This Handout....

Chemicals are one of the tools that can be used at an oil production or treating installation to solve a
problem, increase the production, give better water quality or give a better quality of the oil or gas.
Chemicals are being used in many process systems, among them:
Water Injection
Oil & gas production
Gas separating & dehydrating
Utilities
etc..
There is almost always a large stock of various chemicals on the installations, each dedicated to
a particular purpose. Therefore specialized products are necessary to ensure that they
are optimally effective
are being used in a safe way
are being used in an economical way
This handout describes chemical treatment of all types and gives a short description of typical
properties for each chemical.

Why Are Chemicals Needed?

Production of oil, gas and water:
The oil can contain wax, asphaltenes and other solids. Water can cause corrosion in process equipment
and pipe lines, precipitation of salts, and give emulsion with oil.
Gas can cause foaming, and corrosion due to CO2 or H2S.
These problems are solved with correct design or USE OF CHEMICALS

Process of Oil and Produced Water

This group of chemicals are used when the process equipment is not functioning properly, or there are
problems such as scale, corrosion, foaming or emulsions. Again, these chemicals are divided into water
soluble and oil soluble, depending upon in which phase they are to be used.
All chemicals that are supplied and used shall have approved safety data sheets, and complete environ-
mental documentation. Typically, topside process chemicals may include:
Anti foam
Emulsion Breaker
Scale Inhibitor
Corrosion Inhibitor
Wax / Asphaltene inhibitor
Flocculant
Microbiocides
Where do problems occur in oil production?
Perforating zone/ Production tubing: Scale, Wax, Asphaltenes

Topside Process: Emulsions, Foam, Scale, Corrosion

Utility: Scale, Corrosion,
Water injection: Scale, Corrosion, Bacteria growth
Export: Wax, Water, Hydrates
Well and flow line
Scale dissolver:
In production tubing / flow line, acids are normally used to remove calcium carbonate. For barium
sulphate, sequestrants (Scale Dissolvers) must be used.
Acids:
Depending of the steel quality the acid and inhibitor that effectively removes the carbonate scale, but
at the same time shows acceptable corrosivity against the steel quality must be defined and blended.
Examples of acids are: hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid,nitric acid or citric acid. Process specific
corrosion inhibitors are required.
Sequestrants: Are normally used to remove/dissolve sulphate scale. The chemicals are often based on
EDTA or its homologs. They do not release gas or give a noticeable exothermic reaction. These are more
generic.

Hydrate Inhibition:
Normally methanol is used to avoid hydrates in pipeline, or when starting or closing a well.
Methanol is toxic and flammable and must be handled with care.
To overcome the HSE issues of methanol neweasily handled chemicals are applied. These chemicals are
specific for each type of process and distribution system

Oil Processing
Crude oil is a geographically unique and complex substance, that is formed under high pressure and
temperature. An infinite mixture of organic chemical components exist in light, paraffinic, or heavy oils.
These include, waxes up to C60, esters, organic acids, asphaltenes and napthalenes.
Depending on the make up of the above components, the crude oil has its own specific characteristics
such as, specific gravity, wax content, pour point, colour, etc.
The crude oil can cause a series of problems such as:-
Wax deposition
Emulsion problems
Residual Oil in Water problems
North Sea oil Texas oil Utah oil

Process of Oil and Produced Water

Wax Inhibitors

Mode of operation
Change the crystal structure in such a way That further growth is not possible. Some of the wax
inhibitors are defined as dispersant type chemicals that keep the wax crystals in Solution and prevent
them from depositing.

