Modeling and detection of oil in sea water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xenaki, Angeliki; Gerstoft, Peter; Mosegaard, Klaus

2013-01-01

The challenge of a deep-water oil leak is that a significant quantity of oil remains in the water column and possibly changes properties. There is a need to quantify the oil settled within the water column and determine its physical properties to assist in the oil recovery. There are currently...... for inference of spatial covariance parameters is proposed to describe the scattering field in terms of its second-order statistics from the backscattered returns. The results indicate that high-frequency acoustic methods not only are suitable for large-scale detection of oil contamination in the water column...

Strength and Biot's coefficient for high-porosity oil- or water-saturated chalk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreassen, Katrine Alling

. The Biot coefficient states the degree of cementation or how the pore pressure contributes to the strain resulting from an external load for a porous material. It is here calculated from dynamic measurements and correlated with the strength of outcrop chalk characterized by the onset of pore collapse...... during hydrostatic loading. The hypothesis is that the Biot coefficient and the theory of poroelasticity may cover the fluid effect by including the increased fluid bulk modulus from oil to water. A high number of test results for both oil- and water-saturated high-porosity outcrop chalk show correlation......In the petroleum industry it is relevant to know the Biot coefficient for establishing the effective stresses present in both the overburden and for the reservoir interval. When depleting a reservoir it is important to estimate the settlement through the strain imposed by the effective stress. Also...

Water control for enhanced oil recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, R.C.; Mody, B.; Pace, J.

1981-11-01

Gains in recovery efficiency in W. Texas oil and gas fields have been realized as a result of applying 4 different chemical processes, either singly or in combination. Each of the 4 chemical processes has been tailored to meet specific reservoir requirements. Complete plugging of high flow capacity channels can be accomplished, and the high water production portion of a producing zone can be sealed by injection of gel-forming chemicals into the matrix. Both floodwater diversion and water-oil mobility ratio improvement can be attained by in situ polymerization of a one-stage polymer bank in the reservoir. In producing wells, the water-oil production ratio can be favorably changed by treating certain formulations with a nonplugging polymer which tends to restrict water flow but not oil. One feature which each of the 4 processes has in common is the ability to invade deeply into matrix which may produce long lasting results. A description of each process is presented with various placement techniques used to obtain optimum results. Data from fields which have benefited from these treatments are presented. The work describes what may be expected with each of these proven processes based on field results.

A High Resolution Capacitive Sensing System for the Measurement of Water Content in Crude Oil

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Muhammad Zubair; Tang, Tong Boon

2014-01-01

This paper presents the design of a non-intrusive system to measure ultra-low water content in crude oil. The system is based on a capacitance to phase angle conversion method. Water content is measured with a capacitance sensor comprising two semi-cylindrical electrodes mounted on the outer side of a glass tube. The presence of water induces a capacitance change that in turn converts into a phase angle, with respect to a main oscillator. A differential sensing technique is adopted not only to ensure high immunity against temperature variation and background noise, but also to eliminate phase jitter and amplitude variation of the main oscillator that could destabilize the output. The complete capacitive sensing system was implemented in hardware and experiment results using crude oil samples demonstrated that a resolution of ±50 ppm of water content in crude oil was achieved by the proposed design. PMID:24967606

A High Resolution Capacitive Sensing System for the Measurement of Water Content in Crude Oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Zubair Aslam

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the design of a non-intrusive system to measure ultra-low water content in crude oil. The system is based on a capacitance to phase angle conversion method. Water content is measured with a capacitance sensor comprising two semi-cylindrical electrodes mounted on the outer side of a glass tube. The presence of water induces a capacitance change that in turn converts into a phase angle, with respect to a main oscillator. A differential sensing technique is adopted not only to ensure high immunity against temperature variation and background noise, but also to eliminate phase jitter and amplitude variation of the main oscillator that could destabilize the output. The complete capacitive sensing system was implemented in hardware and experiment results using crude oil samples demonstrated that a resolution of ±50 ppm of water content in crude oil was achieved by the proposed design.

A multi-stage oil-water-separating process design for the sea oil spill recovery robot

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Min-ge; Wu, Jian-guo; Lin, Xinhua; Wang, Xiao-ming

2018-03-01

Oil spill have the most common pollution to the marine ecological environment. In the late stage of physical method recovery, because of the thin oil and the strong sea breeze, the recovery vessels has low efficiency and high energy consumption. This paper develops a multi-stage oil-water-separating process carried by the sea oil spill recovery robot in severe conditions. This design consists of three separation process, among which both the first and third process adopt corrugated sheets horizontal oil-water separator, while the second is hydraulic rotary breaker. This design also equiptment with rectifier and cyclone separator and other important components. This process has high flexibility and high recovery efficiency. The implement effect is significant.

Hydrodeoxygenation of water-insoluble bio-oil to alkanes using a highly dispersed Pd-Mo catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Haohong; Dong, Juncai; Gu, Xianrui; Peng, Yung-Kang; Chen, Wenxing; Issariyakul, Titipong; Myers, William K; Li, Meng-Jung; Yi, Ni; Kilpatrick, Alexander F R; Wang, Yu; Zheng, Xusheng; Ji, Shufang; Wang, Qian; Feng, Junting; Chen, Dongliang; Li, Yadong; Buffet, Jean-Charles; Liu, Haichao; Tsang, Shik Chi Edman; O'Hare, Dermot

2017-09-19

Bio-oil, produced by the destructive distillation of cheap and renewable lignocellulosic biomass, contains high energy density oligomers in the water-insoluble fraction that can be utilized for diesel and valuable fine chemicals productions. Here, we show an efficient hydrodeoxygenation catalyst that combines highly dispersed palladium and ultrafine molybdenum phosphate nanoparticles on silica. Using phenol as a model substrate this catalyst is 100% effective and 97.5% selective for hydrodeoxygenation to cyclohexane under mild conditions in a batch reaction; this catalyst also demonstrates regeneration ability in long-term continuous flow tests. Detailed investigations into the nature of the catalyst show that it combines hydrogenation activity of Pd and high density of both Brønsted and Lewis acid sites; we believe these are key features for efficient catalytic hydrodeoxygenation behavior. Using a wood and bark-derived feedstock, this catalyst performs hydrodeoxygenation of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose-derived oligomers into liquid alkanes with high efficiency and yield.Bio-oil is a potential major source of renewable fuels and chemicals. Here, the authors report a palladium-molybdenum mixed catalyst for the selective hydrodeoxygenation of water-insoluble bio-oil to mixtures of alkanes with high carbon yield.

Orange oil/water nanoemulsions prepared by high pressure homogenizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kourniatis, Loretta R.; Spinelli, Luciana S.; Mansur, Claudia R.E.

2010-01-01

The objective of this work was to use the high-pressure homogenizer (HPH) to prepare stable oil/water nanoemulsions presenting narrow particle size distribution. The dispersions were prepared using nonionic surfactants based on ethoxylated ether. The size and distribution of the droplets formed, along with their stability, were determined in a Zetasizer Nano ZS particle size analyzer. The stability and the droplet size distribution in these systems do not present the significant differences with the increase of the processing pressure in the HPH). The processing time can promote the biggest dispersion in the size of particles, thus reducing its stability. (author)

Preparation of novel cotton fabric composites with pH controlled switchable wettability for efficient water-in-oil and oil-in-water emulsions separation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qian; Wu, Jianning; Meng, Guihua; Wang, Yixi; Liu, Zhiyong; Guo, Xuhong

2018-06-01

The wetting materials with the ability of controllable oil/water separation have drawn more and more public attention. In this article, the novel cotton fabric (CF) with pH controlled wettability transition was designed by a simple, environmentally friendly coating copolymer/SiO2 nanoparticles, poly(heptadecafluorodecyl methacrylate- co-3-trimethoxysilylpropyl methacrylate- co-2-vinilpiridine) (PHDFDMA- co-PTMSPMA- co-P2VP). Furthermore, the structures and morphologies of coated CF were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), NMR, GPC, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The coated CF exhibits switchable wettability between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity via adjusting pH value. When the coated CF is placed in the neutral aqueous (pH = 7.0), it is superhydrophobic in the air and superoleophilic. It allows oil to go through but blocking water. However, in acidic aqueous environment (pH = 3.0), it turns superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic, which allows water to penetrate but blocking oil. Therefore, the coated CF could be applied to separate oil/water mixtures, ternary oil/water/water mixtures continuously and different surfactant stabilized emulsions (oil-in-water, water-in-oil) and displays the superior separation capacity for oil-water mixtures with a high efficiency of 99.8%. Moreover, the cycling tests demonstrate that the coated CF possesses excellent recyclability and durability. Such an eminent, controllable water/oil permeation feature makes coated CF could be selected as an ideal candidate for oil/water separation.

Sustainable water management in Alberta's oil sands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byers, Bill; Usher, Robyn; Roach, Andrea [CH2M HILL, Englewood, CO (United States); Lambert, Gord; Kotecha, Prit [Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary (Canada)

2012-07-01

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers forecast published in 2011 predicts that oil production from oil sands will increase by 50% in the next 3 years and double by 2020. This rate of growth will result in significant pressure on water resources; water use per barrel of oil sands production is comparable to other energy resources - about 2.5 barrels of fresh water per barrel of oil produced are used by mining operations and 0.5 barrels by in-situ operations. Suncor Energy Inc. (Suncor) was the first company to develop the oil sands in northern Alberta and holds one of the largest oil sands positions in Canada. In 2010, Suncor announced plans to increase production to more than 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020, which it plans to achieve through oil sands production growth of approximately 10% per year. Because water supply and potential impacts to water quality are critical to its future growth, in 2010-2011 Suncor conducted a risk assessment to identify water-related business risks related to its northern Alberta operations. The assessment identified more than 20 high level business risks in strategic water risk areas including water supply, water reuse, storm water management, groundwater, waste management and river water return. The risk assessment results prompted development of a strategic roadmap to guide water stewardship across Suncor's regional operations. The roadmap describes goals, objectives, and specific activities for each of six key water risk areas, and informs prioritization and selection of prospective water management activities. Suncor is not only exploring water within its own boundaries, but is also collaborating with other oil sands producers to explore ways of integrating its water systems through industry consortia; Suncor is a member of the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative and of the recently formed Canadian Oil Sands Innovation Alliance, among others. (author)

Enhancement of Hydrodynamic Processes in Oil Pipelines Considering Rheologically Complex High-Viscosity Oils

Science.gov (United States)

Konakhina, I. A.; Khusnutdinova, E. M.; Khamidullina, G. R.; Khamidullina, A. F.

2016-06-01

This paper describes a mathematical model of flow-related hydrodynamic processes for rheologically complex high-viscosity bitumen oil and oil-water suspensions and presents methods to improve the design and performance of oil pipelines.

Water issues associated with heavy oil production.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veil, J. A.; Quinn, J. J.; Environmental Science Division

2008-11-28

Crude oil occurs in many different forms throughout the world. An important characteristic of crude oil that affects the ease with which it can be produced is its density and viscosity. Lighter crude oil typically can be produced more easily and at lower cost than heavier crude oil. Historically, much of the nation's oil supply came from domestic or international light or medium crude oil sources. California's extensive heavy oil production for more than a century is a notable exception. Oil and gas companies are actively looking toward heavier crude oil sources to help meet demands and to take advantage of large heavy oil reserves located in North and South America. Heavy oil includes very viscous oil resources like those found in some fields in California and Venezuela, oil shale, and tar sands (called oil sands in Canada). These are described in more detail in the next chapter. Water is integrally associated with conventional oil production. Produced water is the largest byproduct associated with oil production. The cost of managing large volumes of produced water is an important component of the overall cost of producing oil. Most mature oil fields rely on injected water to maintain formation pressure during production. The processes involved with heavy oil production often require external water supplies for steam generation, washing, and other steps. While some heavy oil processes generate produced water, others generate different types of industrial wastewater. Management and disposition of the wastewater presents challenges and costs for the operators. This report describes water requirements relating to heavy oil production and potential sources for that water. The report also describes how water is used and the resulting water quality impacts associated with heavy oil production.

Tweens demulsification effects on heavy crude oil/water emulsion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nastaran Hayati Roodbari

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The demulsification role of Tweens (nonionic polymers was determined in the separation of water from heavy crude oil emulsion. According to the previous researches, these nonionic polymers, having hydrophilic and lipophilic groups, are appropriate for making oil in water emulsion. In this research their effects in certain concentrations on demulsifying of water in crude oil emulsion were proved. High molecular weight, alkenes’ chains and groups of ketone and ester in these polymers can improve their performance for the demulsification of water in crude oil emulsion. Their efficiencies are improved with electronegative groups such as oxygen. They leave no corrosion effect because they are neutral and do not leave counter ions.

The density behaviour of heavy oils in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fingas, M.; Hollebone, B.; Fieldhouse, B.

2006-01-01

The recent concern regarding the difficulty of cleaning up Low API gravity oils (LAPIO) spilled in water was discussed. Sinking and overwashing are 2 phenomena related to the behaviour of these heavy oils in water. Sinking refers to the complete submergence of the oil to the bottom of a waterbody, while over-washing refers to the overflowing of a layer of water over dense oil at sea when the oil is still close to the surface. The latter is important because even a micron-layer of water could render the oil undetectable, particularly at acute viewing angles, such as from a ship. This paper reviewed the properties of heavy oil, the prediction of density changes and the sinking/over-washing of heavy oil. In particular, it discussed a spill which occurred in August 2005 when 11 tank cars from train derailment spilled 800,000 litres of Bunker fuel mixed with high PAH-containing pole-treating oil into Lake Wabamun, Alberta. The behaviour of the oil included submergence, neutral buoyancy, resurfacing and formation of several types of aggregates of oil. This study summarized the behaviours and processes that transformed the particles of oil into small tar balls, larger logs, sheets, and large lumps into a slick. Sediment uptake or loss was found to be the major process that caused the changes in density. The behaviour of the oils was compared with respect to density and uptake of various types of sediment. The paper also reviewed the literature on dense oil behaviour. Weathering experiments performed on dense oils to determine if extensive weathering could render oils heavier than water showed that rarely is weathering the only factor in the bulk sinking of oil. Once an oil is submerged, little weathering occurs, either by dissolution or volatilization. The uptake of particulate matter is the most important process in increasing density. This study reviewed over-washing experiments to develop a mathematical solution of the conditions required for oil to be covered by a

Highly permeable double-skinned forward osmosis membranes for anti-fouling in the emulsified oil-water separation process

KAUST Repository

Duong, Hoang Hanh Phuoc; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung; Wei, Shawn; Irish, Lana

2014-01-01

Forward osmosis (FO) has attracted wide attention in recent years. However, the FO performance may be restricted due to internal concentration polarization (ICP) and fast fouling propensity that occurs in the membrane sublayer. Particularly, these problems significantly affect the membrane performance when treating highly contaminated oily wastewater. Recently, double-skinned flat sheet cellulose acetate (CA) membranes consisting of two selective skins via the phase inversion method have demonstrated less ICP and fouling propensity over typical single-skinned membranes. However, these membranes exhibit low water fluxes of <12 LMH under 2 M NaCl draw solution. Therefore, a novel double-skinned FO membrane with a high water flux has been aimed for in this study for emulsified oil-water treatment. The double-skinned FO membrane comprises a fully porous sublayer sandwiched between (i) a truly dense skin for salt rejection and (ii) a fairly loose dense skin for emulsified oil particle rejection. The former dense skin is a polyamide synthesized via interfacial polymerization, while the latter one is a self-assembled sulfonated pentablock copolymer (Nexar copolymer) layer. The resultant double-skinned membrane exhibits a high water flux of 17.2 LMH and a low reverse salt transport of 4.85 gMH using 0.5 M NaCl as the draw solution and DI water as the feed. The double-skinned membrane outperforms the single-skinned membrane with much lower fouling propensity for emulsified oil-water separation. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Highly permeable double-skinned forward osmosis membranes for anti-fouling in the emulsified oil-water separation process

KAUST Repository

Duong, Hoang Hanh Phuoc

2014-04-15

Forward osmosis (FO) has attracted wide attention in recent years. However, the FO performance may be restricted due to internal concentration polarization (ICP) and fast fouling propensity that occurs in the membrane sublayer. Particularly, these problems significantly affect the membrane performance when treating highly contaminated oily wastewater. Recently, double-skinned flat sheet cellulose acetate (CA) membranes consisting of two selective skins via the phase inversion method have demonstrated less ICP and fouling propensity over typical single-skinned membranes. However, these membranes exhibit low water fluxes of <12 LMH under 2 M NaCl draw solution. Therefore, a novel double-skinned FO membrane with a high water flux has been aimed for in this study for emulsified oil-water treatment. The double-skinned FO membrane comprises a fully porous sublayer sandwiched between (i) a truly dense skin for salt rejection and (ii) a fairly loose dense skin for emulsified oil particle rejection. The former dense skin is a polyamide synthesized via interfacial polymerization, while the latter one is a self-assembled sulfonated pentablock copolymer (Nexar copolymer) layer. The resultant double-skinned membrane exhibits a high water flux of 17.2 LMH and a low reverse salt transport of 4.85 gMH using 0.5 M NaCl as the draw solution and DI water as the feed. The double-skinned membrane outperforms the single-skinned membrane with much lower fouling propensity for emulsified oil-water separation. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Removal of oil from water by bentonite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moazed, H.; Viraraghavan, T.

