Introduction to produced water treatment

Nature Technology Solution

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................2

1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................3
1.1 THE ORIGIN OF P RODUCED WATER .................................................................................4
1.2 THE PRODUCED WATER COMPOSITION ............................................................................4
1.3 PRODUCED WATER IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT ........................................................5
1.4 PRODUCED WATER MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS .........................6
2 CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR WATER TREATMENT ........................7
2.1 GRAVITY BASED SEPARATION - FLOTATION....................................................................7
2.3 SEPARATION TECHNIQUES BASED ON FILTRATION ..........................................................8
2.2 CYCLONIC S EPARATION METHODS ..................................................................................8
2.4 NEW CHALLENGES IN HANDLING PRODUCED WATER .....................................................9
3 PRODUCED WATER MANAGEMENT MINIMIZING PRODUCTION ................9
3.1 SUBSEA SEPARATION .......................................................................................................9
3.2 DOWNHOLE TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................10
3.3 WATER SHUT-OFF METHODS ........................................................................................11
3.4 SIDETRACKING...............................................................................................................11
4 RECENT PRODUCED WATER TREATMENT DEVELOPMENTS ........................11
4.1 SEPARATION BY FILTRATION .........................................................................................12
4.2 WATER TREATMENT BY EXTRACTION ...........................................................................12
4.3 ENHANCED OIL SEPARATION BY M EANS OF COALESCENCE ..........................................12
4.4 METHODS BASED ON ADSORPTION ................................................................................13
5 THE NATURE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS.............................................................13
5.1 THE NATURE PROCESS FOR PRODUCED WATER TREATMENT ........................................14
5.2 THE NATURE PROCESS WHY ADVANTAGEOUS? .........................................................14
5.3 NATURE EXPERIENCE WITH PRODUCED WATER ............................................................15

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1 INTRODUCTION

Large quantities of water are produced along with hydrocarbons in oil and gas fields all over
the world. Water production quantities continue to increase as the oil and gas fields reach
maturity. Produced water comes as a bi-product of petroleum production and requires to be
managed efficiently.

A great deal of scientific research has been carried out to determine the consequences of
long-term exposure of produced water on the environment. Some of this research has given
alarming results. It is reported that some of the toxic components in produced water may
cause irreversible damage to the surrounding environment. Because of this potential risk
very considerable efforts are being expended by the oil companies operating in the North-
East Atlantic into developing new techniques to better manage produced water. Remaining
oil in treated and discharged produced water is the principal source for hydrocarbon
discharges from the petroleum sector in the North East Atlantic. The produced water and
hydrocarbon production profile for a typical oilfield is illustrated in Figure 1.

Production Profile for a Typical Oil Field

60000
Production volume [m3]

50000

40000

30000

20000

10000

0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Oil field operating time [yr]

Water prod Oil prod

Figure 1 - Typical production profile for an oilfield in the North East Atlantic

The figure demonstrates the significant change in the water/oil ratio when the oilfield reach
maturity, and water by far becomes the biggest fraction of the production.

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1.1 The Origin of Produced Water

Water is very often found together with petroleum in the reservoirs where the water, as a
consequence of higher density than oil, lays in vast layers below the hydrocarbons in the
porous reservoir media. This water, which occurs naturally in the reservoir, is commonly
known as formation water. After oil and gas production has been occurring for a time, the
formation water will reach the production wells and water production will initiate. The well
water-cuts will normally increase throughout the whole oil and gas field lifetime, such that
when the oil production from the field is shut down, the oil content can be as low as a couple
of percent with ninety eight percent water.

To maintain the hydraulic pressure in the petroleum reservoir, which is reduced as soon as
production is started, seawater is commonly pumped into the reservoir water layer below the
hydrocarbons (Figure 2).

Figure 2 - Re-injection of separated water from an offshore installation (Ill: Courtesy of BJ Services )

This pressure maintenance due to water injection causes high extensions in recoverable
hydrocarbons but simultaneously contributes to increased water production.

1.2 The Produced Water Composition

The compositions of formation water originally in place vary significantly in characteristics

between the different reservoirs. As field production is initiated, produced water composition

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from the production wells may be continuously transformed due to injection of seawater, re-
injection of produced water, reservoir stimulation, bacterial activity, introduction of
production chemicals and more.

Produced water is basically a mixture of formation water and injected water but also contains
smaller quantities of:

o Dissolved organics (included hydrocarbons)

o Traces of heavy metals

o Dissolved minerals

o Suspended oil (non-polar)

o Solids (sand, silt)

o Production chemicals

Dissolved hydrocarbons are found naturally in formation water and can be both toxic and
bio-accumulative. Such water-soluble components, which in produced water are mainly
BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and
alkylphenols, are together with heavy metals considered the most harmful contaminants in
produced water.