Typical injection point

For well and production tubing: Downhole injection
For topside process: Production manifold
For export lines: upstream of the oil coolers

Typical Dosage rates

Depending on the wax content of the oil, but normally 20 - 200 ppm
Typically physical properties
Flash point <63 deg C (depends on the solvent)
Viscosity: 20 - 100 cP
Health: Irritating, depending of the solvent (see MSDS sheet)

Compatibility
Depends upon the solvent in the product, but in general; Not compatible with water or other water
soluble chemicals. Use white spirit or naphtha for dilution Compatible with most steel types

Wax

Wax is present in most crude oils at normally < 5%. In the Pacific Rim wax content ranges from 10 to
60%. Wax is detected by industry specific analytical methods (IP) and normally represents that fraction
of the oil with carbon number C-18 to C-60. Wax crystals are formed when the oil is cooled, in
connection with production from the wells.
Subsea pipelines
Heat exchange
The wax crystals form at specific temperatures (wax appearance point).
Methods to avoid wax precipitation
Heat
Solvents (e.g. xylene)
Wax inhibitors
Mechanical equipment

Wax inhibitors modifies the structure on the growing crystal, either by co - crystallization or by
absorption to the surface of the wax crystal Further growth will then be stopped

Asphaltenes

Asphaltenes are present in most oil, and is mainly responsible for the black colour of the oil. Chemically
asphaltenes can be described as very complex hydrocarbons with a ring structure. They are charged
molecules, and therefore they can agglomerate due to electrochemical binding mechanisms.
Asphaltenes are defined as the hydrocarbons that are not soluble in pentane - C5.
Asphaltenes deposit during production after the following process changes:-
Physical effects as pressure drop
Cooling
Mixing of oil from several wells/formations.

Emulsions

Emulsions are defined as one phase dispersed in another Emulsions are dynamic, they change with
operating conditions.
There are two types of emulsions
Water in oil emulsions (WIO)
Oil in water emulsions (OIW), or reverse emulsions
Oil will easily emulsify with water, when the following conditions are present:
Energy - normally pressure loss over the choke or valve and mixing in a high shear pump
Emulsifier - normally a chemical component in the oil or other substances such as wax, solids etc.
Separators are designed for separation of oil, gas, and water, but if an emulsion is formed. To help the
separation process, we use;
Heat
Chemicals (emulsion breaker)
Chemicals (flocculants)

Emulsion breaker:

Mode of operation
Reduces the surface tension on the micro water droplets. These will then coagulate to form larger water
droplets and fall out of the oil. They separate the water from the oil and give a sharp clear interface

Typical injection point(s)

Normally they are injected as early in the system as possible. If that's not possible, increased dosage
rate may compensate for this.

Typical dosage rate

Normal dosage rate for emulsion breakers is in the area 5 - 25 ppm based on total flow Rate (oil +
water). Some heavy crudes require much higher doses

Typical physical data

Flash point > 63 0C
Viscosity: 20 - 100 cP depending of the temperature and solvent

Emulsion breakers
are used when the natural separation of oil / water is not satisfactory.
Water - in oil emulsion_ Demulsifier Treatment - Surface active polymer + Separation of oil and water

Emulsion breakers are formulated for each process. Because the process of oil changes with time
(caused by new wells, increased water cut, etc.) the system specific emulsion breakers must be
optimised from time to time. Emulsion breakers are made up of three to four active components in a
solvent system.
The active components normally consist of polymers, of esters, polyols, block polymers and other
surface active polymers. Total active content of an emulsion breaker is usually 30 - 40 %, but dosage
rates are calculated as ppm of product.
Hydrates start forming even at moderate pressure and temperature below 10 0C. Hydrates are snow-
like crystals that are build up of methane and water. This hydrocarbon ice can plug pipelines and destroy
process equipment.

1m3 of hydrate contains 150 m3 of methane. Hydrates can be avoided by injection of methanol or
glycol, and the same chemicals can be used to dissolve ice plugs Methanol is very toxic and very
flammable. Safe handling procedures must be impressed upon the customer. Be careful!
Generally
Methanol is very flammable. Flash point -16 0C.
Neutralizing amines and alkanolamines are often irritating To skin and have a sharp smell
Most corrosion inhibitors are toxic to marine life