Hydrocarbon Reservoir Souring Control

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Other oil and gas)
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Enhanced oil and gas production)

Applied Research and Development
Final stage Development and Demonstration

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (General Engineering and Mineral & Mining Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Chemical Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
Rawwater Engineering Company Limited

Smart - Proof of Concept

Innovate UK

01 March 2015

31 March 2016

13 months

£63,705

North West

Competition Call: 1409_SmartRd4_PoC - Not Available. Activity Proof of Concept Rnd 4

Project Contact, Rawwater Engineering Company Limited

This project seeks to prove a novel method of controlling souring in hydrocarbon reservoirs, a high value issue within the oil & gas industry. Sour reservoirs produce hydrogen sulphide which corrodes pipework and is hazardous to personnel. Sour reservoirs require high cost pipework to resist corrosive attack and hydrogen sulphide emissions have led to numerous fatalities over recent years. The hydrogen sulphide is produced by sulphate reducing bacteria in the reservoir. When water is injected into a reservoir to maintain pressure and sustain production rates, sulphates dissolved in the water are introduced into the reservoir. For 20 years, companies have attempted to slow the souring process using filters to reduce the concentration of sulphates in the injection water. The market need for souring control is therefore well understood. However, as stated by Shell, it is not IF a reservoir will go sour, but WHEN , so current souring control methods do not meet market needs. This project aims to prove a novel concept of controlling souring by removing phosphate. Phosphate is an essential part of the energy cycle in bacteria and in the absence of phosphate, bacterial activity ceases. Removing phosphate rather than sulphate is analogous to putting out a fire by starving it of oxygen rather than removing the fuel. The project aims to prove the concept both technically and commercially. Bioreactors will be used to simulate reservoir conditions in a lab. The bioreactors will be injected with synthetic seawater (control), low sulphate without phosphate and low sulphate with phosphate to investigate the ability of phosphate removal to control souring. In parallel, industrial scale methods for removing phosphate will be investigated to identify whether a process can be implemented for the required volumes of water at the required cost. If this project is successful in proving the concept, we plan to start a new company dedicated to bringing this technology to market.

20/08/15