1999-01-01

Many materials, included activated carbon, peat, coal, fiberglass, polypropylene, organoclay and bentonite have been used for removing oils and grease from water. However, bentonite has been used only rarely for this purpose. In this study Na-bentonite was used to remove oil from oil-in-water emulsions of various kinds such as standard mineral oil, cutting oils, refinery effluent and produced water from production wells at Estevan, Saskatchewan. Removal efficiencies obtained were 85 to 96 per cent for cutting oils, 84 to 86 per cent for produced water and 54 to 87 per cent for refinery effluent. Bentonite proved to be more effective in the removal of oil from oil-in-water emulsions than from actual waste waters; up to 96 percent from oil-in-water emulsions to only 87 per cent from actual waste water. The percentage of oil removed was found to be a function of the amount of bentonite added and the adsorption time up to the equilibrium time. Result also showed that the Langmuir, Freundlich and BET isotherms are well suited to describe the adsorption of oil by bentonite from the various oily waters employed in this study. 15 refs

Water pollution potential of mineral oils with high content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (heavy fuel oil and neutral oil extracts); Untersuchungen zur Wassergefaehrdung durch Mineraloele mit hohen Gehalten an polycyclischen aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen (Heizoel Schwer und Extrakte)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albers, G. [Mobil Schmierstoff GmbH, Hamburg (Germany)

1999-01-01

A data base on highly aromatic mineral oils has been compiled to classify mineral oil products according to their water-pollution potential (water hazard class or Wassergefaehrdungsklasse, WGK). This activity has been undertaken through the Commission for Water Hazardous Materials (Kommission Bewertung Wassergefaehrdender Stoffe, KBwS). In this special case, highly aromatic mineral oils containing a high concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Polyaromatische Kohlenwasserstoffe, PAK) were evaluated. A test method for measuring the elution potential of PAK into water was developed on petroleum products with high viscosity and high freeze point. This method was applied to determine the solubility of 23 PAK (including 16 PAK according to EPA 610 and 6 PAK according to the German drinking water regulation (Trinkwasserverordnung, TVO)) from heavy fuel oil and neutral oil extract in the aqueous phase. For the 6 PAK, according to TVO, a sum limit of 0,2 {mu}g/l in drinking water is permitted by German legislation. This limit was not exceeded in any of the water phases examined. (orig.) [Deutsch] Fuer die Einstufung von Mineraloelprodukten in die Wassergefaehrdungsklassen (WGK) durch die Kommission Bewertung Wassergefaehrdender Stoffe ist es notwendig, Basisdaten zur Verfuegung zu stellen. Im speziellen Fall handelt es sich um die Bewertung von Mineraloelen, die sich durch einen hohen Gehalt an polycyclischen aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen (PAK) auszeichnen. Zur Eluierbarkeit von PAK`s aus Produkten mit hoher Viskosiaet bzw. mit hohem Stockpunkt wurde eine Pruefmethode entwickelt. Diese Methode wurde zur Bestimmung der Loeslichkeit von 23 PAK`s (16 PAK`s nach EPA-Liste incl. 6 PAK`s der TVO) aus den Mineraloelen Heizoel Schwer und Neutralextrakt in der Wasserphase eingesetzt. Fuer die PAK der TVO ist in der TVO ein Summengrenzwert von 0,2 {mu}g/l Trinkwasser angegeben. Dieser Grenzwert wurde in keiner der untersuchten Wasserphasen ueberschritten. (orig.)

Food emulsion type oil in water prepared with high-protein from shrimp (Penaeus vannamei heads flour – SHF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuli Cano

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The use of flour from shrimp (Penaeus vannamei heads with a high content of protein (SHF to stabilize food emulsions type oil in water (o/w is an alternative to take advantage of the by-products of the shrimp industry. The aim of this work was to prepare food emulsion type oil in water (o/w using the SHF due to the high percentage in proteins; for this procedure a physicochemical and bromatological characterization of flour of shrimps (Penaeus vannamei heads has been done, in which a percentage of protein 51 %, moisture of 11,82 %, fat 8,52 % and 22,23 % of ash has been obtained. The base emulsions may be used in food products such as salad dressing, mayonnaise, spreads, dressings and other products. The different emulsions with adequate rheological and microstructural characteristics were prepared using different concentrations of palm oil (20, 30 and 40%w/w and different concentrate of SHF (0,5, 1 and 2 % w/w. Therefore, we have obtained a food emulsion stable type oil in water (O/W with 2 % w/w of SHF, which presented a behavior non-Newtonian fluid type shear-thinning and homogeneous distribution of droplets.

Selective retardation of perfume oil evaporation from oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by either surfactant or nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Binks, Bernard P; Fletcher, Paul D I; Holt, Benjamin L; Beaussoubre, Pascal; Wong, Kenneth

2010-12-07

We have used dynamic headspace analysis to investigate the evaporation rates of perfume oils from stirred oil-in-water emulsions into a flowing gas stream. We compare the behavior of an oil of low water solubility (limonene) and one of high water solubility (benzyl acetate). It is shown how the evaporation of an oil of low water solubility is selectively retarded and how the retardation effect depends on the oil volume fraction in the emulsion. We compare how the evaporation retardation depends on the nature of the adsorbed film stabilizing the emulsion. Surfactant films are less effective than adsorbed films of nanoparticles, and the retardation can be further enhanced by compression of the adsorbed nanoparticle films by preshrinking the emulsion drops.

Effect of Bombay high crude oil and its water-soluble fraction on growth and metabolism of diatom Thalassiosira sp.

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Parab, S.R.; Pandit, R.A.; Kadam, A.N.; Indap, M.M.

Effect of Bombay high crude oil (BHC) and its water-soluble fraction (WSF) on growth and metabolism of the phytoplankton, Thalassiosira sp. was assessed. The study revealed the signs of acute toxicity at higher concentrations of crude oil (0...

A flexible, robust and antifouling asymmetric membrane based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers for high-efficiency separation of oil/water emulsions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kui; Yiming, Wubulikasimu; Saththasivam, Jayaprakash; Liu, Zhaoyang

2017-07-06

Polymeric and ceramic asymmetric membranes have dominated commercial membranes for water treatment. However, polymeric membranes are prone to becoming fouled, while ceramic membranes are mechanically fragile. Here, we report a novel concept to develop asymmetric membranes based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers, with the combined merits of good mechanical stability, excellent fouling resistance and high oil/water selectivity, in order to meet the stringent requirements for practical oil/water separation. The ultra-long dimensions of ceramic nanofibers/polymeric microfibers endow this novel membrane with mechanical flexibility and robustness, due to the integrated and intertwined structure. This membrane is capable of separating oil/water emulsions with high oil-separation efficiency (99.9%), thanks to its nanoporous selective layer made of ceramic nanofibers. Further, this membrane also displays superior antifouling properties due to its underwater superoleophobicity and ultra-low oil adhesion of the ceramic-based selective layer. This membrane exhibits high water permeation flux (6.8 × 10 4 L m -2 h -1 bar -1 ) at low operation pressures, which is attributed to its 3-dimensional (3D) interconnected fiber-based structure throughout the membrane. In addition, the facile fabrication process and inexpensive materials required for this membrane suggest its significant potential for industrial applications.

Complex network analysis of phase dynamics underlying oil-water two-phase flows

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Zhong-Ke; Zhang, Shan-Shan; Cai, Qing; Yang, Yu-Xuan; Jin, Ning-De

2016-01-01

Characterizing the complicated flow behaviors arising from high water cut and low velocity oil-water flows is an important problem of significant challenge. We design a high-speed cycle motivation conductance sensor and carry out experiments for measuring the local flow information from different oil-in-water flow patterns. We first use multivariate time-frequency analysis to probe the typical features of three flow patterns from the perspective of energy and frequency. Then we infer complex networks from multi-channel measurements in terms of phase lag index, aiming to uncovering the phase dynamics governing the transition and evolution of different oil-in-water flow patterns. In particular, we employ spectral radius and weighted clustering coefficient entropy to characterize the derived unweighted and weighted networks and the results indicate that our approach yields quantitative insights into the phase dynamics underlying the high water cut and low velocity oil-water flows. PMID:27306101

Numerical Study of Water Control with Downhole Oil-Water Separation Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yin Khor Yin

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The maturing oil fields with increasing water production can pose a challenging produced water handling and disposal issues. This paper presents a numerical study of a motorless hydrocyclone to enhance understanding of the downhole oil-water separation. The turbulence of fluid flow is obtained using K-ε Realizable Turbulence model for complex swirl dominated flow, while the interface between hydrocarbon and water is described using the Discrete Phase model. In this approach, factors which contribute to the hydrocyclone separation instability were discussed. Discussion is then extended to the relationship of residence time with pressure difference between overflow and underflow. These pressure differences are able to relate to pressure condition for high water cut well which require downhole separation.

Evaluating oil/water separators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murdoch, M.A.

1993-01-01

Four commercially available oil/water separators were tested at an oil refinery test facility. The separators were the Alfa-Laval OFPX 413 disk-stack centrifuge, the Conoco Vortoil hydrocyclone system, International Separation Technology's Intr-Septor 250, and a modified Flo Trend gravity separator. Each machine was tested against mixtures of salt water and crude oil, and mixtures of salt water and a water-in-oil emulsion. The impact on separator performance from simulated sea motion, and from the addition of emulsion breakers and debris to the influent, were also evaluated. The test equipment, instrumentation, analysis facilities, test plans, and procedures to conduct the tests are described, but test results are not reported. Recommendations for improved test procedures are included. The inability to accurately monitor flow rates was found to have the greatest negative impact on test performance and results. Aspects of the test program that worked well included the use of flexible and semi-rigid hoses for customizing the test setups, the use of modular and leased tanks, and the sea motion simulator swing table design. 3 refs., 2 tabs

40 CFR 63.686 - Standards: Oil-water and organic-water separators.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 10 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standards: Oil-water and organic-water... Operations § 63.686 Standards: Oil-water and organic-water separators. (a) The provisions of this section apply to the control of air emissions from oil-water separators and organic-water separators for which...

From water-in-oil to oil-in-water emulsions to optimize the production of fatty acids using ionic liquids in micellar systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Luísa D F; Coutinho, João A P; Ventura, Sónia P M

2015-01-01

Biocatalysis is nowadays considered as one of the most important tools in green chemistry. The elimination of multiple steps involved in some of the most complex chemical synthesis, reducing the amounts of wastes and hazards, thus increasing the reaction yields and decreasing the intrinsic costs, are the major advantages of biocatalysis. This work aims at improving the enzymatic hydrolysis of olive oil to produce valuable fatty acids through emulsion systems formed by long alkyl chain ionic liquids (ILs). The optimization of the emulsion and the best conditions to maximize the production of fatty acids were investigated. The stability of the emulsion was characterized considering the effect of several parameters, namely, the IL and its concentration and different water/olive oil volumetric ratios. ILs from the imidazolium and phosphonium families were evaluated. The results suggest that the ILs effect on the hydrolysis performance varies with the water concentration and the emulsion system formed, that is, water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion. Although at low water concentrations, the presence of ILs does not present any advantages for the hydrolysis reaction, at high water contents (in oil-in-water emulsions), the imidazolium-based IL acts as an enhancer of the lipase catalytic capacity, super-activating 1.8 times the enzyme, and consequently promoting the complete hydrolysis of the olive oil for the highest water contents [85% (v/v)]. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Oil flow in deep waters: comparative study between light oils and heavy oils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andreolli, Ivanilto [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-12-19

Ultra deeper waters fields are being exploited due to technological development. Under this scenario, the flow design is accomplished through pipelines subjected to low temperature and high pressure. Moreover, these flow lines are usually long causing a fast fluid cooling, which may affect flow assurance in some cases. Problems during topsides production plant's restart might occur if the oil is viscous and even in steady state a significant different behavior can be noticed, if compared to a less viscous oil. A comparison between light and heavy oil through a case study with the objective to show some heavy oil flow particularities is the purpose of this paper. Permanent and transient analyses for a specific geometry are presented. The results showed that thermal and proper viscosity modeling are required for heavy oil flow, differently from that of light oil flow, due to the exponential viscosity dependence to temperature and because the predominant laminar regime. In addition, on heavier and heavier oil flow systems, it is essential to consider exportation system's restart. (author)

Fabrication and evaluation of nanocellulose sponge for oil/water separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Phanthong, Patchiya; Reubroycharoen, Prasert; Kongparakul, Suwadee; Samart, Chanatip; Wang, Zhongde; Hao, Xiaogang; Abudula, Abuliti; Guan, Guoqing

2018-06-15

Nanocellulose sponge was fabricated by a facile method: freeze-drying of nanocellulose aqueous suspension to sponge state, following by hydrophobic treatment with stearoyl chloride at 50 °C for 1 h. The obtained nanocellulose sponge showed superhydrophobicity (160° of water contact angle) and superoleophilicity with high protection from water but selective absorption of oil. Its absorption capacities for various kinds of oil and non-polar liquids were 25-55 times higher than its dry weight and exhibited excellent selectivity for absorbing of oil which spilled on the surface of water or underwater with high separation efficiency. This superhydrophobic nanocellulose sponge can be easily recovered by simple squeezing and reused at least 10 cycles with remained high separation efficiency. It is expected that such a biodegradable nanocellulose sponge can be applied to solve the oil spill accident and treat the oily wastewater from households and industries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Partitioning of semi-soluble organic compounds between the water phase and oil droplets in produced water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faksness, Liv-Guri; Grini, Per Gerhard; Daling, Per S

2004-04-01

When selecting produced water treatment technologies, one should focus on reducing the major contributors to the total environmental impact. These are dispersed oil and semi-soluble hydrocarbons, alkylated phenols, and added chemicals. Experiments with produced water have been performed offshore on the Statoil operated platforms Gullfaks C and Statfjord B. These experiments were designed to find how much of the environmentally relevant compounds were dissolved in the water phase and not associated to the dispersed oil in the produced water. Results show that the distribution between the dispersed oil and the water phase varies highly for the different components groups. For example the concentration of PAHs and the C6-C9 alkylated phenols is strongly correlated to the content of dispersed oil. Therefore, the technologies enhancing the removal of dispersed oil have a higher potential for reducing the environmental impact of the produced water than previously considered.