1.3 Produced Water Impact on the Environment

The most common practice in use in the North East Atlantic for management of produced
water is treatment in gravity based separation equipment and discharge to sea. For a long
time the only governmental regulation for produced water discharges in this petroleum
sector has been concerning concentration of non-polar oil in water (OIW). Little attention
has been given to dissolved organics.

There is now wide agreement within the petroleum industry, governments and scientists that
focus should now be put on dissolved organic components, heavy metals and production

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chemicals. The oil in water content shall be as low as possible and the industry shall make
use of best available technology (BAT).

Figure 3 presents history and forecast for the water production on the Norwegian continental
shelf (Norwegian Petroleum Department).

Figure 3 Forecast of water production on the Norwegian continental shelf (Ill: Courtesy of NPD)

The quantity of produced water in Figure 3 that is not discharged to sea is re-injected into the
reservoir or to another formation suitable for disposal.

The long-term effects of such contaminants on the environment are not fully documented
and understood. Some research programmes are completed and several new studies are
underway to map possible consequences for living organisms. Dilution aspects and
movement of species in the oceans makes definite conclusions hard to make. There are so
many variable that the modelling is extremely complex. Results from recent research show
however that fish exposed to alkyl phenols have disturbances in both organs and fertility.
These results are serious and have triggered further investigations.

1.4 Produced Water Management and International Agreements

A common legislation for produced water discharges to sea from offshore installations has
been 40 mg/l (ppm) OIW. The Oslo Paris Convention (OSPAR) has agreed that the

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maximum discharge limit is reduced to 30 ppm OIW for the petroleum companies operating
in the North-East Atlantic and that the overall oil discharges in produced water are reduced
by 15% from 1999 levels. In Norway, the oil operators have agreed to implement a policy of
zero environmental harmful discharges within 2005. There shall be no harmful discharges
from any new installation, and existing installations shall continuously work against a
practically achievable zero environmental discharge.

In Norway the Pollution Control Authority (SFT) together with The Norwegian Oil
Industries Associations (OLF) have developed a produced water management tool, the
Environmental Impact Factor (EIF), to meet the zero-discharge strategy. The EIF is a model
for optimising the activities taken to reduce the most harmful components in produced water
for each offshore installation. Contrary to the existing OIW legislation in place today, the
EIF considers all the contaminants in the produced water.

2 CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR WATER TREATMENT

During petroleum production, vast volumes of liquids have to be managed each day.
Deferred production causes high economical losses and therefore continuous operations is
always strived for. The capacity, reliability and performance of the produced water
management system is often critical for continuous oil production particularly in mature oil
field where the water production can greatly exceed the oil production. The water production
system needs to be designed to receive continuously increasing quantities of water as oil
production continues.

2.1 Gravity Based Separation - Flotation

Produced water treatment has traditionally taken place in gravity based equipment, where the
difference in the density of the two liquids to be separated is utilized. Such separation is
commonly performed in huge horizontal tanks at different pressures. Flotation of the lighter
components (oil) can be enhanced by means of finely distributed gas bubbles going out of

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solution (pressure reduction) and parallel plate packages installed diagonally in the
separation vessel.

2.3 Separation Techniques Based on Filtration

A well known technique for separating non soluble components is by filtration. Several
principles for handling produced water have been considered including microfiltration
membranes and media filters. Such treatment technologies are potentially advantageous
because of very good separation degrees can be achieved. However microfiltrations has
found very limited practical application because of cost and poor operability, very high
energy consumption and degradation of the filters elements with use.

2.2 Cyclonic Separation Methods

The continuous demand for higher treatment capacity in very limited

space has resulted in improved treatment methods. The most commonly
used technology in offshore production since around 1990 is the static
hydro cyclone that utilizes available pressure for enhanced speed in
gravity separation. The advantages for this equipment type are high
reliability (no moving parts), low maintenance, requires very little space,
gives good separation effect and high capacity. The figure to the right
[Ill: Deister] shows the water (red) going out in the underflow, while oil
(blue) is forced into the middle and led out in the cyclone overflow.

Another application for separation of oil and water is high-effect

centrifuges. Because the device is motor driven it is often used for low-
pressure water streams. This kind of equipment has high energy and
higher maintenance requirements.

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2.4 New Challenges in Handling Produced Water

Gravity based separation techniques have together with static hydro cyclones been the most
extensive method for treating produced water. Other types of equipment have also been
utilized, mostly in special cases with difficult operating treatment characteristics or small
volumes, though to a less extent. Even if produced water systems more or less have
functioned as intended with respect to the design specifications, the future has brought new
considerations regarding what is sufficient treatment.

A good alternative for disposal of produced water would be to send it back into the reservoir
where it came from as part of the pressure support, or to another suitable formation.
Unfortunately this requires extensive treatment prior to re- injection and due to high costs it
is an economically viable alternative mainly for fields with large water production. Re-
injection could also cause degradation of the reservoir production quality and productivity.

