CETCO's CrudeSep technology observed at 96% efficiency
June 11, 2008
Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, Scotland -- CETCO Oilfield Services has installed a £500,000 ($983,000), permanent water treatment package on the Apache and Santos Stag platform off Dampier in Northwest Australia. The unit has been observed as separating up to 96% efficiency.
CETCO shipped a 48-in. (122-cm) diameter CrudeSep Induced Gas Flotation (IGF) unit to the Stag platform as part of a planned produced water treatment system upgrade.
The technology is designed for the high efficiency removal of oil, gas, and solids either upstream or downstream of a three phase separator. Within a CrudeSep vessel, gravity oil separation is enhanced by induced gas flotation and swirling flow, where gas bubbles are injected midway up the vessel using eductors. Produced water is then withdrawn from the CrudeSep in the lower half of the unit and used to drive the eductors.
During trials of the vessel on the Stag platform, the unit achieved an oil recovery rate of up to 96% when used in conjunction with the recycle pump and an inlet injection of chemical RBW24362. At this level of performance the inlet oil in water (OIW) levels ranged between 200 and 9000 ppm with the outlets being as low as 10 ppm.
The average efficiency of the skid unit was over 75% throughout the optimization trails and once the unit's recycle pump was online, the average efficiency increased to 89% and at times was observed as being as high as 96%.
CETCO also has supplied specialist personnel to operate the unit and provide training to the Apache offshore workforce.
06/11/2008
