Method for scale reduction in off-shore platforms

Patent · Tue Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5464052

Ehlers, D M; Hopkins, D N

A process for reducing scale formation wherein sea water, incompatible with connate water, is used as the flooding medium forming thereby a mixture with liquid hydrocarbonaceous fluids where the fluids are produced in off-shore platforms is described comprising: (a) producing the mixture of water and liquid hydrocarbonaceous fluids to the surface from the formation; (b) directing the mixture into a water/oil separator where the liquid hydrocarbonaceous fluids are substantially separated from the mixture and the remaining hydrocarbonaceous fluid is entrained in the form of oil droplets within the separated aqueous mixture; (c) removing the aqueous mixture with oil droplets therein from the water/oil separator and thereafter mixing the combination with additional sea water, or other aqueous solution having a similar concentration of sulfate ions, in a vessel containing a coalescing means which sea water upon contact with the connate water causes a precipitate to form thereby reducing the scale forming tendency of the water; and (d) collecting liquid hydrocarbons from step (b) and from the coalescing means, and disposing of the resultant water.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4712616
• OSTI ID: 5464052
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 11 Sep 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
42 ENGINEERING
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
SCALE CONTROL
COALESCENCE
CONNATE WATER
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
SEAWATER
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFATES
CONTROL
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERSTITIAL WATER
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
WATER
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing
420206 - Engineering- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities- (1980-1989)