3 PRODUCED WATER MANAGEMENT MINIMIZING PRODUCTION

Based on the serious uncertainties connected to the long-term environmental effects from
produced water discharges and in order to be preventive of possible environmental damage
legislation is now being tightened. On the Norwegian continental shelf in the North-East
Atlantic, the government and the oil companies have agreed to zero harmful discharge in
produced water by the end of 2005. The petroleum industries operating in the area are
investigating several ways of meeting the new requirements.

3.1 Subsea Separation

In order to reduce the necessary processing capacity in the petroleum treatment plant, it
could be advantageous to separate as much as possible of the water fraction from the well
stream at an early point in production sequence. By placing first stage water/oil separation

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process equipment on the sea bottom it will not be necessary to transport all the water to the
platform processing facility. The Platform facility is greatly simplified with significant
weight reduction. The water separated at the seabed can be injected into a shallower well
formation. Figure 4 presents a graphic illustration of the Troll Pilot subsea installation in the
Norwegian continental shelf.

Figure 4 - The Troll pilot subsea unit (Courtesy of Norsk Hydro (Ill: Arctic))

3.2 Downhole Technology

A further step in reducing the water-cut from the production stream is to locate oil/water
separation process equipment down in the production wells. This technique has been
investigated extensively the last years. The produced water is separated from the oil and gas.
It is then pressurised by downhole hydraulic pumps and re- injected into the reservoir. The
technology is still only in pilot design. It is still very expensive. The complexity increases
with reservoir depth. Vertical Downhole Oil/Water Separation (DOWS) systems have been
used to some extent world wide (< 40) in the last six years. A new more complex horizontal
separation system is under pilot testing pilot testing in Norway.

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3.3 Water Shut-Off Methods

In order to reduce the water flow to the well production zones, there are two traditional
methods utilized. During mechanical shut-off, cement or mechanical devices blocks the
water pathway by plugging the perforated production section. The chemical shut-off includes
injection of polymers into the reservoir that increases the water viscosity, forms a stable gel
and thereby restricts the water flow ability.

3.4 Sidetracking

An increase in water production for example as a consequence of water break-through in the

production zone could be stopped by pulling the well internals, closing down the perforated
zone (mechanical shut-down) and drilling to a new section. Figure 5 illustrates several
sidetrack wells drilled off from the old original.

Figure 5 - Illustration of sidetrack wells (Ill: Courtesy BP Exploration Inc. )

4 RECENT PRODUCED WATER TREATMENT DEVELOPMENTS

As there is still no economically practically method for disposal of all the produced water via
re-injection or various recycle methods, a range of innovative wastewater technologies have
been developed or are under development. The different technologies all have their operating

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characteristics that make them suitable for only certain produced waters or operating
characteristics. There is a major focus on new technique to remove dissolved components
from produced water.

4.1 Separation by Filtration

Utilization of membranes has been considered for treatment of oily wastewater to reduce
dissolved components. The new systems include the use of nano filtration membranes.
However, although the filtration method has very good separation effect, the high costs and
complexity of these treatment techniques means that applications are only experimental.

4.2 Water Treatment by Extraction

Another technology that has been widely tested on both pilot and full scale on the
Norwegian continental shelf is rooted in the solvent properties of supercritical liquids
(CTour). The process utilizes liquid condensate (NGL) from the gas scrubbers and injects it
into the produced water upstream of the hydro cyclones. The dispersed and dissolved
hydrocarbons, which have higher solubility in the condensate, go into the condensate phase
and are separated in the hydro cyclones. This equipment has undergone extensive pilot
testing and its field tests are imminent. The process is very sensitive to the available
condensate quality.

4.3 Enhanced Oil Separation by Means of Coalescence

Several modern produced water treatment methods are based on the coalescing of dispersed
oil droplets, often prior to cyclonic separation. The devices are installed upstream of the
cyclonic vessels to increase oil droplet diameters which will result in better separation
degree in the hydro cyclones. The process of coalescence could be accelerated by different
means.

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One method is to install a special fibre media in the pipelining or the hydro cyclone vessels
that attracts oil droplets and promotes coalescence into larger aggregates. These systems
have no effect on removing dissolved hydrocarbons, but are simple and easily retrofitted.
The fibre media is sensitive to fouling and any abrasive elements (sand) in the water.

Other processes include combinations of chemical injection (coagulation/flocculation) and

mechanical agitation in specially built vessels.

Compact flotation units are hybrid cyclone/degassers that could replace standard degasser
equipment.