Partitioning of semi-soluble organic compounds between the water phase and oil droplets in produced water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faksness, Liv-Guri; Grini, Per Gerhard; Daling, Per S.

2004-01-01

When selecting produced water treatment technologies, one should focus on reducing the major contributors to the total environmental impact. These are dispersed oil and semi-soluble hydrocarbons, alkylated phenols, and added chemicals. Experiments with produced water have been performed offshore on the Statoil operated platforms Gullfaks C and Statfjord B. These experiments were designed to find how much of the environmentally relevant compounds were dissolved in the water phase and not associated to the dispersed oil in the produced water. Results show that the distribution between the dispersed oil and the water phase varies highly for the different components groups. For example the concentration of PAHs and the C6-C9 alkylated phenols is strongly correlated to the content of dispersed oil. Therefore, the technologies enhancing the removal of dispersed oil have a higher potential for reducing the environmental impact of the produced water than previously considered

Robust and durable superhydrophobic cotton fabrics for oil/water separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Zhaozhu; Xu, Xianghui; Guo, Fang; Zhu, Xiaotao; Men, Xuehu; Ge, Bo

2013-08-14

By introducing the incorporation of polyaniline and fluorinated alkyl silane to the cotton fabric via a facile vapor phase deposition process, the fabric surface possessed superhydrophobicity with the water contact angle of 156° and superoleophilicity with the oil contact angle of 0°. The as-prepared fabric can be applied as effective materials for the separation of water and oil mixture with separation efficiency as high as 97.8%. Compared with other materials for oil/water separation, the reported process was simple, time-saving, and repeatable for at least 30 times. Moreover, the obtained fabric kept stable superhydrophobicity and high separation efficiency under extreme environment conditions of high temperature, high humidity, strong acidic or alkaline solutions, and mechanical forces. Therefore, this reported fabric has the advantages of scalable fabrication, high separation efficiency, stable recyclability, and excellent durability, exhibiting the strong potential for industrial production.

Determining the water cut and water salinity in an oil-water flowstream by measuring the sulfur content of the produced oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, H.D.; Arnold, D.M.

1980-01-01

A technique for detecting water cut and water salinity in an oil/water flowstream in petroleum refining and producing operations is described. The fluid is bombarded with fast neutrons which are slowed down and then captured producing gamma spectra characteristic of the fluid material. Analysis of the spectra indicates the relative presence of the elements sulfur, hydrogen and chlorine and from the sulfur measurement, the oil cut (fractional oil content) of the fluid is determined, enabling the water cut to be found. From the water cut, water salinity can also be determined. (U.K.)

Recovery of Palm Oil and Valuable Material from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch by Sub-critical Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad Kurnin, Nor Azrin; Shah Ismail, Mohd Halim; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Izhar, Shamsul

2016-01-01

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) is one of the solid wastes produced in huge volume by palm oil mill. Whilst it still contains valuable oil, approximately 22.6 million tons is generated annually and treated as solid waste. In this work, sub-critical water (sub-cw) was used to extract oil, sugar and tar from spikelet of EFB. The spikelet was treated with sub-cw between 180-280°C and a reaction time of 2 and 5 minutes. The highest yield of oil was 0.075 g-oil/g-dry EFB, obtained at 240°C and reaction time of 5 minutes. Astonishingly, oil that was extracted through this method was 84.5% of that obtained through Soxhlet method using hexane. Yield of oil extracted was strongly affected by the reaction temperature and time. Higher reaction temperature induces the dielectric constant of water towards the non-polar properties of solvent; thus increases the oil extraction capability. Meanwhile, the highest yield of sugar was 0.20 g-sugar/g-dry EFB obtained at 220°C. At this temperature, the ion product of water is high enough to enable maximum sub-critical water hydrolysis reaction. This study showed that oil and other valuable material can be recovered using water at sub-critical condition, and most attractive without the use of harmful organic solvent.

Physical and oxidative stability of high fat fish oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with combinations of sodium caseinate and sodium alginate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yesiltas, Betül; García Moreno, Pedro Jesús; Sørensen, Ann-Dorit Moltke

2017-01-01

.2 ratio NaCas:NaAlg by Box-Behnken's design, the formulae 70%-1.4%-1.2 was decided due to high fish oil content's decreasing effect on droplet size and peroxide value. Practical applications: Physically and oxidatively stable high fat (50-70%) omega-3 delivery fish oil-in-water emulsions are of high......A systematic study was carried out in order to evaluate the physical and oxidative stability of high fat omega-3 delivery fish oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with combinations of sodium caseinate (NaCas) and sodium alginate (NaAlg). The influence of 3 factors related to emulsion composition...... (fish oil content: 50, 60 and 70%; total amount of NaCas and NaAlg: 1.4, 2.1 and 2.8 %; and ratio NaCas:NaAlg: 0.4, 1.2 and 2) on physical (droplet size, viscosity and zeta potential) and oxidative (primary and secondary oxidation products) parameters was evaluated. It was possible to produce emulsions...

Effect of capillary number on the oil recovery using oil-water emulsion injection in core flooding experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guillen Nunez, Victor Raul; Carvalho, Marcio da Silveira [Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), RJ (Brazil). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering], E-mail: msn@puc-rio.br; Basante, Vladimir Alvarado [University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States). Dept. of Chemical/Petroleum Engineering], E-mail: valvard@uwyo.edu

2010-07-01

The Water injection flooding is a common method to improve reservoir sweep and pressure maintenance. The heavy-oil-recovery efficiency is in part limited by the high water-to-oil mobility ratio. Several enhanced oil recovery methods are being developed as more efficient alternatives to water flooding. Dispersion injection, in particular oil-water emulsion injection, has been tried with relative success as an enhanced oil recovery method, but the technique is not fully developed or understood. If emulsion injection proves to be an effective EOR method, its use would bring the added benefit of disposing produced water with small oil content that could be modified to serve as the injected oil-water emulsion. The use of such methods requires a detailed analysis of the different flow regimes of emulsions through the porous space of a reservoir rock. If the drop size of the disperse phase is of the same order of magnitude as the pore size, the drops may agglomerate and partially block water flow through pores. This flow regime may be used to control the mobility of the injected liquid, leading to higher recovery factor. We have shown in recent experiments of oil displacement in a sandstone core that, the oil recovery factor could be raised from approximately 40 %, obtained with water injection only, up to approximately 75 % by alternating water and emulsion injection. Although these results clearly show the improvement in the recovery factor, the mechanisms responsible for the phenomenon have not been clearly elucidated. In this work, two sandstone cores were used to demonstrate the effect of flow rate (capillary number) on the mobility control by emulsion injection. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the experiment set-up. The experiments show that raising the flow rate by a factor of 10 (0.03 ml/min to 0.3 ml/min), the oil recovered factor decreases considerably. (author)

Nylon 6,6 Nonwoven Fabric Separates Oil Contaminates from Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan A Ortega

Full Text Available Industrial oil spills into aquatic environments can have catastrophic environmental effects. First responders to oil spills along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the southern United States have used spunbond nylon fabric bags and fences to separate spilled oil and oil waste from contaminated water. Low area mass density spunbond nylon is capable of sorbing more than 16 times its mass in low viscosity crude oil and more than 26 times its mass in higher viscosity gear lube oil. Nylon bags separated more than 95% of gear lube oil contaminate from a 4.5% oil-in-water emulsion. Field testing of spunbond nylon fences by oil spill first responders has demonstrated the ability of this material to contain the oily contaminate while allowing water to flow through. We hypothesize that the effectiveness of nylon as an oil filter is due to the fact that it is both more oleophilic and more hydrophilic than other commonly used oil separation materials. The nylon traps oil droplets within the fabric or on the surface, while water droplets are free to flow through the fabric to the water on the opposite side of the fabric.

Oil adsorbing package, also procedure to remove oil from a water surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1971-05-01

A method is given to remove oil from water to prevent water pollution. Use is made of an oil-adsorbing packet having a specific gravity which is lower than the specific gravity of water. The hull is manufactured from any material which is not a water-insoluble nonpolar material. The hull is partly permeable to water and encloses a solid oil-adsorbing compound having a large adsorbing surface. (10 claims)

Panorama 2011: Water in fuel production Oil production and refining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nabzar, L.

2011-01-01

Water plays a vital role in the production of fuels. Against a background of extremely high pressure to do with the need to protect the environment, better manage energy use and operate in a socially responsible manner - as well as the need to protect water as a resource and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water management has become a major issue for the oil industry. These issues have all more or less been factored into the integrated water management programmes which have been introduced both in oil production and oil refining. These programmes have been designed to keep waste and emissions to a minimum, and to reduce the quantities of water required. (author)

Bioinspired Diatomite Membrane with Selective Superwettability for Oil/Water Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Yu-Hsiang; Yang, Ching-Yu; Chang, Haw-Kai; Hung, Wei-Chen; Chen, Po-Yu

2017-05-03

Membranes with selective superwettability for oil/water separation have received significant attention during the past decades. Hierarchical structures and surface roughness are believed to improve the oil repellency and the stability of Cassie-Baxter state. Diatoms, unicellular photosynthetic algae, possess sophisticated skeletal shells (called frustules) which are made of hydrated silica. Motivated by the hierarchical micro- and nanoscale features of diatom, we fabricate a hierarchical diatomite membrane which consists of aligned micro-sized channels by the freeze casting process. The fine nano-porous structures of frustules are well preserved after the post sintering process. The bioinspired diatomite membrane performs both underwater superoleophobicity and superhydrophobicity under various oils. Additionally, we demonstrate the highly efficient oil/water separation capabililty of the membranes in various harsh environments. The water flux can be further adjusted by tuning the cooling rates. The eco-friendly and robust bioinspired membranes produced by the simple, cost-effective freeze casting method can be potentially applied for large scale and efficient oil/water separation.

Immobilizing Water into Crystal Lattice of Calcium Sulfate for its Separation from Water-in-Oil Emulsion.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Guangming; Li, Junxi; Nie, Yunliang; Zhang, Sen; Dong, Fan; Guan, Baohong; Lv, Xiaoshu

2016-07-19

This work report a facile approach to efficiently separate surfactant-stabilized water (droplet diameter of around 2.0 μm) from water-in-oil emulsion via converting liquid water into solid crystal water followed by removal with centrifugation. The liquid-solid conversion is achieved through the solid-to-solid phase transition of calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CaSO4. 0.5H2O, HH) to dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O, DH), which could immobilize the water into crystal lattice of DH. For emulsion of 10 mg mL(-1) water, the immobilization-separation process using polycrystalline HH nanoellipsoids could remove 95.87 wt % water at room temperature. The separation efficiency can be further improved to 99.85 wt % by optimizing the HH dosage, temperature, HH size and crystalline structure. Property examination of the recycled oil confirms that our method has neglectable side-effect on oil quality. The byproduct DH was recycled to alpha-HH (a valuable cemetitious material widely used in construction and binding field), which minimizes the risk of secondary pollution and promotes the practicality of our method. With the high separation efficiency, the "green" feature and the recyclability of DH byproduct, the HH-based immobilization-separation approach is highly promising in purifying oil with undesired water contamination.

MICROWAVE HEATING AND SEPARATION OF WATER-IN-OIL EMULSION FROM MEXICAN CRUDE OIL

OpenAIRE

VAZQUEZ V., ADRIAN; LOPEZ M., ARTURO; ANDRADE C., LUIS J.; VAZQUEZ A., ARIANA M.

2014-01-01

Microwave heating and gravity sedimentation are alternatives for demulsification and layer separation into oil and water layers, this process was demonstrated in the laboratory and provides an option for reducing and oil recovering from water-in-oil Mexican oil emulsions. The combinatorial process was implemented in a test lab using Mexican crude oil samples. The Laboratory samples were 100% and 50-50%, crude and crude-water respectively, were heated. The results were encouraging show that mi...

Experimental study of heavy oil-water flow structure effects on relative permeabilities in a fracture filled with heavy oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shad, S.; Gates, I.D.; Maini, B.B. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering]|[Alberta Ingenuity Centre for In Situ Energy, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

2008-10-15

An experimental apparatus was used to investigate the flow of water in the presence of heavy oil within a smooth-walled fracture. Different flow patterns were investigated under a variety of flow conditions. Results of the experiments were used to determine the accuracy of VC, Corey, and Shad and Gates models designed to represent the behaviour of oil wet systems. The relative permeability concept was used to describe the behaviour of multiple phases flowing through porous media. A smooth-walled plexiglass Hele-Shaw cell was used to visualize oil and water flow. Changes in flow rates led to different flow regimes. The experiment demonstrated that water flowed co-currently in the form of droplets or slugs. Decreases in the oil flow rate enlarged the size of the water droplets as well as the velocity, until eventually the droplets coalesced and became water slugs. Droplet appearance or disappearance directly impacted the oil and water saturation levels. Changes in fluid saturation altered the pressure gradient. Darcy's law for the 2 liquid phases were used to calculate relative permeability curves. The study showed that at low water saturation, oil relative permeability reached as high as 2.5, while water relative permeability was lower than unity. In the presence of a continuous water channel, water drops formed in oil, and the velocity of the drops was lower than their velocity under a discontinuous water flow regime. It was concluded that the Shad and Gates model overestimated oil relative permeability and underestimated water relative permeability. 38 refs., 2 tabs., 9 figs.

Cleaning oil refining drainage waters out of emulsified oil products with thermic treated cedar nut shell

Science.gov (United States)

Pyatanova, P. A.; Adeeva, L. N.

2017-08-01

It was elaborated the ability of the sorbent produced by thermic treatment of cedar nut shell to destruct model and real first kind (direct) emulsions in static and dynamic conditions. In static conditions optimal ratio sorbent-emulsion with the original concentration of oil products 800 mg/l was in the range of 2.0 g per 100 ml of emulsion which corresponds to the level of treatment 94.9%. The time of emulsion destruction was 40 minutes. This sorbent is highly active in dynamic processes of oil-contaminated water treatment, the level of treatment 96.0% is being achieved. Full dynamic sorptive capacity of the sorbent is 0.85 g/g. Sorbent based on the thermic treated cedar nut shell can be elaborated as sorptive filter element of local treatment facilities of oil refining and petrochemical processes. After the treatment with this sorbent of drainage waters of oil refinery in dynamic conditions the concentration of oil products became less than mpc on oil products for waste waters coming to biological treatment.

Oil water laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

P Junior, Oswaldo A.; Verli, Fernando; Lopes, Humberto E.

