GE offers a full solution flow assurance service to ensure the successful and cost-effective flow of hydrocarbon streams from the reservoir to the point of sale. GE’s best-in-class chemistries are formulated as multifunctional for the mitigation of a variety of oil production issues including wax, asphaltene and scale. Our digital oilfield technologies and expert technicians complete our flow assurance program to deliver optimized and uninterrupted flow of hydrocarbons throughout the entire value chain.
Flow Assurance features:
GE’s Prosolv* family of chemical treatment solutions lead the way in paraffin, asphaltene and scale control.
Asphaltene Control
When asphaltene molecules – which are present in most oils and condensate liquids – become destabilized, asphaltene control is needed. Asphaltenes are usually present as a stabilized suspension in hydrocarbon liquids, and the molecules are destabilized by changes in conditions such as pH, electrical charges caused by movement in the reservoir and system, production operations (i.e., acidizing, CO2flooding, mixing production fluids, etc.), and pressure and temperature changes.
When asphaltenes are destabilized, the asphaltene molecules precipitate and form hard and brittle deposits. Similar to the damage caused by paraffin and mineral scale, these deposits can plug pore spaces in the reservoir and near wellbore area, form downhole blockages and emulsions, cause pump failures and tubing blockages, separation issues, and tank bottoms.
Asphaltene deposition is expensive to remove due to labor, equipment and chemicals; causes safety and environmental concerns; results in system downtime and lost production revenue;and at times, causes water treatment issues. Asphaltene is valuable in solution, so the key is to minimize your cost and lost production by keeping the asphaltene in solution from the reservoir to the refinery.
Asphaltene Control features:
GE’s portfolio of Prosolv Asphaltene Controllers are designed to:
- Stabilize asphaltene molecules in hydrocarbon liquids, reducing precipitation and deposition
- Reduce failure risks and provide additional asset integrity and system reliability, especially in subsea or deepwater production systems
- Maximize hydrocarbon production and revenue by maintaining optimal production levels and getting the asphaltene to the refinery
- Minimize separation issues and interface pad stabilized by asphaltene molecules
- Eliminate downhole “rigid film” emulsion
- Reverse skin-damage caused by acid jobs
- Maximize flow through your separation and sales systems
Paraffin Control
Paraffin (wax) is a valuable component of hydrocarbon production. It may be present in trace amounts or constitute more than 50% of total hydrocarbon production in some oil fields. It is of critical importance to prevent paraffin from precipitating in the production system, as it is transported from the reservoir to the refinery.
Paraffin naturally crystalizes, precipitates and forms deposits with changes in pressure and temperature. All system locations are at risk of paraffin deposition once the oil cools to its wax appearance temperature (WAT). The WAT could be downhole (i.e., reservoir and near wellbore, perfs, tubing, pumps), or on the surface (i.e., flow lines, valves, headers, separation equipment, tanks, etc.).
When wax deposits form, they attract more wax crystals and grow, eventually blocking the flow channels. In some instances, wax co-precipitates with mineral scale and asphaltene, increasing the complexity of removal and disposal processes.
GE has formulated specialized Prosolv* Paraffin Control solutions to address paraffin issues consisting of inhibitors, dispersants and solvents. The key is to analyze the fluids and deposits, and assess system operating parameters. With this knowledge, an effective paraffin control program can be designed to minimize operating issues and maximize hydrocarbon production and revenue.
Prosolv Paraffin Control features:
GE’s portfolio of Prosolv Paraffin Controllers are designed to:
- Keep paraffin in solution where it adds to production and revenue
- Minimize deposition and production throughput
- Minimize remediation and intervention to remove paraffin deposits
- Be fit-for-use in most oilfield situations
- Improve the safety and reduce the environmental risks due to paraffin
- Be applied in a number of ways, including batch and continuous
Scale Control
Oilfield brines present many challenges, from the reservoir to the disposal wells. In addition to corrosive properties, these brines often contain scale-forming ions which can precipitate and form deposits throughout the system as changes in equilibrium occur. These changes may be related to temperature and pressure, the release of gases, pH, the mixing of incompatible brines and more.
