Characterization of Candlenut Shells and Its Application to Remove Oil and Fine Solids of Produced Water in Nutshell Filters of Water Cleaning Plant
Authors: Annur Suhadi, Haris B. Harahap, Zaim Arrosyidi, Epan, Darmapala
Abstract:
Oilfields under waterflood often face the problem of plugging injectors either by internal filtration or external filter cake built up inside pore throats. The content of suspended solids shall be reduced to required level of filtration since corrective action of plugging is costly expensive. The performance of nutshell filters, where filtration takes place, is good using pecan and walnut shells. Candlenut shells were used instead of pecan and walnut shells since they were abundant in Indonesia, Malaysia, and East Africa. Physical and chemical properties of walnut, pecan, and candlenut shells were tested and the results were compared. Testing, using full-scale nutshell filters, was conducted to determine the oil content, turbidity, and suspended solid removal, which was based on designed flux rate. The performance of candlenut shells, which were deeply bedded in nutshell filters for filtration process, was monitored. Cleaned water outgoing nutshell filters had total suspended solids of 17 ppm, while oil content could be reduced to 15.1 ppm. Turbidity, using candlenut shells, was below the specification for injection water, which was less than 10 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU). Turbidity of water, outgoing nutshell filter, was ranged from 1.7-5.0 NTU at various dates of operation. Walnut, pecan, and candlenut shells had moisture content of 8.98 wt%, 10.95 wt%, and 9.95 wt%, respectively. The porosity of walnut, pecan, and candlenut shells was significantly affected by moisture content. Candlenut shells had property of toluene solubility of 7.68 wt%, which was much higher than walnut shells, reflecting more crude oil adsorption. The hardness of candlenut shells was 2.5-3 Mohs, which was close to walnut shells’ hardness. It was advantage to guarantee the cleaning filter cake by fluidization process during backwashing.
Keywords: Candlenut shells, walnut shells, pecan shells, nutshell filter, filtration.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 459References:
[1] R. Hosein, R. Mayrhoo, W.D. McCain Jr., Determination and validation of saturation pressure of hydrocarbon systems using extended Y-function, J. Petrol. Sci. Eng. 124 (2014) 105-113.
[2] A. Ameri, F. Esmaeilzadeh, D. Mowla, Effect of low-salinity water on asphaltene precipitation, J. Dispersion. Sci. Technol. 39(7) (2018) 1031-1039.
[3] W. Anderson, Wettability literature survey-part 1: rock/oil/brine interactions and the effects of core handling on wettability, J. Petr. Tech. 38(10) (1986) 1125-1144.
[4] M.A. Fernø, M. Torsvik, S. Haugland, A. Graue, Dynamic laboratory wettability alteration, Energy & Fuels 24(7) (2010) 3950-3958.
[5] A. Suhadi, Darmapala, Performance of oil-based demulsifier and water clarifier for treating emulsion stabilized by fine sands in oilfield under low salinity waterflooding, 2nd Conf. of the Arabian J. of Geosciences. Sousse, Tunisia. 25-28 November (2019).
[6] R.N. Sacramento, Y. Yana, Z. You, W. Waldmann, A.L. Martins, A. Vaz, P. Zitha, P. Bedrikovetsky, Deep bed and cake filftration of two-size particle suspension in porous media, J. Petrol. Sci. Eng. 126 (2015) 201-210.
[7] L. Chequer, A. Vaz, P. Bedrikovetsky, Injectivity decline during low-salinity waterflooding due to fines migration, J. Petrol. Sci. Eng. 165 (2018) 1054-1072.
[8] X. Yi, Water injectivity decline caused by sand mobilization: simulation and prediction, SPE Permian Basin Oil and Gas Recovery Conf., Midland, TX., USA. May 15-16 (2001).
[9] J.H. Barkman, D.H. Davidson, Measuring water quality and predicting well impairment, J. Petr. Tech. 24(7) (1972) 865-873.
[10] C. K. Chang, Water quality considerations in Malaysia’s first waterflood, J. Petr. Tech. 37 (9) (1985) 1689-1698.
[11] R.W. Mitchell, E.M. Finch, Water quality aspects of north sea injection water, European Offshore Petroleum Conf. & Exhibit. (1978) 263-271.
[12] C.D. Hsi, J.E. Strassner, H.E. Tucker, M.A. Townsend, Prudhoe Bay field, Alaska, waterflood injection water quality and remedial treatment study, SPE Annual Tech. Conf. & Exhibit., Lousiana, USA. September 23-26 (1990).
[13] A.C. Todd, T. Kumar, S. Mohammadi, The Value and Analysis of Core-Based Water-Quality Experiments as Related to Water Injection Schemes, SPE Form. Eval. 5(2) (1990) 185-191.
[14] J.G.R. Eylander, Suspended Solids Specifications for water injection from coreflood tests, SPE Res. Eng. 3(4) (1988) 1287-1294.