2000-01-01

Usually, the oily water effluent from petroleum processes needs to be treated prior to its environment discard and/or reuse. The synthesis of such water effluent residues in an Oily Water Laboratory - equipped with Water Treatment Pilot Scale Units - is fundamental to the study and effectiveness comparison among the typical industrial water treatment processes. The Oily Water Laboratory will allow the reproduction - in a small scale - of any oily water effluent produced in the industrial PETROBRAS units - such reproduction can be obtained by using the same fluids, oily concentration, salinity, process temperature, particle size distribution etc. Such Laboratory also allows the performance analysis of typical industrial equipment used throughout the water treatment schemes (e.g., hydro-cyclones), resulting in design and/or operational guidelines for these industrial scale schemes. In the particular niche of very small diameter oil droplet removal, more efficient and non-conventional schemes - such as centrifuges and/or membrane filtration - will be also studied in the Laboratory. In addition, the Laboratory shall be used in the certification of in-line oily water analyzers (e.g., TOC - Total Organic Carbon and OWC - Oil Wax Content). This paper describes the characteristics of such Laboratory and its main operational philosophy. (author)

Changes in the Characteristics of Water-in-Oil-based High Internal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HP

Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur 63100, ... and water-in-oil (W/O) systems with internal .... stresses were applied on the samples, and shear rates and .... Curr Opin Colloid Interfac.

Preparation of non-porous microspheres with high entrapment efficiency of proteins by a (water-in-oil)-in-oil emulsion technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanathan, N B; Thomas, P A; Pandit, J K; Kulkarni, M G; Mashelkar, R A

1999-03-08

Emulsification-solvent removal methods have been widely used for encapsulating bioactive macromolecules like proteins and polypeptides in biodegradable polymers. We report, a (water-in-oil)-in-oil emulsion technique wherein proteins and polypeptides differing in molecular weight and shape were encapsulated in polymers of current biomedical interest. When an oil was used as the processing medium in combination with a carefully selected mixed solvent system such that a stable (w/o1/o2 emulsion is formed and solvents are removed by a combination of extraction and evaporation, the entrapment efficiency was high and the product nonporous. The entrapment efficiency of globular proteins exceeded 90% while that of fibrous proteins was around 70%. Fracture studies revealed that the polymer matrix was dense. The mechanism of entrapment involved solvent-induced precipitation of the protein as the microspheres were being formed. The principle of the method will find use in preparation of non-porous polymer microparticles with reduced burst effect.

Fish oil prevents sucrose-induced fatty liver but exacerbates high-safflower oil-induced fatty liver in ddy mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, Tomomi; Nakamori, Akiko; Sasaki, Eriko; Wada, Satoshi; Ezaki, Osamu

2007-12-01

Diets high in sucrose/fructose or fat can result in hepatic steatosis (fatty liver). We analyzed the effects of dietary fish oil on fatty liver induced by sucrose, safflower oil, and butter in ddY mice. In experiment I, mice were fed a high-starch diet [70 energy% (en%) starch] plus 20% (wt/wt) sucrose in the drinking water or fed a high-safflower oil diet (60 en%) for 11 weeks. As a control, mice were fed a high-starch diet with drinking water. Fish oil (10 en%) was either supplemented or not. Mice supplemented with sucrose or fed safflower oil showed a 1.7-fold or 2.2-fold increased liver triglyceride content, respectively, compared with that of control mice. Fish oil completely prevented sucrose-induced fatty liver, whereas it exacerbated safflower oil-induced fatty liver. Sucrose increased SREBP-1c and target gene messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and fish oil completely inhibited these increases. In experiment II, mice were fed a high-safflower oil or a high-butter diet, with or without fish oil supplementation. Fish oil exacerbated safflower oil-induced fatty liver but did not affect butter-induced fatty liver. Fish oil increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and target CD36 mRNA in safflower oil-fed mice. These increases were not observed in sucrose-supplemented or butter-fed mice. The effects of dietary fish oil on fatty liver differ according to the cause of fatty liver; fish oil prevents sucrose-induced fatty liver but exacerbates safflower oil-induced fatty liver. The exacerbation of fatty liver may be due, at least in part, to increased expression of liver PPARgamma.

Method and apparatus for recovering oil from an oil spill on the surface of a body of water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schweizer, R.W.; Patel, K.P.; Lau, P.Y.

1991-01-01

This patent describes a method of recovering a hydrophobic hydrocarbon oil from the surface of a body of water, the body of water having a water temperature, the oil having a specific gravity which is less than the specific gravity of the water in the body of water and a viscosity which is greater than approximately 80 centipoise at the water temperature. It comprises continuously withdrawing a feed oil-water mixture from the surface of the body of water; continuously adjusting the viscosity of the oil in the feed oil-water mixture to a level below approximately 80 centipoise to form an adjusted oil-water mixture; and continuously passing the adjusted oil-water mixture through an oil-water coalescer to separate the oil in the adjusted oil-water mixture from the water in the adjusted oil-water mixture

Separating oil from water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Webb, C

1991-04-11

The technology available to deal with oil spills has assumed many new faces in recent years. Methods of dealing with small-scale pollution in the process industries and vast oil slicks such as that in the Gulf have developed in parallel. The progress being made in finding new means of separating oil from water is reported and the relative merits of bioremediation, hydrocylones, horizontal separators and gas flotation are discussed. (author).

Superhydrophobic silica wool—a facile route to separating oil and hydrophobic solvents from water

Science.gov (United States)

Crick, Colin R.; Bhachu, Davinder S.; Parkin, Ivan P.

2014-12-01

Silica microfiber wool was systematically functionalized in order to provide an extremely water repellent and oleophilic material. This was carried out using a two-step functionalization that was shown to be a highly effective method for generating an intense water repulsion and attraction for oil. A demonstration of the silica wools application is shown through the highly efficient separation of oils and hydrophobic solvents from water. Water is confined to the extremities of the material, while oil is absorbed into the voids within the wool. The effect of surface functionalization is monitored though observing the interaction of the material with both oils and water, in addition to scanning electron microscope images, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. The material can be readily utilized in many applications, including the cleaning of oil spills and filtering during industrial processes, as well as further water purification tasks—while not suffering the losses of efficiency observed in current leading polymeric materials.

Characterization of Emulsions of Fish Oil and Water by Cryo Scanning Electron Microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Louise Helene Søgaard; Horn, Anna Frisenfeldt; Jacobsen, Charlotte

Addition of fish oil to industrially prepared food products is attractive to the food industry because of the well-documented health effects of the omega 3 fatty acids in the fish oil [1]. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids including omega 3 fatty acids are highly susceptible to lipid oxidation due...... to the many double bonds. Emulsions of fish oil in water are potential candidates for a delivery system of fish oil to food products. It has been suggested that oxidation of oil-in-water emulsions is initiated at the interface between oil and water. It has also been proposed that oxidation is to some extent...... is to characterize fish oil in water emulsions with respect to oil droplet size, distribution, and ultimately to view the structure and thickness of the interface layer. A freeze-fractured surface viewed at low temperatures under the scanning electron microscope is a promising strategy to reveal variations...

Purification of water polluted with oil and sulfurous closed-ring and aromatic compounds contained in oil and oil products using bacteria relating to thiosphaera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurashov, V.M.; Sakhno, T.V.; Gavrilov, V.S.; Zijatdinov, R.N.

2005-01-01

The intensity of natural purification (self-purification) of reservoirs polluted with oil and oil products is determined by microorganisms. Hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms are constant natural constituent of biocenose in reservoirs. However, as a result of outflows, the oil and oil products concentration exceeds maximum values allowing normal vital functions of microorganisms resulting in breaking micro-biocenose suppression of vital functions of bacteria. In this regard, elective anaerobic microorganisms of Thiosphaera are worthy of notice. We found out that bacteria belonging to Thiosphaera pantotropha decomposed oil at high oil concentrations in water (at oil concentration like 1 liter of oil in 1 liter of water). And this is when aerobic microorganisms lose their vital functions at maximum concentration of 20 g of oil in 1 liter of water. To intensify the process of oil decomposition we emulsified oil with aqueous solutions of salts. Thiosphaera pantotropha are found out to decompose oil in a wide range of ratio between oil and aqueous solutions of salts: from 1:10 to 10:1. The water solutions salinity made from 20 g/l to 80 g/l. It must be noticed that, since the Thiosphaera pantotropha are elective anaerobes and decompose oil both in presence and in absence of oxygen, it is not necessary anymore to conduct the process under strictly anaerobic conditions and to supply additional oxygen. This makes it possible to simplify the process of biodegradation of oil and to make this process practically more feasible and economically more profitable being compared to the processes based on the use of other species of bacteria. We found out that Thiosphaera decompose sulfurous closed-ring and aromatic compounds in oil which are chemically and thermally stable and can be hardly decomposed, and possess extremely poisonous properties, as well. The use of microorganisms of Thiosphaera pantotropha allows to purify waters polluted with oil and oil products both during

WATER PINCH TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION TO MINIMIZE SULPHUROUS WASTEWATER IN AN OIL REFINERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Orlando Lobelles Sardiñas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In oil refining industries there is a high water consumption, which influences the high production costs and impacts the environment due to the discharge of their wastes. It is known that there are no technological conditions for the reuse of industrial water at the oil refineries, based on hydroskimming processes. The objective of this study is to implement the process integration methodology, Water Pinch, to a sour water stripper unit, as a unitary process of an oil refinery, to minimize the amount of sulphurous waste water and reduce contamination of the bay that receives these wastes. The technology is applied to evaluate the volume of sulphurous wastewater generated in the Cienfuegos oil refinery. This technology allows identifying opportunities for recovery and reuse of water, based on concentration ranges of contaminants. To achieve this purpose, a sour water stripper tower was assessed with the help of Water Pinch software, which provided an optimized distribution network, as a proposed technological improvement. This facilitated to recover and reuse 667 757, 28 m3 of water per year, and 1 035 023, 78 CUC were saved, at the same time the amount of polluting effluents decreased in approximately 2 % of non-reusable treated water.

Rheological Behaviour of Water-in-Light Crude Oil Emulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Husin, H.; Taju Ariffin, T. S.; Yahya, E.

2018-05-01

Basically, emulsions consist of two immiscible liquids which have different density. In petroleum industry, emulsions are undesirable due to their various costly problems in term of transportation difficulties and production loss. A study of the rheological behaviour of light crude oil and its mixture from Terengganu were carried out using Antoon Paar MCR 301 rheometer operated at pressure of 2.5 bar at temperature C. Water in oil emulsions were prepared by mixing light crude oil with different water volume fractions (20%, 30% and 40%). The objectives of present paper are to study the rheological behaviour of emulsion as a fuction of shear rate and model analysis that fitted with the experimental data. The rheological models of Ostwald-De-Waele and Herschel-Bulkley were fitted to the experimental results. All models represented well the rheological data, with high values for the correlation coefficients. The result indicated that variation of water content influenced shear rate-shear stress rheogram of the prepared emulsions. In the case of 100% light crude oil, the study demonstrated non-Newtonian shear thickening behavior. However, for emulsion with different volume water ratios, the rheological behaviour could be well described by Herschel-Bulkley models due to the present of yield stress parameter (R2 = 0.99807). As a conclusion, rheological studies showed that volume water ratio have a great impact on the shear stress and viscosity of water in oil emulsion and it is important to understand these factors to avoid various costly problems.

On-demand oil-water separation via low-voltage wettability switching of core-shell structures on copper substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, Chun Haow; Zahiri, Beniamin; Sow, Pradeep Kumar; Mérida, Walter

2018-06-01

A copper mesh with dendritic copper-oxide core-shell structure is prepared using an additive-free electrochemical deposition strategy for on-demand oil-water separation. Electrochemical manipulation of the oxidation state of the copper oxide shell phase results in opposite affinities towards water and oil. The copper mesh can be tuned to manifest both superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties to enable oil-removal. Conversely, switching to superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic allows water-removal. These changes correspond to the application of small reduction voltages (air drying. In the oil-removal mode, heavy oil selectively passes through the mesh while water is retained; in water-removal mode, the mesh allows water to permeate but blocks light oil. The smart membrane achieved separation efficiencies higher than 98% for a series of oil-water mixtures. The separation efficiency remains high with less than 5% variation after 30 cycles of oil-water separation in both modes. The switchable wetting mechanism is demonstrated with the aid of microstructural and electrochemical analysis and based on the well-known Cassie-Baxter and Wenzel theories. The selective removal of water or oil from the oil-water mixtures is driven solely by gravity and yields high efficiency and recyclability. The potential applications for the relevant technologies include oil spills cleanup, fuel purification, and wastewater treatment.

Combination of sodium caseinate and succinylated alginate improved stability of high fat fish oil-in-water emulsions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yesiltas, Betül; Sørensen, Ann-Dorit Moltke; García Moreno, Pedro Jesús

2018-01-01

Sodium caseinate (CAS) and commercial sodium alginate (CA), long chain modified alginate (LCMA) or short chain modified alginate (SCMA) were used in combination for emulsifying and stabilizing high fat (50–70%) fish oil-in-water emulsions. Physical (creaming, droplet size, viscosity and protein...

Quantification of the recovered oil and water fractions during water flooding laboratory experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Katika, Konstantina; Halim, Amalia Yunita; Shapiro, Alexander

2015-01-01

the volume might be less than a few microliters. In this study, we approach the determination of the oil volumes in flooding effluents using predetermined amounts of the North Sea oil with synthetic seawater. The UV/visible spectroscopy method and low-field NMR spectrometry are compared...... for this determination, and an account of advantages and disadvantages of each method is given. Both methods are reproducible with high accuracy. The NMR method was capable of direct quantification of both oil and water fractions, while the UV/visible spectroscopy quantifies only the oil fraction using a standard curve....

Measurement of oil on water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cordemann, A.; Damaske, O.; Schlaak, M.

1994-01-01

In the measurement of oil on water in the cooling water outflow, in the outfall and intaked of effluent treatment plants, in waterways and in process plants, many methods of measurement available in the market have duration problems or basic difficulties as a result of associated conditions. A series of methods of measurement and equipment has been investigated for the measurement of oil on water. It was been established that the fluorescence method of measurement which operates without contact is especially suitable for this task. (orig.) [de

Water-in-oil emulsions results of formation studies and applicability to oil spill modelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fingas, Merv; Fieldhouse, Ben; Mullin, Joe

1999-01-01

This paper summarises studies of water-in-oil emulsions, their stability, and modelling of their formation. Studies show that water-in-oil emulsions might be characterised into three categories (stable, mesostable and unstable). These categories were established by visual appearance, elasticity and viscosity difference. It was also shown that water content was not an important factor. A fourth category of water-in-oil exists, that of water entrainment, which is not an emulsion. Water-in-oil emulsions made from crude oils have different classes of stabilities as a result of the asphaltene and resin contents. The differences in the emulsion types are readily distinguished both by their rheological properties, and simply by appearance. The apparent viscosity of a stable emulsion at a shear rate of one reciprocal second, is at least three orders-of-magnitude greater than the starting oil. An unstable emulsion usually has a viscosity no more than one order-of-magnitude greater than that of the starting oil. A stable emulsion has a significant elasticity, whereas an unstable emulsion does not. Stable emulsions have sufficient asphaltenes (>∼7%) to establish films of these compounds around water droplets. Mesostable emulsions have insufficient asphaltenes to render them completely stable. Stability is achieved by visco-elastic retention of water and secondarily by the presence of asphaltene or resin films. Mesostable emulsions display apparent viscosities of about 80-600 times that of the starting oil and true viscosities of 20-200 times that of the starting oil. Mesostable emulsions have an asphaltene and resin content greater than 3%. Entrained water occurs when a viscous oil retains larger water droplets, but conditions are not suitable for the formation of an emulsion. Entrained water may have a viscosity that is similar or slightly greater (∼ 2-10 times) than the starting oil. It was found that emulsion formation occurs at a threshold energy, however this energy

Oil-in-Water Emulsions Stabilized by Saponified Epoxidized Soybean Oil-Grafted Hydroxyethyl Cellulose.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xujuan; Li, Qiaoguang; Liu, He; Shang, Shibin; Shen, Minggui; Song, Jie

2017-05-03

An oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by saponified epoxidized soybean oil-grafted hydroxyethyl cellulose (H-ESO-HEC) was investigated. By using an ultrasonic method, oil-in-water emulsions were prepared by blending 50 wt % soybean oil and 50 wt % H-ESO-HEC aqueous suspensions. The influence of H-ESO-HEC concentrations on the properties of oil-in-water emulsions was examined. The H-ESO-HEC concentrations in the aqueous phase varied from 0.02 to 0.40 wt %. When the H-ESO-HEC concentration was 0.4 wt %, the emulsion remained stable for >80 days. The mean droplet sizes of the emulsions decreased by increasing the H-ESO-HEC concentration and extending the ultrasonic time. The adsorption amounts of H-ESO-HEC at the oil-water interface increased when the H-ESO-HEC concentrations in the aqueous phase increased. The rheological property revealed that the apparent viscosity of the H-ESO-HEC-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions increased when the H-ESO-HEC concentrations increased. Steady flow curves indicated an interfacial film formation in the emulsions. The evolution of G', G″, and tan η indicated the predominantly elastic behaviors of all the emulsions.