When scale forms, problems often occur such as: channels in the reservoir and well perforations become plugged; pumps load with the scale, overheat and fail; tubing and production lines become constricted and plug off; valves coat with scale and fail to function; equipment and heat exchangers become scale coated, losing efficiency and requiring costly remedial action; and salt water injection and disposal wells plug off with mineral scale, forcing the pumps to work harder thereby increasing energy cost and eventually failing, requiring equipment replacement and injection well and reservoir remediation.
GE realizes that mineral scale-forming tendencies are unique in each case. To control the many combinations of scale that may occur, a variety of fit-for-use Prosolv Scale Control products are required, to both control scaling tendencies and to remove deposits which may have formed.
Prosolv Scale Control features:
GE’s portfolio of Prosolv scale controllers is designed to:
- Be applied via batch or squeeze, or continuously, to prevent formation of scale
- Work to mitigate issues unique to the mineral scale species present in a given system
- Effectively remove deposits of mineral scale, safely and cost-effectively
- Be compatible with other chemicals applied in the system
- Optimize flow through production and injection or disposal lines
- Keep your operations running safely and efficiently
GE upstream chemical experts analyze the brines and operating conditions, then utilize predictive models to define the likelihood and locations where scale may form. GE is then able to select the appropriate chemical and application method for the system, ensuring that the product will inhibit mineral scale.
Hydrate Control
Since the early days of deep water oil & gas production, many flow assurance issues were caused by clathrates or gas hydrates. Hydrates are solids developed when water molecules form a cage-like structure around a gas molecule under high pressure conditions. Once hydrates begin to form, they grow rapidly and often plug off flow lines almost instantaneously.
Hydrate plugs are difficult and in some cases, impossible to remove. The removal usually involves applying heat or chemicals (if possible) and it’s difficult, especially in subsea deep water, to get the treatment to the location of the plug. The industry agrees that it is far better to prevent hydrate deposition from occurring in the first place.
To form, hydrates must have three components: gas (organic or H2S, CO2), water and oil or condensate. For each system, predictive modeling software is used to identify hydrate threats. To control hydrates, removing or modifying one of the three components can prevent hydrate formation, or changing temperature and pressure conditions to put the system outside the hydrate zone will do the same. In many cases, this isn’t an option and the use of chemical additives to control hydrates is required.
If chemistry is the preferred control method, GE’s Prosolv Hydrate Inhibitors are available to mitigate the risk: Thermal Dynamic Inhibitors and Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitors (Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitors, and Anti-agglomerants).
Prosolv Hydrate Inhibitor features:
GE’s portfolio of Prosolv Hydrate Inhibitors is designed to:
- Prevent hydrate formation in oil and gas production and transportation systems
- Provide effective control while the system is in the hydrate formation zone
- Be fit-for use in deep water systems and compatible with polymers, plastics and metals in umbilical injection systems
- Control hydrates and not interfere with separation systems and water quality
- Maximize flow through the lines and minimize hydrate control costs
Flow Improvers
In subsea lines, it is important to maximize production flow to allow for optimum production amounts. Many times, the formation of regular oil-in-water emulsions increases fluid viscosity, putting undue stress on pumps which leads to higher energy costs and premature failure.
Replacing subsea equipment is very costly and requires extensive logistical planning. In addition, factor in timing to ensure weather and sea conditions are just right, and the risk of safety and environmental issues that could occur.
To ensure maximum flow and minimized viscosity due to emulsified fluids, GE deep water certified Prosolv DW Emulsion Breakers are prescribed. These products will reduce emulsion formations, facilitating flow and operating separation processes.
Prosolv Flow Improvers features:
GE’s portfolio of Prosolv Flow Improvers is designed to:
- Improve flow through subsea flow lines
- Minimize fluid viscosity and maximize pump life
- Reduce energy requirements to pump fluids
- Be fit-for-use in deep water systems, stable under all conditions of subsea production and fully compatible with polymers, plastics, metallurgy in the umbilical injection system