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Installation:
For many Oil & Gas Production systems, both offshore
and land based, the fluid dynamics need to be modified during transit
through the MFC's to bring the fluid parameters within the operating
range required for magnetic treatment of fluids to function. This change
can be achieved by use of specially designed
Scale-X MFC's that
incorporate fluid velocity amplifiers and flow profilers.
Scale-X MFC's
incorporating these functions, can be strategically located at specific
locations within the production process. These units can be installed in
oil wells, in process piping or within pressure vessels and are
installed at, or just prior to, identified scaling points. They can also
incorporate vortex breaker and inlet diffuser functions.
A typical offshore platform oil / water separation process system
may require multiple stages of
Scale-X MFC's as shown
schematically. Multiple stages
of Scale-X MFC's
may also be required to treat
oil wells because of the long fluid run
distances and progressive heat loss and pressure reduction (gas
release).
Cause:
Scaling
typically occurs as a consequence of a pressure reduction, which, for
example, allows
dissolved carbon dioxide to come
out of solution. Depending on the CO2 saturation levels, and
pressure maintained within the process, it may be necessary to apply
multiple stages of
Scale-X
MFC's. Calcite, an inorganic mineral salt, is the most common and most
proliferous scale deposited in oil production systems and is easily
treated. Oil and gas production systems also suffer from organic scaling
of paraffin, wax and asphaltenes
Scale-X MFC Installed in a South China Sea
Offshore Platform Oil Separation Vessel
An
MFC
installed in an oil & water separation
vessel treating 5,300,000 litres of crude oil
and formation water per day
Outcomes of Installing MFC's:
Magnetically treated fluids eliminates scale formation on all surfaces
including valves, pumps and instrumentation as wells as vessel and pipe
walls. The successful elimination of scale problems in control valves using Scale-X MFC's was the subject of a
technical article published in Chemical
Engineering in Australia, Newsletter of IE Aust. The
following is a typical example of eliminating scale formation in valves
on a
South China Sea offshore oil platform.
Flow Control Valve Without and With
Scale-X MFC's Installed
Maintenance:
Oil & Gas production systems are often in remote locations,
where shutdown and maintenance costs are difficult, hazardous and
expensive. In addition to the maintenance expense, there is a
significant cost associated with lost production as a result of the
process being shut-down for maintenance for scale removal. Installation
of
Scale-X MFC's can eliminate the scale problem and the need
for maintenance shutdowns for such, resulting in significant savings and
increase in production output.
No Production Losses Due to Scale Build Up: As scale build up can be totally eliminated, there is no
cumulative drop-off in production levels due to flow restrictions caused
by scale formation in pipes, valves and vessel outlets. This results in
a significant increase in production, which would normally return the
cost of installation of the
Scale-X MFC's many times over each year. Also, valves remain
operational and separation vessel liquid levels and pressure do not need
to be ramped up. All of these benefits were achieved by a Scale-X MFC's
installation on a
South China Sea offshore oil platform
which experienced severe scaling problems from the "formation water"
which required the platform to be shutdown and de-scaled every 3 months.
Elimination of Environmental Hazard: A potential
health and safety environmental hazard associated with some locations is
the existence of trace amounts of Naturally Occurring Radioactive
Materials (NORM), which often occur in small and acceptably safe
concentrations in the bulk oil, water & gas streams. However, many of
these NORM components are often preferentially deposited in scale
deposits that can form in many production processes. Consequently, the
scale becomes a particularly hazardous material, and special handling
procedures must be adopted to safely deal with the removal and disposal
of this hazardous scale material. The first hazard occurs when the scale
is physically removed, where personnel are required to enter the vessel
or pipe lines to scrape off the scale deposits. The second hazard occurs
when the removed scale containing NORM and/or other components (this may
include mercury, etc.) are collected and sent to land based "land fill"
sites for disposal of hazardous materials. The installation of
Scale-X MFC's can
prevent the build-up of scale deposits, and consequently, prevent the
NORM problem entirely, as these materials typically occur in low enough
levels to be classified as safe when they are maintained in the total
oil & water stream |