Stabilization of heavy oil-water emulsions using a bio/chemical emulsifier mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farahbakhsh, A.; Taghizadeh, M.; Movagharnejad, K. [Chemical Engineering Department, Babol University of Technology, Babol (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yakhchali, B. [National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-11-15

In this study, the viscosity reduction of heavy oil has been investigated through the formation of oil-water emulsion using a bio/chemical emulsifier mixture. Four bioemulsifiers from indigenous Rhodococcus ergthropolis and Bacillus licheniformis strains were used to stabilize a highly-viscous oil-in-water emulsion. The Taguchi method with an L{sub 9} orthogonal array design was used to investigate the effect of various control factors on the formation of the oil/water emulsions. An emulsion with lowest viscosity was formed using ACO4 strain. The substantial stability of the oil-in-water emulsion allows the heavy oil to be transported practically over long distances or remain stationary for a considerable period of time prior to utilization. As the result of Taguchi analysis, the temperature and concentration of the emulsifier had a significant influence on viscosity reduction of the emulsion. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

On-site monitoring of Hebei Spirit oil spill by fluorometric detection of oil residues in coastal waters off Taean, Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, M.; Yim, U.H.; Hong, S.H.; Jung, J.H.; Won, J.; An, J.; Choi, H.W.; Shim, W.J. [Korea Ocean Research and Development Inst., Geoje (Korea, Republic of)

2009-07-01

This paper discussed activities conducted to monitor a crude oil spill that contaminated over 70 km of the western Korean coastline. Contamination levels and temporal variations of dissolved and dispersed oils in sea and pore water at 40 beaches were monitored using a portable fluorimeter for 10 months after the spill. More than 980 samples from the heavily-impacted Mallipo Beach area were analyzed. The analysis showed that oil concentrations in the sea water were as high as 16,600 {mu}g/L directly after the spill, and decreased to below the Korean marine water quality standard of 10 {mu}g/L at most sites 10 months after the spill. However, the oil content in pore water remained high, with levels of up to 2,320 {mu}g/L for the first few months following the spill. Higher oil contamination levels were observed at some sites for up to 10 months after the spill. Results of the study suggested that oil in pore water persisted in confined areas along the coastline. Results from the fluorescence detection technique were then compared with traditional gas chromatography (GC) techniques of total petroleum hydrocarbon analysis. It was concluded that fluorescence detection was capable of generating accurate results more quickly and cost-effectively than traditional GC techniques. 22 refs., 7 figs.

Mitigation of Oil in Water Column: Concept Development

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

subsea pipeline leaks , or the leaking of oil from tanks after a damaged vessel has sunk to the bottom. Oil arriving at the surface of the water may...i Classification | CG-926 RDC | author | audience | month year Mitigation of Oil in Water Column: Concept Development Distribution...Center. June 2016 Report No. CG-D-03-16 Mitigation of Oil in Water Column: Concept Development ii UNCLAS//Public | CG-926 RDC

Bioinspired polydopamine particles-assisted construction of superhydrophobic surfaces for oil/water separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Bin; Wang, Yanbing; Peng, Bo; Deng, Ziwei

2016-11-15

Frequent oil spillages and industrial discharge of oils/organic solvents have induced severe environmental pollution and ecological damage, and a great cost in energy and finance has been consumed to solve the problems raised. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a surface hydrophobic modification that can be applied to materials with desired properties of high separation efficiency, excellent selectivity and stable performance in extreme conditions during the oil/water separation. Herein, with combined bioinspirations from mussel adhesive protein (polydopamine) and superhydrophobic lotus leaf (hierarchical structures), we develop a general way to superhydrophobically modify various commercial materials, aiming for the selective removal of oils/organic solvents from water. In this procedure, immersing commercial materials (e.g. melamine sponge, stainless steel mesh, nylon netting and cotton cloth) into water/ethanol/ammonia mixtures at a low concentration of dopamine (DA, 2mg/mL) allows a polydopamine (PDA) coating with a tunable roughness appearing on the substrate in one step. This is because DA can self-polymerize and form PDA particles with a catalyst of ammonia, attaching to any surfaces due to abundant catechol and amine groups in PDA, and ultimately, resulting in hierarchical structures. The subsequent decoration with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecanethiol features the surface superhydrophobic and superoleophilic. This approach is straightforward and economic, and carried out under a mild, environmental-benign circumstance, with nonspecific substrate demands. In addition, the as-prepared superhydrophobic materials exhibit excellent separation performances including high absorption/separation capacity, excellent selectivity, and extraordinary recyclability for collecting various oils/organic solvents from water. These superhydrophobic materials have also verified to be highly chemical resistant, environment stable and mechanically durable. Therefore, this

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure and high dynamic pressure on stability and rheological properties of model oil-in-water emulsions

Science.gov (United States)

Bigikocin, Erman; Mert, Behic; Alpas, Hami

2011-09-01

Both static and dynamic high pressure applications provide interesting modifications in food structures which lead to new product formulations. In this study, the effects of two different treatments, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and high dynamic pressure (HDP), on oil-in-water emulsions were identified and compared. Microfluidization was selected from among the HDP homogenization techniques. The performance of each process was analyzed in terms of rheological modifications and emulsion stability improvements compared with the coarse emulsions. The stability of the emulsions was determined comparatively by using an analytical photo-centrifuge device employing novel analysis technology. Whey protein isolate (WPI) in combination with a food polysaccharide (xanthan gum, guar gum or locust bean gum) were used as emulsifying and stabilizing ingredients. The effective disruption of oil droplets and the degradation of polysaccharides by the shear forces under high pressure in HDP microfluidization yielded finer emulsions with lower viscosities, leading to distinctive improvements in emulsion stability. On the other hand, improvements in stability obtained with HHP treatment were due to the thickening of the emulsions mainly induced by protein unfolding. The corresponding increases in viscosity were intensified in emulsion formulations containing higher oil content. Apart from these, HHP treatment was found to be relatively more contributive to the enhancements in viscoelastic properties.

Influence of infiltrated water on the change of formation water and oil permeability of crude oil bearing rocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cubric, S

1970-09-01

A brief desription is given of the causes of permeability reduction of oil-bearing rocks, due to well damage during the drilling and well completion or when working over wells. The physical properties of 2-phase flow (crude oil-water) and the possibility of increasing the existing permeability of the formation, because of the water infiltrated from the well into the crude oil layer, are described in detail. Field examples show that there are such cases, and that the artificially increased existing permeability of water-bearing rocks can be reduced and even brought to normal, if the adjacent formation zone layer is treated with surfactants (e.g., Hyflo dissolved in crude oil).

Nano-and microstructure of air/oil/water interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGillivray, D.; Mata, J.; White, J.; Zank, J.

2009-01-01

Full text: We report the creation of air/oil/water interfaces with variable thickness oil films, using polyisobutylen based (PIB) surfactants co-spread with long-chain paraffinic alkanes on clean water surfaces. The resultant stable oil layers are readily measurable with simple surface techniques, exhibit physical densities the same as expected for bulk oils, and are up to - 1 00 A thick above the water surface as determined using x-ray reflectometry. This provides a ready system for studying the competition of surfactants at the oil/water interface. Results from the competition of a non-ionic polyamide surfactant or an anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate with the PIB surfactant are reported. However, this smooth oil layer does not account for the total volume of spread oil, nor is the increase in thickness proportional to the film compression. Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) reveals surfactant and oil structures on the scale of 1 to 10μm at the interface. At low surface pressure (π m Nm-1) large, -10μm inhomogeneities are observed. Beyond a phase transition observed at ∼ 24 m Nm-1 a structure with a spongy appearance and a micron-scale texture develops. These structures have implications for understanding the microstructure at the oil/water interface in emulsions.

The separation of stable water-in-oil emulsions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velicogna, D.; Koundakjiian, A.; Beausejour, I.

1993-01-01

Stable oil-in-water emulsions are a major problem in the recovery of spilled oils. Such emulsions can contain as little as 10% oil and can have properties very different from the original oils, making their storage and disposal difficult. These problems have led to experiments testing the feasibility of a process for separating these stable emulsions into dischargeable water and reusable oil. The technique investigated involves use of a recyclable solvent to remove the oil and subsequent distillation and/or membrane treatment to recover the oil and recycle the solvent. Results of preliminary tests show that stable water-in-oil emulsions can be separated quite readily with a regenerated solvent system. The only products of these systems are oil, which can be sent to a refinery, and dischargeable water. The recycled solvent can be used many times without any significant decrease in separation efficiency. In order to enhance the throughput of the system, a solvent vapor stripping method was invented. This stripping method also improves the quality of the products and the recycled solvent. Membrane methods can be used as a post-treatment for the produced water in order to achieve more adequate compliance with discharge limits. 4 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs

40 CFR 60.692-3 - Standards: Oil-water separators.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standards: Oil-water separators. 60.692... Emissions From Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Systems § 60.692-3 Standards: Oil-water separators. (a) Each oil-water separator tank, slop oil tank, storage vessel, or other auxiliary equipment subject to the...

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR by Miscible CO2 and Water Flooding of Asphaltenic and Non-Asphaltenic Oils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edwin A. Chukwudeme

2009-09-01

Full Text Available An EOR study has been performed applying miscible CO2 flooding and compared with that for water flooding. Three different oils are used, reference oil (n-decane, model oil (n-C10, SA, toluene and 0.35 wt % asphaltene and crude oil (10 wt % asphaltene obtained from the Middle East. Stearic acid (SA is added representing a natural surfactant in oil. For the non-asphaltenic oil, miscible CO2 flooding is shown to be more favourable than that by water. However, it is interesting to see that for first years after the start of the injection (< 3 years it is shown that there is almost no difference between the recovered oils by water and CO2, after which (> 3 years oil recovery by gas injection showed a significant increase. This may be due to the enhanced performance at the increased reservoir pressure during the first period. Maximum oil recovery is shown by miscible CO2 flooding of asphaltenic oil at combined temperatures and pressures of 50 °C/90 bar and 70 °C/120 bar (no significant difference between the two cases, about 1% compared to 80 °C/140 bar. This may support the positive influence of the high combined temperatures and pressures for the miscible CO2 flooding; however beyond a certain limit the oil recovery declined due to increased asphaltene deposition. Another interesting finding in this work is that for single phase oil, an almost linear relationship is observed between the pressure drop and the asphaltene deposition regardless of the flowing fluid pressure.

40 CFR 61.347 - Standards: Oil-water separators.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standards: Oil-water separators. 61.347... Waste Operations § 61.347 Standards: Oil-water separators. (a) Except as provided in § 61.352 of this subpart, the owner or operator shall meet the following standards for each oil-water separator in which...

Estimation Of Height Of Oil -Water Contact Above Free Water Level ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An estimate of oil-water contact (OWC) and the understanding of the capillary behaviour of hydrocarbon reservoirs are vital for optimum reservoir characterization, hydrocarbon exploration and production. Hence, the height of oil-water contact above free water level for different rock types from some Niger Delta reservoirs ...

Food grade microemulsion systems: Sunflower oil/castor oil derivative-ethanol/water. Rheological and physicochemical analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mori Cortés, Noelia; Lorenzo, Gabriel; Califano, Alicia N

2018-05-01

Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable systems that have attracted considerable attention in the food industry as delivery systems for many hydrophobic nutrients. These spontaneous systems are highly dependent on ingredients and composition. In this work phase diagrams were constructed using two surfactants (Kolliphor RH40 and ELP), water, sunflower oil, and ethanol as cosurfactant, evaluating their physicochemical properties. Stability of the systems was studied at 25 and 60 °C, monitoring turbidity at 550 nm for over a month to identify the microemulsion region. Conductivity was measured to classify between water-in-oil and oil-in-water microemulsions. The phase diagram constructed with Kolliphor RH40 exhibited a larger microemulsion area than that formulated with Kolliphor ELP. All formulations showed a monomodal droplet size distribution with low polydispersity index (<0.30) and a mean droplet size below 20 nm. Systems with higher water content presented a Newtonian behavior; increasing the dispersed phase content produced a weak gel-like structure with pseudoplastic behavior under flow conditions that was satisfactorily modeled to obtain structural parameters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water contamination from oil extraction activities in Northern Peruvian Amazonian rivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yusta-García, Raúl; Orta-Martínez, Martí; Mayor, Pedro; González-Crespo, Carlos; Rosell-Melé, Antoni

2017-06-01

Oil extraction activities in the Northern Peruvian Amazon have generated a long-standing socio-environmental conflict between oil companies, governmental authorities and indigenous communities, partly derived from the discharge of produced waters containing high amounts of heavy metals and hydrocarbons. To assess the impact of produced waters discharges we conducted a meta-analysis of 2951 river water and 652 produced water chemical analyses from governmental institutions and oil companies reports, collected in four Amazonian river basins (Marañon, Tigre, Corrientes and Pastaza) and their tributaries. Produced water discharges had much higher concentrations of chloride, barium, cadmium and lead than are typically found in fresh waters, resulting in the widespread contamination of the natural water courses. A significant number of water samples had levels of cadmium, barium, hexavalent chromium and lead that did not meet Peruvian and international water standards. Our study shows that spillage of produced water in Peruvian Amazon rivers placed at risk indigenous population and wildlife during several decades. Furthermore, the impact of such activities in the headwaters of the Amazon extended well beyond the boundaries of oil concessions and national borders, which should be taken into consideration when evaluating large scale anthropogenic impacts in the Amazon. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Whey Protein Oil-In-Water Emulsions with Different Oil Concentrations Stabilized by Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Essam Hebishy

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, the effect of ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH: 100 or 200 MPa at 25 °C, in comparison to colloid mill (CM: 5000 rpm at 20 °C and conventional homogenization (CH: 15 MPa at 60 °C, on the stability of oil-in-water emulsions with different oil concentrations (10, 30 or 50 g/100 g emulsified by whey protein isolate (4 g/100 g was investigated. Emulsions were characterized for their microstructure, rheological properties, surface protein concentration (SPC, stability to creaming and oxidative stability under light (2000 lux/m2. UHPH produced emulsions containing lipid droplets in the sub-micron range (100–200 nm and with low protein concentrations on droplet surfaces. Droplet size (d3.2, µm was increased in CH and UHPH emulsions by increasing the oil concentration. CM emulsions exhibited Newtonian flow behaviour at all oil concentrations studied; however, the rheological behaviour of CH and UHPH emulsions varied from Newtonian flow (n ≈ 1 to shear-thinning (n ˂ 1 and thixotropic behaviour in emulsions containing 50% oil. This was confirmed by the non-significant differences in the d4.3 (µm value between the top and bottom of emulsions in tubes left at room temperature for nine days and also by a low migration velocity measured with a Turbiscan LAB instrument. UHPH emulsions showed significantly lower oxidation rates during 10 days storage in comparison to CM and CH emulsions as confirmed by hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS. UHPH emulsions treated at 100 MPa were less oxidized than those treated at 200 MPa. The results from this study suggest that UHPH treatment generates emulsions that have a higher stability to creaming and lipid oxidation compared to colloid mill and conventional treatments.