[15] J.M. Walsh, G.G. Gibson, J.F. Fanta, F.F. Langer, R.G. Prince-Wright, Waterflood operability-process and chemical issues, Offshore technology conf. Texas, USA. May 1-4 (2006).
[16] J.J. Seureau, Y. Aurelle, M.E. Hoyack, A three-phase separator for the removal of oil and solids from produced water, SPE 89th Annual Tech. Conf. & Exhibit. LA, USA. September 25-26 (1994).
[17] D. A. Flanigan, J.E. Stolhand, E. Shimoda, F. Skillbeck, Use of low-shear pumps and hydrocyclones for improved performance in the cleanup of low-pressure water, SPE Production Engineering August (1992) 295-300.
[18] S.S. Rahman, Evaluation of filtering efficiency of walnut granules as deep-bed filter media, J. Petrol. Sci. Eng. 7(3-4) (1992) 239-246.
[19] C.J. Hensley, Filter system and scrubber, U.S. Patent 4,966,698 (1990).
[20] C. J. Hensley, Filter media for filter systems, U.S. Patent 4,826,609 (1989).
[21] C.H. Rawlins, A. E. Erickson, Characterization of Deep Bed Filter Media for Oil Removal from Produced Water, Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Annual Meeting and Exhibit. Phoenix, AZ, USA. February 28-March 3 (2010) Preprint 10-018.
[22] C.H. Rawlins, F. Sadeghi, Experimental study on oil removal in nutshell filters of produced-water treatment, SPE Prod. & Oper. 33(1) (2018) 145-153.
[23] F. Sadeghi, H. Bashiri, A.J.W.H. Vissers, Experimental and numerical investigation of backwash flow in nutshell filter, SPE Prod. & Oper. 35(2) (2020) 373-383.
[24] American Society for Testing and Materials, 1963. Standard test methods for particle-size analysis of soils, ASTM D422-63. Philadelphia, USA.
[25] American Society for Testing and Materials, 1992. Standard test methods for laboratory determination of water (moisture) content of soil and rock, ASTM D2216-92. Philadelphia, USA.
[26] American Society for Testing and Materials, 2015. Standard test methods for instrumental determination of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen in petroleum products and lubricants, ASTM D5291. Philadelphia, USA.
[27] American Society for Testing and Materials, 2018. Standard test methods for ash in the analysis sample of coal and coke from coal, ASTM D3174. Philadelphia, USA.
[28] TAPPI T 222 cm 11. Acid-insoluble lignin in wood and pulp (2011).
[29] TAPPI T 203 cm 09. Alpha, beta, and gamma-cellulose in pulp (2009).
[30] American Society for Testing and Materials, 1997. Standard test methods for Vickers hardness of metallic materials, ASTM E92-82. Philadelphia, USA.
[31] J.R. Coleman, W.G. McLelland, Produced Water Re-Injection; How Clean is Clean?, SPE Formation Damage Control Symp. Lafayette, Louisiana. USA. February 7-10 (1994).
[32] A. Abrams, Mud design to minimize rock impairment due to particle invasion, J. Petr. Tech. 29 (1977) 586-592.
[33] C. Harris, C. Odom, Effective filtration in completion and other wellbore operations can be a good investment, Oil Gas J. 80(38) (1982) 148-165.
[34] M. Terrado, S. Yudono, G. Thakur, Waterflooding surveillance and monitoring: putting principles into practice, SPE Res. Eval & Eng. October (2007) 552-262.
[35] H.S. Moestopo, H. Nur, M. Reinhold, Y.B. Pramudyo, K. Purwanto, Utilize geosteering in horizontal wells to maximize value in mature fields, central sumatra, Indonesia, Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conf. Jakarta. Indonesia. October 30-November 1 (2007).
[36] A. Srinivasan, T. Viraraghavan, (2008) Removal of oil by walnut shell media, Bioresource Technology. 99. 8217-8220.
[37] B.T. Gael, S.J. Gross, G.J. McNaboe, Development planning and reservoir management in the Duri Steam Flood, Western Regional Meeting, Bakersfield, California, USA, 8-10 March (1995) 533-546.
[38] R. Dores, A. Hussain, M. Katebah, S. Adham, Advanced water treatment technologies for produced water, 3rd International Gas Processing Symp. Doha, Qatar, March 5-7 (2012) 102-109.
[39] A. Suhadi, Norahmansyah, M.S. Hayatullah, A. Satria, M.D. Wiryawan, P. Putranto, N. Bukian, Experience of downhole scale squeeze treatment to solve problem of CaCO3 scale in Zamrud field, Indonesia, International Conf. on Oleo & Petrochemical Eng. Riau, Indonesia. September 23 (2015) 188-206.
[40] Reservoir Management Team, Reserve (Internal report) (2011).
[41] Anonymous, Morning report of BOB PT. BSP-Pertamina Hulu dated September 10th, 2020.