Modeling Tool Developed To Predict Condensate Emulsions

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 221179, “Development of a Novel Modeling Tool for Condensate Emulsions: Key Factors Influencing Oil-in-Water Emulsions,” by Mohammad Mahamad Amir, SPE, Nor H. Alim, and Siti Wan Sagar, SPE, Petronas, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ This study presents the development of a novel modeling tool designed to predict condensate emulsions, focusing on key factors causing emulsions such as pH, solid content, asphaltene concentration, droplet size, and organic acids. The findings reveal that higher shear rates and the presence of asphaltenes significantly enhance emulsion stability, while pH and organic acid content play complex roles in either stabilizing or destabilizing the emulsions. Introduction An emulsion is a combination of two immiscible liquid phases wherein one phase is dispersed within the other. In an emulsion, a continuous phase and a dispersed phase exist, also referred to as the external and internal phases, respectively. The dispersed phase consists of oil droplets within the continuous phase of water, or vice versa. Multiple emulsions have a more complex structure, with microscopic droplets suspended in larger droplets within a continuous phase. Two types of multiple emulsions are oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) and water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W), as illustrated in Fig. 1. In condensate production, the most common type of emulsion encountered is the O/W, which occurs when water becomes trapped in the oil phase, creating a stable mixture. To address this issue, various methods and technologies are used to break the emulsion and separate the oil and water phases. In this paper, various types of parameters such as pH, solid content, asphaltene, droplet size, and organic acid were evaluated in demulsification of O/W emulsion. The effect of various influencing parameters on O/W emulsion was investigated based on turbidity, transmission, and the Turbiscan Stability Index (TSI) of the samples. Problem Statement Field X is a gas field known for containing condensate and experiencing significant O/W or reverse emulsion issues at its surface facilities, especially at the separator. This results in a high effluent discharge quality, or an O/W of greater than 30-mg/L content as a result of the emulsifying nature of the liquid production. Multiple efforts have been implemented to reduce the O/W reading to less than 30 mg/L, but results were unsatisfactory. The current in-house emulsion-stability-prediction tool is designed for black-oil applications and cannot accurately predict the severity of the condensate emulsion problem. Consequently, a need exists to study emulsion-influencing factors in developing a specialized emulsion-prediction tool for condensate emulsions to improve emulsion remediation and handling strategies as part of the technology screening process. Materials The essential materials for the experiment were condensate and produced water obtained from Field X taken at sampling points. All chemical additives and inhibitors injection was stopped temporarily during the sampling exercise. The characteristics of the condensate and produced water are shown in Tables 2 and 3 of the complete paper.