The Use of Demulsifiers for Separating Water from Anthracene Oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zečević, N.

2008-03-01

, causes the phenomenon of cavitations.In the oil-furnace carbon black plant of Petrokemija d. d. Kutina, the storage tank TK48003, was filled with 800 tons of anthracene oil. The average water fraction in the tank was w = 10·10 –2. It was impossible to manipulate in the process of production, because the mentioned water fraction caused the cavitations effect. Therefore, it was necessary to decrease the water fraction to below w = 2.0·10 –2, which will be satisfactory for production.As the water and anthracene oil formed a homogeneous emulsion (similar density at all temperatures, it was impossible to manage decanting the water from the anthracene oil. Additionally, it was impossible to manage evaporation of the water from the oil by heating the whole emulsion,because the flash point of anthracene oil is in the temperature range of T = 100 to 105 °C. Distillation of the whole emulsion of 800 tons was also impossible, because there was no distillation column adequate for separating the water from the anthracene oil. Thus, the use of different demulsifiers proved as a potential solution for separating the homogeneous mixture of anthracene oil and water. Namely, demulsifiers are a special type of high molecular tensides and organic solvents, which serve for separation the water from different hydrocarbons.The most common use is in emulsions with “lighter” hydrocarbons, especially when the density is not above r=0.850 g cm–3. Since the density of anthracene oil ranges from r=1.05 to 1.09 g cm–3, it was necessary to customise the conditions of application, and to choose the mostadequate demulsifier for the separation of water from anthracene oil. Therefore, we experimented with different kinds of demulsifiers in cooperation with the companies TEH PROJEKT KEMO d. o. o. and KEM PROJEKT d. o. o. In laboratory conditions, we tested five different demulsifiers with different concentrations, and their efficiency in separating the water from anthracene oil. We then

Determination of flow rates of oil, water and gas in pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roach, G J; Watt, J S; Zastawny, H W [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia). Div. of Mineral Physics

1994-12-31

This paper describes a multiphase flow meter developed by CSIRO for determining of the flow rates of oil, water and gas in high pressure pipelines, and the results of a trial of this flow meter on an offshore oil platform. Two gamma-ray transmission gauges are mounted about a pipeline carrying the full flow of oil, water and gas. The flow rates are determined by combining single energy gamma-ray transmission measurements which determine the mass per unit area of fluids in the gamma-ray beam as a function of time, dual energy gamma-ray transmission (DUET) which determine the approximate mass fraction of oil in the liquids, cross-correlation of gamma-ray transmission measurements, with one gauge upstream of the other, which determines flow velocity, pressure and temperature measurements, and knowledge of the specific gravities of oil and (salt) water, and solubility of the gas in the liquids, all as a function of pressure and temperature. 3 figs.

Determination of flow rates of oil, water and gas in pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roach, G.J.; Watt, J.S.; Zastawny, H.W. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia). Div. of Mineral Physics

1993-12-31

This paper describes a multiphase flow meter developed by CSIRO for determining of the flow rates of oil, water and gas in high pressure pipelines, and the results of a trial of this flow meter on an offshore oil platform. Two gamma-ray transmission gauges are mounted about a pipeline carrying the full flow of oil, water and gas. The flow rates are determined by combining single energy gamma-ray transmission measurements which determine the mass per unit area of fluids in the gamma-ray beam as a function of time, dual energy gamma-ray transmission (DUET) which determine the approximate mass fraction of oil in the liquids, cross-correlation of gamma-ray transmission measurements, with one gauge upstream of the other, which determines flow velocity, pressure and temperature measurements, and knowledge of the specific gravities of oil and (salt) water, and solubility of the gas in the liquids, all as a function of pressure and temperature. 3 figs.

Determination of flow rates of oil, water and gas in pipelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roach, G.J.; Watt, J.S.; Zastawny, H.W.

1993-01-01

This paper describes a multiphase flow meter developed by CSIRO for determining of the flow rates of oil, water and gas in high pressure pipelines, and the results of a trial of this flow meter on an offshore oil platform. Two gamma-ray transmission gauges are mounted about a pipeline carrying the full flow of oil, water and gas. The flow rates are determined by combining single energy gamma-ray transmission measurements which determine the mass per unit area of fluids in the gamma-ray beam as a function of time, dual energy gamma-ray transmission (DUET) which determine the approximate mass fraction of oil in the liquids, cross-correlation of gamma-ray transmission measurements, with one gauge upstream of the other, which determines flow velocity, pressure and temperature measurements, and knowledge of the specific gravities of oil and (salt) water, and solubility of the gas in the liquids, all as a function of pressure and temperature. 3 figs

Exploratory study on prevaporation membranes for removal of water from water-crude oil emulsions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-01-11

The main objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of removing water from oil/water and water/oil emulsions by means of prevaporation. Simulated oil/water and water/oil emulsions were prepared by mixing water and kerosene of various concentrations and stabilized by adding sodium lauryl sulfate. Preliminary experiments were conducted on 12 membranes fabricated from two different materials. One membrane of each type of material was chosen for further work based on the results of preliminary tests, in which two different kinds of membranes, cellulose and polyvinylalcohol, were used. All experiments were carried out under two different down-stream pressures and various temperatures. The tests showed clearly that permeation rate increases at increasing temperatures. It was demonstrated that over 97% of water can be recovered from synthetic oil emulsions. The results also proved that both cellulose and polyvinylalcohol membranes produced permeates relatively free of oil even when the synthetic or crude oil emulsions had oil content higher than 90%. The study concluded that prevaporation was effective, but more extensive studies on various field oil emulsions with improved membrane material and systems were necessary due to the complex and site-specific characteristics of the actual field emulsions. 3 figs., 8 tabs.

Water coning. An empirical formula for the critical oil-production rate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schols, R S

1972-01-01

The production of oil through a well that partly penetrates an oil layer underlain by water causes the oil/water interface to deform into a bell shape, usually referred to as water coning. To prevent water- breakthrough as a result of water coning, a knowledge of critical rates is necessary. Experiments are described in which critical rates were measured as a function of the relevant parameters. The experiments were conducted in Hele Shaw models, suitable for radial flow. From the experimental data, an empirical formula for critical rates was derived in dimensionless form. Approximate theoretical solutions for the critical rate appear in literature. A comparison of critical rates calculated according to these solutions with those from the empirical formula shows that these literature data give either too high or too low values for the critical rates.

Contingency plan improvement for managing oil spills in the coastal waters of Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Singkran, Nuanchan

2014-12-15

The estimated risks of being impacted by oil spills in the coastal waters were used to improve the oil spill contingency plan of Thailand. Functional roles of local agencies are integrated into the plan. Intensive measures are suggested for the coastal provinces located in high-very high risk zones, whereas light and moderate measures are suggested for the coastal provinces located in low and moderate risk zones, respectively. The estimated percentage risks due to simulated oil slicks hitting the coast and/or important resources (PRoilspill) were used to guide the year-round water activities that should be carefully handled at a certain radius with a low-moderate PRoilspill, whereas they should be avoided at a certain radius with a high-very high PRoilspill. Important measures before, during, and post periods of an oil spill incident are suggested to prevent and monitor oil spill incidents and mitigate their impacts on the environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water scarcity and oil palm expansion: social views and environmental processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Merten

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Conversions of natural ecosystems, e.g., from rain forests to managed plantations, result in significant changes in the hydrological cycle including periodic water scarcity. In Indonesia, large areas of forest were lost and extensive oil palm plantations were established over the last decades. We conducted a combined social and environmental study in a region of recent land-use change, the Jambi Province on Sumatra. The objective was to derive complementary lines of arguments to provide balanced insights into environmental perceptions and eco-hydrological processes accompanying land-use change. Interviews with villagers highlighted concerns regarding decreasing water levels in wells during dry periods and increasing fluctuations in stream flow between rainy and dry periods. Periodic water scarcity was found to severely impact livelihoods, which increased social polarization. Sap flux measurements on forest trees and oil palms indicate that oil palm plantations use as much water as forests for transpiration. Eddy covariance analyses of evapotranspiration over oil palm point to substantial additional sources of evaporation in oil palm plantations such as the soil and epiphytes. Stream base flow from a catchment dominated by oil palms was lower than from a catchment dominated by rubber plantations; both showed high peaks after rainfall. An estimate of erosion indicated approximately 30 cm of topsoil loss after forest conversion to both oil palm and rubber plantations. Analyses of climatic variables over the last 20 years and of a standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index for the last century suggested that droughts are recurrent in the area, but have not increased in frequency or intensity. Consequently, we assume that conversions of rain forest ecosystems to oil palm plantations lead to a redistribution of precipitated water by runoff, which leads to the reported periodic water scarcity. Our combined social and environmental approach

Robust superhydrophobic surface by nature-inspired polyphenol chemistry for effective oil-water separation

Science.gov (United States)

Bu, Yiming; Huang, Jingjing; Zhang, Shiyu; Wang, Yinghua; Gu, Shaojin; Cao, Genyang; Yang, Hongjun; Ye, Dezhan; Zhou, Yingshan; Xu, Weilin

2018-05-01

With the ever-increasing oil spillages, oil-water separation has attracted widespread concern in recent years. In this work, a nature-inspired polyphenol method has been developed to fabricate the durable superhydrophobic surfaces for the oil-water separation. Inspiring from the adhesion of polyphenol and reducing capacity of free catechol/pyrogallol groups in polyphenol, firstly, the simple immersion of commercial materials (melamine sponge, PET, and nonwoven cotton fabrics) in tannic acid (TA) solution allows to form a multifunctional coating on the surface of sponge or fabrics, which was used as reducing reagent to generate Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Then, decoration of 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecanethiol (PFDT) molecules produced superhydrophobic surfaces. The surface topological structure, chemical composition, and superhydrophobic property of the as-prepared surface are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The WCAs of as-prepared sponge and fabrics were higher than 150°. The stability, absorption capacity, and recyclability of as-prepared sponge and fabrics were investigated. The as-prepared sponge demonstrates high oil/water selectivity and high absorption capacity (66-150 g/g) for a broad variety of oils and organic solvents, and was chemically resistant, robust against abrasion, and long-term durability in harsh environments. Most important of all, it can continuously separate various kinds of oils or organic pollutants from the surface of water. This study presents a facile strategy to fabricate superhydrophobic materials for continuous oil-water separation, displaying great potential in large-scale practical application.

In-Situ Burning of Crude Oil on Water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Gelderen, Laurens

in the small scale water basin. Boilovers were also observed during the burning of a heavy crude oil with a substantial light fraction without a water layer, however, which suggests that water is not essential for boilover occurrence. Further studies are required to determine the conditions under which......The fire dynamics and fire chemistry of in-situ burning of crude oil on water was studied in order to improve predictions on the suitability of this oil spill response method. For this purpose, several operational parameters were studied to determine the factors that control the burning efficiency...... of in-situ burning, i.e. the amount of oil (in wt%) removed from the water surface by the burning process. The burning efficiency is the main parameter for expressing the oil removal effectiveness of in-situ burning as response method and is thus relevant for suitability predictions of in-situ burning...

Efficiency of preliminary discharge of stratum water in Tuymazinskoe oil field

Science.gov (United States)

Almukhametova, E. M.; Akimov, A. V.; Kalinina, S. V.; Fatkullin, I. F.; Gizetdinov, I. A.

2017-10-01

The high water content of oil is a common occurrence for many Russian fields at the late stage of development. Due to the elimination of associated water in oil, the overload of field pipelines often takes place. Products are often collected by a one-pipe system, which means that the formation water is discharged using special plants PWDS. Research workers have made it clear that the complexity of production “BashNIPIneft” and OGPD “Tuymazaneft” on Tuimazy field was due to the fact that the collection of production, in most cases, uses a centralized system, which loses its advantages when there is a large content of water in the emulsions. Research has indicated that the reagents, used in the field, proved to be ineffective, as the oil of Devonian formations is heavily saturated with paraffins. But, ultimately, the most effective agents for the destruction of emulsions have been nonetheless identified. This paper describes the implementation of the system of track discharge of formation water, which is currently in use for many oil companies not only in Russia but also worldwide.

Oil production and water management in Oman

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, D.H.; Kuijvenhoven, C.A.T.; Waterland, R.D.; Smies, M.

1991-01-01

This paper describes the development of integrated (production) water management in Petroleum Development Oman. In its existing oil fields the water cut is rising rapidly and water production is expected to increase two to three times in the next 15 years. Re-injection of production water will continue to account for less than half of the volume of co-produced water. Current subsurface disposal of production water to shallow Tertiary formations is based on thorough knowledge of the local hydrogeology and does not affect potable water resources. However, in view of the expected increase in production water volume, utilization and disposal options have been re-evaluated. This review has been facilitated by recently acquired data on production water quality and by the results of research in dehydration and de-oiling technologies and of tests with production chemicals. The combined knowledge base is used to arrive at water management strategies for individual oil fields that are sound both in principle and in practice

A new Experimental Rig for Oil Burning on Water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brogaard, Nicholas L.; Sørensen, Martin X.; Fritt-Rasmussen, Janne

2014-01-01

A new experimental apparatus, the Crude Oil Flammability Apparatus (COFA), has been developed to study in-situ burning of crude and pure oils spilled on water in a controlled laboratory environment with large water-to-oil ratios. The parameters and phenomena studied for an asphaltic crude oil...... is superheated. When the initial crude oil layer thickness exceeded 20 mm the oil became solid and no boilover occurred. The heat-loss to the water sub-layer also had an effect on the burning efficiency and the regression rate was found to reach a constant value after increasing continuously as the oil...... (Grane) and two pure oils (n-Octane and dodecane) with different initial oil layer thicknesses include burning efficiency, burning rate, regression rate, flame height and boilover. Pyrex glass cylinders (157 and 260 mm ID) placed on top of a steel foot in a water basin (1m x 1m x 0.5m) enabled free...

Synthesis of radiolabelled organic compounds for use as water tracers in oil reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksen, D.Oe.; Bjoernstad, V.

