Publications

In handling produced crude oil emulsions, operators are faced with the following two problems: 1. Economical demulsification so as to produce crude oil acceptable for sale, and 2. cleaning up the demulsified water (brine) so that it meets environmental requirements or is suitable for injection. This paper will discuss the use of a mini-separator that permits selection of cost-effective demulsifiers. The unit, operated with a one gallon per minute side stream of the produced fluid, accurately predicts oil quality, water quality, and chemical consumption. After the emulsion is broken, the water (brine) contains solids and dispersed or emulsified oil in quantities that have to be reduced to a level so that the water is suitable for disposal or injection. Conventional tanks, although expensive, are currently the most economical means for separating solids or oil from produced water. The current method for sizing tanks is based on residence time. A means for measuring the particle size distribution of solids and oil droplets is presented. With this information, solids-or oil-water separation tanks can be sized with more confidence in the expected performance.