) was applied for coagulation &
Flocculation
and flotation
stages
and found to be effective
PFPW
Viscosity
(cP)
in reducing OIW /Polymer concentration.
> 1.4 cP
AS (Aluminum Surfactant)
< 1.4 cP
PAC (Polyaluminium
chloride )
IPTC-17455
CONCLUSION & POTENTIAL
FURTHER WORK

AREAS

FOR

Coagulation with aluminum sulphate ( AS ) was more effective in

removing dispersed oil from higher viscosity PFPW whose viscosity was
higher than ordinary produced water from the same fields.
DcASH has notable advantages & better application prospects than
these other technologies in oilfield polymer flood produced-water
treatment.
GLR ( Gas to Liquid ratio ) is a crucial performance parameter of
DcASH & Experimental results indicated that the optimal GLR range
was 9 to 10% as per paper SPE-95343.
Earlier experiential studies result shows that the DcASH had high
capacity and that its prospects for application in oilfield PFPW treatment
The practical effects of DcASH use for the treatment of polymer
produced water can be experimentally studied
REFERENCES

SPE-95343, Treatment of produced water from a polymer flooding process using a Double cone Air Sparged hydrocyclone.
SPE-172024, Daqing Oilfield companys experimental study .
IPTC 17455 , A new treatment technique of produced water from polymer flooding.
SPE-172024-MS , Polymer flood produced-water treatment trials

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