Pour point avoidance in oil/water processing and transport

• Main Authors: Arild Samuelsberg, Jostein Sogge, Cecilie Gotaas Johnsen
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.09.2021
• Subjects: EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

A method of producing a fluid from a hydrocarbon well, the fluid comprising an emulsion of water and oil and where the proportion of water (water cut) 6 varies over time. The method comprises: determining whether the water cut of the produced fluid is within the oil/water inversion range 7; and when the water cut 6 is within the oil/water inversion range 7, adding water to the produced fluid to increase its water cut to above the oil/water inversion 7. Thus, the fluid produced transitions from the water-in-oil phase to the oil-in-water phase without (at least significantly) entering the inversion phase 7 which can be associated with very high viscosity. Water addition (8, Fig. 4) may only be needed over a relatively short period of the well life as water cut usually increases with time. Particularly useful when the inversion phase corresponds to the pour point i.e. the fluid is at a temperature at which it ceases to flow in the inversion phase.