4.4 Methods Based on Adsorption

Adsorption has proven a successful area in maintaining compliance with produced water
discharges. Unfortunately most processes involve filters and therefore are restricted in
volume or require advanced regeneration processes which could be both energy demanding
and expensive. The adsorption techniques include activated carbon filters with regeneration
by wet air oxidation and oil-adsorbing media canisters based on resins, polymer and clay
technologies.

The Nature Technology Solution treatment of produced water is also based on adsorption
and will be further described in the following chapter (5).

5 THE NATURE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Nature Technology Solution (Nature) provides state of the art treatment and management of
most kinds of contaminated wastewater. Nature is delivering services and equipment for
efficient handling of polluted wastewater from onshore, shipping and the offshore industry
(Figure 6).

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Figure 6 - The Shell Draugen Platform in the Norwegian Sea (Photo Courtesy of Shell)

Nature offers a range of physical, chemical and biological treatment methods for industrial
wastewater.

5.1 The Nature Process for Produced Water Treatment

The Nature process for treatment of produced water is based on addition of patented
coagulant/flocculant in existing or partially modified water systems. The agent is injected
into the produced water upstream a static mixer or various process equipment (pumps,
valves etc.) to provide sufficient in- mixing. The agent separates dispersed and dissolved
hydrocarbons and is floated and skimmed off in a flotation vessel downstream the in- mixing
point.

5.2 The Nature Process Why Advantageous?

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The Nature process combines coalescence and adsorption and significantly reduces dissolved
and dispersed hydrocarbons from produced water to less than 5 ppm. The Nature process
utilizes documented non- hazardous agents for professional treatment of oily produced water.
Implementation of new process equipment is usually not needed. The Nature technology
provides excellent water handling at low capital and operating costs. Rapid processing time
promotes small, less heavy and more compact treatment facilities.

5.3 Nature Experience with Produced Water

The Nature technology has achieved good results in separating both polar (dissolved) and
non-polar (OIW) hydrocarbons from several produced water types from the Norwegian
continental shelf.

Produced water from the Shell operated Draugen installation was treated with Nature
coagulant in the spring 2002. The OIW concentration was 93 ppm before treatment with
Nature coagulant. Three different doses were used during fixed in- mixing and flocculation
time of 150 and 120 seconds respectively. Draugen salinity was measured to < 3.4 %.
Produced water temperature was 50 C. Figure 7 presents reduction of OIW following
treatment with three different doses Nature coagulant CF 200 (dry solid).

Reduction of OiW vs. Dosing of Nature Coagulant

(fixed in-mixing time(150 s), fixed flocculation time(120 s))
100
93
Oil in water [ppm]

80
60
OIW
40
14
20
9 4
0
0 ppm 20 ppm 40 ppm 60 ppm
Dosing of Nature coagulant CF-200 (dry solid)

Figure 7 - Reduction of OIW concentration for the Shell Draugen installation

The Nature technology also achieved good results in OIW reduction in produced water from
the Statoil Statfjord C installation in the North Sea, winter/spring 2002 (Figure 8).

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Figure 8 - The Statfjord C installation in the North Sea (Photo Courtesy of Statoil)

The results are presented in Figure 9. In- mixing and flocculation time was fixed to 30
seconds each. The produced water temperature and salinity was 80 C and 3,6 %
respectively. The OIW concentration in the Statfjord C produced water was 19 ppm before
treatment with Nature coagulant. Three different doses of Nature coagulant CF 200 (dry
solid) were added to the water.

Reduction in OiW Concentration vs. Dosing (fixed

in-mixing and flocculation time, 30 sec. each)
20
19
Oil in water [ppm]

15
11
10 OIW
5 4
5

0
B.T. 5 ppm 10 ppm 15 ppm
Dosing of coagulant CF-200 (dry solid)

Figure 9 - Reduction of OIW concentration for the Statoil Statfjord C installation

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Nature has also performed tests on produced water from Kuwait to discover the potential of
the Nature technology on separation of hydrocarbons. The water samples were collected
from the disposal well 501 and the disposal pit.

The produced water trials with the samples from Kuwait revealed that the Nature coagulant
effectively reduced the hydrocarbon concentration in water from the disposal well 501
(Figure 10). The blind test showed an OIW concentration of 18 ppm.

REDUCTION OF OIL IN WATER CONCENTRATION VS.

DOSING OF FLOCCULANT - DISPOSAL WELL
20
18
concentration [ppm]

15
Oil in water

10
6
5
3 3 2
0
BT 20 40 60 80
Dosage of Nature CF - 200 [ppm]

Figure 10 - Reduction of OIW concentration from disposal well water (Kuwait)

Four tests were performed on disposal well water at 50 C. In- mixing and flocculation
periods were set to 60 and 120 seconds respectively.

The water sample from the disposal pit had such low oil in water concentration (2 ppm) that
further testing was cancelled. The salinity in the Kuwait produced water was quite high,
measured to 10 % salt concentration.

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