1999-01-01

Injection of water into oil containing strata to maintain field pressure and to replace oil is usually the primary choice to enhance oil-recovery. Use of tracer methods is becoming an important part of the oil companies' basis for making economical decisions. Such water tracing requires passive tracers, i.e. compounds that behave exactly like the substance studied under the conditions of interest. This implies that a water-tracer in a water-flooded oil-field must fulfil requirements like no absorption to reservoir rock, no partitioning (or distribution) with respect to the other fluids present, long time thermal stability, microbial resistance and high detectability. In addition, the tracer compound has to be environmentally acceptable and available at a reasonable cost. Among the extensive number of compounds tested according to these criteria in the laboratory we have qualified four compounds as tracers for water in oil reservoirs. For three of them we propose radiolabelling syntheses with 14 C as radioactive label to lower detection limits. The compounds are benzene 1,2- and 1,3-dicarboxylic acids and benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid. (author)

Absorption of water and lubricating oils into porous nylon

Science.gov (United States)

Bertrand, P. A.

1995-01-01

Oil and water absorption from air into sintered porous nylon can be described by infiltration into the pores of the material. This process can be modeled by a diffusion-like mechanism. For water absorption, we find a formal diffusion coefficient of 1.5 x 10(exp -4)sq cm/min when the nylon is initially dry. The diffusion coefficient is 4 x 10(exp -6)sq cm/min when the nylon is oil-impregnated prior to air exposure. In a 52% RH atmosphere, dry nylon absorbs 3% w/w water, and oil-impregnated nylon absorbs 0.6% w/w water. For oil absorption there are three steps: (1) surface absorption and infiltration into (2) larger and (3) smaller pores. Surface absorption is too fast to be measured in these experiments. The diffusion coefficient for the second step is 6 x 10(exp -4)sq cm/min for SRG-60 oil into dry nylon and 4 x 10(exp -4)sq cm/min for air-equilibrated nylon. The diffusion coefficient for the third step is about 1 x 10(exp -6)sq cm/min for both cases. The total amount of oil absorbed is 31% w/w. The interaction between water and nylon is not as strong as that between water and cotton-phenolic: oil can replace water, and only a small amount of water can enter previously oil-impregnated nylon.

Effects of Watering and Nitrogen Fertilization on Yield and Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Cropping Oil Sunflower

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TAN Jian-xin

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The field experiment with split-plot design was conducted to study the effects of the interaction of water and nitrogen fertilization on the growth and yield of oil sunflower, water and nitrogen use efficiency of cropping oil sunflower. This experiment set three irrigation rate treatments, including high irrigation treatment (5 250 m3·hm-2, middle irrigation treatment (3 750 m3·hm-2, low irrigation treatment (2 250 m3·hm-2, and four nitrogen application rate treatments, covering no nitrogen fertilization treatment (0 kg·hm-2, low nitrogen application treatment (120 kg·hm-2, middle nitrogen application treatment (240 kg·hm-2 and high nitrogen application treatment (360 kg·hm-2. The results showed that the nitrogen absorption and nitrogen use efficiency of cropping oil sunflower increased as the irrigation rate increased. With the nitrogen application rate increased, the yield of cropping oil sunflower was increased when the nitrogen application rate was 0~240 kg·hm-2, but beyond the 240 kg·hm-2, there was no significant increase. With the irrigation rate increased, the water consumption amount of cropping oil sunflower increased all the time, but the water use efficiency increased first, and hen decreased. Besides there was no significant difference between 240 kg·hm-2 and 360 kg·hm-2 treatment. Under our experiment condition, during the cropping oil sunflower growth period, when the irrigation rate was 5 250 m3·hm-2 (high irrigation rate and the nitrogen ertilization was 360 m3·hm-2 (high nitrogen application rate, the yield of cropping oil sunflower was 3 598 kg·hm-2. When the irrigation rate was 3 750 m3·hm-2 (middle irrigation rate and the nitrogen fertilization was 240 m3·hm-2 (middle nitrogen application rate, the yield was 3 518 kg·hm-2, with the yield components similar with the high irrigation rate and high nitrogen application rate treatment. Considering various factors, middle irrigation rate and middle nitrogen

Influence of fat crystals in the oil phase on stability of oil-in-water emulsions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boekel, van M.A.J.S.

1980-01-01

Coalescence at rest and during flow was studied in emulsions of paraffin oil in water with several surfactants and with crystals of solid paraffin or tristearate in the oil phase. Solid fat in the oil phase was estimated by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. Without crystals, oil-in-water emulsions

Water footprints of products of oil palm plantations and palm oil mills in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Suttayakul, Phetrada; H-Kittikun, Aran; Suksaroj, Chaisri; Mungkalasiri, Jitti; Wisansuwannakorn, Ruthairat; Musikavong, Charongpun

2016-01-15

The water footprint (WF) of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) from oil palm plantations and crude palm oil (CPO) from palm oil mills in southern and eastern Thailand were determined over 25 years. Climatic conditions, soil characteristics, and the characteristics of oil palm growth were considered. The WF of FFBs was 1063 m(3)/ton (t) on average. Green, blue, and grey waters comprised of 68, 18, and 14% of total WF, respectively. The oil palm plantations in Thailand required smaller amounts of indirect blue water. The average WF for producing a ton of CPO of seven mills was 5083 m(3). Most of the waters used in the mills originated from indirect green, blue and grey waters from the plantations. The direct blue water used in the mills had less impact on the total WF, lower than 1% of the total WF. Average percentages of green, blue, and grey waters of 69, 16, and 15% of total WF were determined for the mills, respectively. The water deprivation of the FFBs and CPO ranged from 0.73-12.9 and 3.44-58.3 m(3)H2Oeq/t, respectively. In 2013, the CPO production in Thailand including green, blue, and grey waters from plantation and blue water from mills required 11,343 million m(3) water. If the oil palm variety Suratthani 7 is used in the plantation, it would increase the yield from 15.2 to 22.8 t FFBs/ha-year and decrease the WF to 888 m(3)/t FFBs. The average value of the oil extraction rate (OER) of mills was 18.1%. With an increase in the OER of 1%, a reduction of the WF of 250 m(3)/t CPO or 5.1% of total WF could be obtained. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effective preparation of magnetic superhydrophobic Fe3O4/PU sponge for oil-water separation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zeng-Tian; Lin, Bo; Jiang, Li-Wang; Lin, En-Chao; Chen, Jian; Zhang, Shi-Jie; Tang, Yi-Wen; He, Fu-An; Li, De-Hao

2018-01-01

Fe3O4 nanoparticles were modified by tetraethoxysilane and different amounts of trimethoxy (1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl) silane in sequence to obtain the magnetic nanoparticles with low surface energy, which could be used to construct the superhydrophobic surfaces for PU sponge, cotton fabric, and filter paper by a simple drop-coating method. Particularly, all the resultant Fe3O4/PU sponges containing different fluoroalkylsilane-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles possessed both high water repellency with contact angle in the range of 150.2-154.7° and good oil affinity, which could not only effectively remove oil from water followed by convenient magnetic recovery but also easily realize the oil-water separation as a filter only driven by gravity. The Fe3O4/PU sponges showed high absorption capability of peanut oil, pump oil, and silicone oil with the maximum absorptive capacities of 40.3, 39.3, and 46.3 g/g, respectively. Such novel sponges might be a potential candidate for oil-water separation as well as oil absorption and transportation accompanied by the advantages of simple process, remote control by magnetic field, and low energy consumption.

Dielectric Properties of Flocculated Water-in-Oil Emulsions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skodvin, T.

1995-12-31

When an offshore oil field is near completion, water occupies a large fraction of the available pore volume. Thus, in collecting the oil and gas reserves, one has to deal with a high co-production of either formation- or injected water. This doctoral thesis focuses on the effect of water-in-oil emulsions on the dielectric properties, in particular the effect of flocculation. Various dielectric models are applied to obtain methods for qualitative and quantitative characterization of the flocculated state. Permittivity and measurement of dielectric properties are discussed as a basis for the interpretation of the dielectric properties of the emulsions. Various flocculation models are presented. It is concluded that the dielectric properties of water-in-oil emulsions are strongly influenced by continuously ongoing processes in the system. Because of flocculation and sedimentation the traditional dielectric mixture models cannot satisfactorily predict the dielectric behaviour. The experimentally obtained permittivities for the emulsions can be reproduced by including flocculation in the models and treating the floc aggregates as spheroids or subsystems with dielectric properties given by the degree of flocculation. The models discussed have difficulties reproducing the complete frequency behaviour found experimentally. This is probably because the dielectric relaxation may be influenced by processes not included in the models, such as the effects of dipolar or multipolar interactions between the droplets. For further research it is recommended that rheological and dielectric measurements be combined. 227 refs., 61 figs., 16 tabs.

Dielectric Properties of Flocculated Water-in-Oil Emulsions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skodvin, T

1996-12-31

When an offshore oil field is near completion, water occupies a large fraction of the available pore volume. Thus, in collecting the oil and gas reserves, one has to deal with a high co-production of either formation- or injected water. This doctoral thesis focuses on the effect of water-in-oil emulsions on the dielectric properties, in particular the effect of flocculation. Various dielectric models are applied to obtain methods for qualitative and quantitative characterization of the flocculated state. Permittivity and measurement of dielectric properties are discussed as a basis for the interpretation of the dielectric properties of the emulsions. Various flocculation models are presented. It is concluded that the dielectric properties of water-in-oil emulsions are strongly influenced by continuously ongoing processes in the system. Because of flocculation and sedimentation the traditional dielectric mixture models cannot satisfactorily predict the dielectric behaviour. The experimentally obtained permittivities for the emulsions can be reproduced by including flocculation in the models and treating the floc aggregates as spheroids or subsystems with dielectric properties given by the degree of flocculation. The models discussed have difficulties reproducing the complete frequency behaviour found experimentally. This is probably because the dielectric relaxation may be influenced by processes not included in the models, such as the effects of dipolar or multipolar interactions between the droplets. For further research it is recommended that rheological and dielectric measurements be combined. 227 refs., 61 figs., 16 tabs.

Ultrasonic splitting of oil-in-water emulsions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hald, Jens; König, Ralf; Benes, Ewald

1999-01-01

Standing resonant ultrasonic wave fields can be utilized for liquid–liquid separation of the dispersed particles and the fluid caused by the acoustic radiation pressure and the induced particle agglomeration or coagulation/coalescence process. For the splitting of oil-in-water emulsions, the avai......Standing resonant ultrasonic wave fields can be utilized for liquid–liquid separation of the dispersed particles and the fluid caused by the acoustic radiation pressure and the induced particle agglomeration or coagulation/coalescence process. For the splitting of oil-in-water emulsions......, the available piezoelectric composite transducer technology was improved and a dedicated resonator with crossed plane wave sonication geometry has been developed. The resonator chamber is entirely made of aluminium or tempax glass and the PZT piezoceramic transducer delivers an acoustic energy flow density...... of up to 24 W/cm2 into the sonication volume. The chosen resonance frequency is kept stable by automatic frequency control utilizing the maximum true power criterion. Physically and chemically well-defined low and high density pure laboratory and also industrially used cooling-lubricating oil...

Biodegradation studies of oil sludge containing high hydrocarbons concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olguin-Lora, P.; Munoz-Colunga, A.; Castorena-Cortes, G.; Roldan-Carrillo, T.; Quej Ake, L.; Reyes-Avila, J.; Zapata-Penasco, I.; Marin-Cruz, J.

2009-01-01

Oil industry has a significant impact on environment due to the emission of, dust, gases, waste water and solids generated during oil production all the way to basic petrochemical product manufacturing stages. the aim of this work was to evaluate the biodegradation of sludge containing high hydrocarbon concentration originated by a petroleum facility. A sludge sampling was done at the oil residuals pool (ORP) on a gas processing center. (Author)

INTERFACIAL ENERGY DURING THE EMULSIFICATION OF WATER-IN-HEAVY CRUDE OIL EMULSIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Karcher

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the interfacial energy involved in the production of water-in-oil (W/O emulsions composed of water and a Brazilian heavy crude oil. For such purpose an experimental set-up was developed to measure the different energy terms involved in the emulsification process. W/O emulsions containing different water volume fractions (0.1, 0.25 and 0.4 were prepared in a batch calorimeter by using a high-shear rotating homogenizer at two distinct rotation speeds (14000 and 22000 rpm. The results showed that the energy dissipated as heat represented around 80% of the energy transferred to the emulsion, while around 20% contributed to the internal energy. Only a very small fraction of the energy (0.02 - 0.06% was stored in the water-oil interface. The results demonstrated that the high energy dissipation contributes to the kinetic stability of the W/O emulsions.

Produced water: Market and global trends - oil production - water production - choice of technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, Steve

2006-01-01

The presentation discusses various aspects of the world oil production, the energy demand, the future oil supply, the oil prices and the production growth. Some problems with produced water are also discussed as well as aspects of the market for produced water technology (tk)

From oil-based mud to water-based mud

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christiansen, C.

1991-01-01

Maersk Olie og Gas AS has used low toxic oil-based muds extensively since 1982 for drilling development wells and later in the development of horizontal well drilling techniques. However, in view of the strong drive towards a reduction in the amount of oil discharged to the North Sea from the oil industry, Maersk Olie og Gas AS initiated trials with new or improved types of water-based mud, first in deviated wells (1989) and then in horizontal wells (1990). The paper reviews Maersk Olie og Gas As experience with oil-based mud since the drilling of the first horizontal well in 1987, specifically with respect to cuttings washing equipment, oil retention on cuttings, and the procedure for monitoring of this parameter. It describes the circumstances leading to the decision to revert to water-based mud systems. Finally, it reviews the experience gained so far with the new improved types of water-based mud systems, mainly glycol and KCl/polymer mud systems. Comparison of operational data, such as rate of penetration, torque and drag, etc., is made between wells drilled with oil-based mud and water-based mud. The trials with the new improved types of water-based mud systems have been positive, i.e. horizontal wells can be drilled successfully with water-based mud. As a result, Maersk Olie og and Gas AS has decided to discontinue the use of low toxic oil-based muds in the Danish sector of the North Sea

Natural Sunlight Shapes Crude Oil-Degrading Bacterial Communities in Northern Gulf of Mexico Surface Waters

OpenAIRE

Bacosa, Hernando P.; Liu, Zhanfei; Erdner, Deana L.

2015-01-01

Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill in 2010, an enormous amount of oil was observed in the deep and surface waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Surface waters are characterized by intense sunlight and high temperature during summer. While the oil-degrading bacterial communities in the deep-sea plume have been widely investigated, the effect of natural sunlight on those in oil polluted surface waters remains unexplored to date. In this study, we incubated surface water from the DWH ...

