Oil and gas production handbook An introduction to oil ... - ABB Group
Oil and gas production handbook An introduction to oil ... - ABB Group
Oil and gas production handbook An introduction to oil ... - ABB Group
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Polyelectrolyte<br />
Methanol (MEG)<br />
TEG<br />
Hypochlorite<br />
Biocides<br />
mist <strong>and</strong> liquid drops. <strong>An</strong> antifoam agent is introduced<br />
upstream of the separa<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong> prevent or break down<br />
foam formation by reducing liquid surface tension.<br />
Polyelectrolyte is added before the hydrocyclones <strong>and</strong><br />
causes <strong>oil</strong> droplets <strong>to</strong> merge. This works by reducing<br />
surface tension <strong>and</strong> water polarity. This is also called<br />
flocculation, <strong>and</strong> polyelectrolyte flocculants allow<br />
emissions <strong>to</strong> reach 40 ppm or less.<br />
Methanol or monoethylene glycol (MEG) is injected in<br />
flowlines <strong>to</strong> prevent hydrate formation <strong>and</strong> prevent<br />
corrosion. Hydrates are crystalline compounds that<br />
form in water crystalline structures as a function of<br />
composition, temperature <strong>and</strong> pressure. Hydrates<br />
appear <strong>and</strong> freeze <strong>to</strong> hydrate ice that may damage<br />
equipment <strong>and</strong> pipelines.<br />
For normal risers, hydrates form only when <strong>production</strong><br />
s<strong>to</strong>ps <strong>and</strong> the temperature starts <strong>to</strong> drop. Hydrate<br />
formation can be prevented by depressurization which<br />
adds <strong>to</strong> startup time, or by methanol injection.<br />
On longer flowlines in cold seawater or Arctic<br />
climates, hydrates may form under normal operating<br />
conditions <strong>and</strong> require continuous methanol injection.<br />
In this case, the methanol can be separated <strong>and</strong><br />
recycled.<br />
Hydrate prediction model software can be used <strong>to</strong><br />
determine when there is a risk of hydrate formation<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> reduce methanol injection or delay<br />
depressurization.<br />
Triethyleneglycol (TEG) is used <strong>to</strong> dry <strong>gas</strong> (see the<br />
chapter on scrubbers <strong>and</strong> reb<strong>oil</strong>ers).<br />
Hypochlorite is added <strong>to</strong> seawater <strong>to</strong> prevent growth<br />
of algae <strong>and</strong> bacteria, e.g., in seawater heat<br />
exchangers. Hypochlorite is produced by electrolysis<br />
of seawater <strong>to</strong> chlorine. In one variant, copper<br />
electrodes are used, which adds copper salts <strong>to</strong> the<br />
solution that improves effectiveness.<br />
Biocides are also preventive chemicals that are added<br />
<strong>to</strong> prevent microbiological activity in <strong>oil</strong> <strong>production</strong><br />
systems, such as bacteria, fungus or algae growth.<br />
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