Robust and durable superhydrophobic fabrics fabricated via simple Cu nanoparticles deposition route and its application in oil/water separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jintao; Wang, Hongfei

2017-06-15

The exploitation of separation materials with high selectivity for oil pollutants is of great importance due to severe environmental damage from oil spillages and industrial discharge of oils. A facile in situ growth process for creating superhydrophobic-superoleophilic fabrics for oil-water separation is developed. This proposed method is based mainly on the deposition Cu nanoparticles and subsequent hydrophobic modification. Compared with the hydrophilicity of original fabric, the water contact angle of the modified fabric rises to 154.5°, suggesting its superhydrophobicity. The as-prepared fabrics also exhibit wonderful oil-water selectivity, excellent recyclability, and high separation efficiency (>94.5%). Especially, via pumping the fabric rolled into a multilayered tube, various types of oils on water surface can be continuously separated in situ without any water uptake. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic fabrics show excellent superhydrophobic stability, and can resist different chemicals, such as salty, acidic, and alkaline solutions, oils, and hot water. After the abrasion of 400cycles, the broken fabric still possesses highly hydrophobicity with water contact angle of 145°. Therefore, due to simple fabrication steps, low cost, and scalable process, the as-prepared fabrics can be applied in the separation of oils and other organic solvents from water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by miscible CO{sub 2} and water flooding of asphaltenic and non-asphaltenic oils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chukwudeme, E. A.; Hamouda, A. A. [Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger (Norway)

2009-07-01

An EOR study has been performed applying miscible CO{sub 2} flooding and compared with that for water flooding. Three different oils are used, reference oil (n-decane), model oil (n-C10, SA, toluene and 0.35 wt % asphaltene) and crude oil (10 wt % asphaltene) obtained from the Middle East. Stearic acid (SA) is added representing a natural surfactant in oil. For the non-asphaltenic oil, miscible CO{sub 2} flooding is shown to be more favourable than that by water. However, it is interesting to see that for first years after the start of the injection (< 3 years) it is shown that there is almost no difference between the recovered oils by water and CO{sub 2}, after which (> 3 years) oil recovery by gas injection showed a significant increase. This may be due to the enhanced performance at the increased reservoir pressure during the first period. Maximum oil recovery is shown by miscible CO{sub 2} flooding of asphaltenic oil at combined temperatures and pressures of 50 {sup o}C/90 bar and 70 {sup o}C/120 bar (no significant difference between the two cases, about 1%) compared to 80 {sup o}C/140 bar. This may support the positive influence of the high combined temperatures and pressures for the miscible CO{sub 2} flooding; however beyond a certain limit the oil recovery declined due to increased asphaltene deposition. Another interesting finding in this work is that for single phase oil, an almost linear relationship is observed between the pressure drop and the asphaltene deposition regardless of the flowing fluid pressure. (author)

On-line measurement of oil contaminants in water by filter-based infrared analyzers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemelae, P.

1994-01-01

The properties of a dedicated infrared analyzer for on-line measurement of the oil content of water, the Oili analyzer, are evaluated theoretically and with laboratory measurements. The analyzer was originally developed for controlling the discharge of ballast and bilge water from oil tankers and more than 200 such instruments have now been supplied for that purpose, representing about 10 % of the total market. Some technical improvements are suggested, and the improved instrument is shown to be capable of measuring oil in water to an accuracy of +- 20 % down to a detection limit of +5-10 ppm in the presence of high concentrations of interfering components and under varying environmental conditions. This opens up new potential applications for the instrument, e.g. the monitoring of water discharges from oil and gas production platforms. The infrared analyzer responds only to the dispersed oil fraction, and if the dissolved fraction is of interest as well, the instrument must be equipped with a UV option, as suggested here

A Computational Study of Internal Flows in a Heated Water-Oil Emulsion Droplet

KAUST Repository

Sim, Jaeheon

2015-01-05

The vaporization characteristics of water-oil emulsion droplets are investigated by high fidelity computational simulations. One of the key objectives is to identify the physical mechanism for the experimentally observed behavior that the component in the dispersed micro-droplets always vaporizes first, for both oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsion droplets. The mechanism of this phenomenon has not been clearly understood. In this study, an Eulerian-Lagrangian method was implemented with a temperature-dependent surface tension model and a dynamic adaptive mesh refinement in order to effectively capture the thermo-capillary effect of a micro-droplet in an emulsion droplet efficiently. It is found that the temperature difference in an emulsion droplet creates a surface tension gradient along the micro-droplet surface, inducing surface movement. Subsequently, the outer shear flow and internal flow circulation inside the droplet, referred to as the Marangoni convection, are created. The present study confirms that the Marangoni effect can be sufficiently large to drive the micro-droplets to the emulsion droplet surface at higher temperature, for both water-in-oil and oil-and-water emulsion droplets. A further parametric study with different micro-droplet sizes and temperature gradients demonstrates that larger micro-droplets move faster with larger temperature gradient. The oil micro-droplet in oil-in-water emulsion droplets moves faster due to large temperature gradients by smaller thermal conductivity.

Application of alkaline waterflooding to a high acidity crude oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sayyouh, M.H. (King Sand Univ., Riyadh (SA). Petroleum Engineering Dept.); Abdel-Waly, A.; Osman, A. (Cairo Univ. (EG). Petroleum Engineering Dept.); Awara, A.Z. (Geisum Oil Company, Cairo (EG))

The enhanced recovery of a high acidity crude oil (South Geisum crude) by alkaline solutions is studied. Acidity, interfacial tension, and contact angle, were investigated. Displacement tests were carried out to study the effect of alkaline slug concentration, slug size, oil alkali type, temperature and viscosity on recovery. The interfacial tension between crude oil and formation water decreases with increasing alkaline concentration until a minimum, after which it increases again. Contact angle measurements indicated oil-wetting conditions that increase by the addition of alkaline solutions. At the early stages of displacement, oil recovery increases with increasing alkaline concentration until a maximum at 4% by weight NaOH concentration. Also, at such early stages, an excessive increase in alkaline concentration results in lower oil recovery. On the other hand, after the injection of many pore volumes of water, oil recovery is almost the same regardless of the alkaline concentration. Oil recovery increases with increasing alkaline slug size until a maximum at 15% PV. Sodium hydroxide slugs produce more oil recovery than sodium carbonate slugs. Oil recovery increases with increasing temperature (from 25 to 55{sup 0}C) and decreasing oil viscosity.

A new generation of models for water-in-oil emulsion formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fingas, M.

2009-01-01

Water-in-oil emulsions form after oil or petroleum products are spilled, and can make the cleanup of oil spills difficult. This paper discussed new modelling schemes designed for the formation of water-in-oil emulsions. Density, viscosity, asphaltene and resin contents were used to compute a class index for unstable, entrained water-in-oil states, meso-stable, or stable emulsions. Prediction schemes were used to estimate the water content and viscosity of the water-in-oil states and the time to formation with wave height inputs. A numerical values was used for each type of water-in-oil type. The properties of the starting oil were correlated with the numerical scheme. New regressions were then performed using a Gaussian-style regression expansion technique. Data obtained from the models suggested that water-in-oil types are stabilized by both asphaltenes and resins. The optimized model was then compared with earlier models. The study showed that the new model has the capacity to accurately predict oil-in-water types approximately 90 per cent of the time using only resin, saturate, asphaltene, viscosity, and density data. 17 refs., 8 tabs., 8 figs

Selective separation of oil and water with special wettability mesh membranes

KAUST Repository

Liu, Defei

2017-02-24

Due to the different interfacial effects of oil and water, utilizing the special wettability of solid surfaces to design an oil and water separation process has been demonstrated to be an effective approach for oil/water separation. In this report, a simple process has been developed to fabricate special surface wettability mesh membranes. The carbon nanoparticles with diameters of 10 nm were first coated onto the surface of steel wires based on a candle soot coating process. These templates of carbon nanoparticles were then coated with a more stable layer of silica (SiO2) particles via a facile chemical vapor deposition route. After being modified by two separate methods, a superhydrophobic/superoleophilic membrane was obtained by the use of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane (PFOTS) and a oleophobic/superhydrophilic membrane was obtained by using poly(diallyldimethylammonium-perfluorooctanoate) (PDDA–PFO). Separation experiments show that these superhydrophobic/superoleophilic or oleophobic/superhydrophilic mesh membranes can be used to selectively separate oil/water with a high flux of more than 930 L m−2 h−1 and a collecting efficiency of over 97%. Furthermore, the repetitions of the separation experiments demonstrate that these superhydrophobic/superoleophilic or oleophobic/superhydrophilic mesh membranes are durable, stable and reusable, making them encouraging candidates for practical oil-polluted water treatment.

Separation kinetics of an oil-in-water emulsion under enhanced gravity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krebs, T.; Schroën, C.G.P.H.; Boom, R.M.

2012-01-01

The breakup of crude oil emulsions to produce clean oil and water phases is an important task in crude oil processing. We have investigated the demulsification kinetics of a model oil-in-water emulsion in a centrifugal field to mimic the forces acting on emulsion droplets in oil/water separators

Active oil-water interfaces: buckling and deformation of oil drops by bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Juarez, Gabriel; Stocker, Roman

2014-11-01

Bacteria are unicellular organisms that seek nutrients and energy for growth, division, and self-propulsion. Bacteria are also natural colloidal particles that attach and self-assemble at liquid-liquid interfaces. Here, we present experimental results on active oil-water interfaces that spontaneously form when bacteria accumulate or grow on the interface. Using phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopy, we simultaneously observed the dynamics of adsorbed Alcanivorax bacteria and the oil-water interface within microfluidic devices. We find that, by growing and dividing, adsorbed bacteria form a jammed monolayer of cells that encapsulates the entire oil drop. As bacteria continue to grow at the interface, the drop buckles and the interface undergoes strong deformations. The bacteria act to stabilize non-equilibrium shapes of the oil-phase such wrinkling and tubulation. In addition to presenting a natural example of a living interface, these findings shape our understanding of microbial degradation of oil and may have important repercussions on engineering interventions for oil bioremediation.

Natural sunlight shapes crude oil-degradingbacterial communities in northern Gulf of Mexico surface waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hernando P Bacosa

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH spill in 2010, an enormous amount of oil was observed in the deep and surface waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Surface waters are characterized by intense sunlight and high temperature during summer. While the oil-degrading bacterial communities in the deep-sea plume have been widely investigated, the effect of natural sunlight on those in oil polluted surface waters remains unexplored to date. In this study, we incubated surface water from the DWH site with amendments of crude oil, Corexit dispersant, or both for 36 d under natural sunlight in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The bacterial community was analyzed over time for total abundance, density of alkane and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degraders, and community composition via pyrosequencing. Our results showed that, for treatments with oil and/or Corexit, sunlight significantly reduced bacterial diversity and evenness and was a key driver of shifts in bacterial community structure. In samples containing oil or dispersant, sunlight greatly reduced abundance of the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus but increased the relative abundances of Alteromonas, Marinobacter, Labrenzia, Sandarakinotalea, Bartonella, and Halomonas. Dark samples with oil were represented by members of Thalassobius, Winogradskyella, Alcanivorax, Formosa, Pseudomonas, Eubacterium, Erythrobacter, Natronocella, and Coxiella. Both oil and Corexit inhibited the Candidatus Pelagibacter with or without sunlight exposure. For the first time, we demonstrated the effects of light in structuring microbial communities in water with oil and/or Corexit. Overall, our findings improve understanding of oil pollution in surface water, and provide unequivocal evidence that sunlight is a key factor in determining bacterial community composition and dynamics in oil polluted marine waters.

Need For Coastal Water Management Tool For Oil Spill Simulation In Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uba

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Ghanaian water bodies have been under threats recently ranging from illegal mining sand winning reclamation of water bodies for the purposes of human settlement pollution etc. Civil and mechanical installations on the coastal waters have increase due to the discovery of oil recently and such situations are not spared by oil spills. Oil spills are an inevitable consequence of the need to produce store and transport oil. The commercialization of oil production has placed Ghana among High-Risk Zones which are characterised by high traffic density and the presence of navigational hazards. Despite Ghanas awareness about oil spill accidents in both preparedness and response it is likely it will be compromised when any accident occurs as it has more pressing demands on finite funds and resources. This situation might place Ghana among ill-prepared countries against oil spill combat. An important part of contingency plan is the prediction of locations that are susceptible to oil after spillage. This can be done by the use of satellite information reviewing and comparing previous incidents laboratory work or by fine tuning models which as of now the country is not having despite all the precautions to prevent oil spills. When spill models are used properly they provide ecological economic and social benefits. Hence the need for such decision-making tool for Ghana to create an environment for the contingency plans to be tested validated and upgraded. Such exercises not only maintain and increase the skills of the response personnel but also lead to improvements and fine tuning of the plan as weaknesses and gaps are identified.

Selective separation of oil and water with mesh membranes by capillarity

KAUST Repository

Yu, Yuanlie; Chen, Hua; Liu, Yun; Craig, Vincent S.J.; Lai, Zhiping

2016-01-01

The separation of oil and water from wastewater generated in the oil-production industries, as well as in frequent oil spillage events, is important in mitigating severe environmental and ecological damage. Additionally, a wide arrange of industrial processes require oils or fats to be removed from aqueous systems. The immiscibility of oil and water allows for the wettability of solid surfaces to be engineered to achieve the separation of oil and water through capillarity. Mesh membranes with extreme, selective wettability can efficiently remove oil or water from oil/water mixtures through a simple filtration process using gravity. A wide range of different types of mesh membranes have been successfully rendered with extreme wettability and applied to oil/water separation in the laboratory. These mesh materials have typically shown good durability, stability as well as reusability, which makes them promising candidates for an ever widening range of practical applications. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Selective separation of oil and water with mesh membranes by capillarity

KAUST Repository

Yu, Yuanlie

2016-05-29

The separation of oil and water from wastewater generated in the oil-production industries, as well as in frequent oil spillage events, is important in mitigating severe environmental and ecological damage. Additionally, a wide arrange of industrial processes require oils or fats to be removed from aqueous systems. The immiscibility of oil and water allows for the wettability of solid surfaces to be engineered to achieve the separation of oil and water through capillarity. Mesh membranes with extreme, selective wettability can efficiently remove oil or water from oil/water mixtures through a simple filtration process using gravity. A wide range of different types of mesh membranes have been successfully rendered with extreme wettability and applied to oil/water separation in the laboratory. These mesh materials have typically shown good durability, stability as well as reusability, which makes them promising candidates for an ever widening range of practical applications. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Alkalinity in oil field waters - what alkalinity is and how it is measured

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaasa, B.; Oestvold, T.

1996-01-01

The alkalinity is an important parameter in the description of pH-behaviour, buffer capacity and scaling potentials in oil field waters. Although the alkalinity is widely used, it seems to be considerable confusion in connection with the concept. It is often used incorrectly and different authors define the concept in different ways. Several different methods for the determination of alkalinity can be found in the literature. This paper discusses the definition of alkalinity and how to use alkalinity in oil field waters to obtain data of importance for scale and pH predictions. There is also shown how a simple titration of oil field waters can give both the alkalinity and the content of organic acids in these waters. It is obvious from these findings that most of the methods used to day may give considerable errors when applied to oil field waters with high contents of organic acids. 8 refs., 8 figs., 5 tabs

Produced water management - clean and safe oil and gas production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

The conference contains 22 presentations on topics within pollution sources and abatement, discharge reductions, water analysis and monitoring, water production, treatment and injection, enhanced recovery, condensate water, produced water markets, separation technologies for oil/gas/condensate and water, oil removal from solids, environmental risks of oil and gas production and environmental impacts on ecosystems and fisheries. Some oil field case histories are presented. The main focus is on the northern areas such as the North Sea, the north Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, and technological aspects (tk)

Produced water management - clean and safe oil and gas production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-07-01

The conference contains 22 presentations on topics within pollution sources and abatement, discharge reductions, water analysis and monitoring, water production, treatment and injection, enhanced recovery, condensate water, produced water markets, separation technologies for oil/gas/condensate and water, oil removal from solids, environmental risks of oil and gas production and environmental impacts on ecosystems and fisheries. Some oil field case histories are presented. The main focus is on the northern areas such as the North Sea, the north Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, and technological aspects (tk)

Direct numerical simulation of water droplet coalescence in the oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammadi, Mehdi; Shahhosseini, Shahrokh; Bayat, Mahmoud

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► VOF computational technique has been used to simulate coalescence of two water droplets in oil. ► The model was validated with the experimental data for binary droplet coalescence. ► Based on the CFD simulation results a correlation has been proposed to predict the coalescence time. - Abstract: Coalescence of two water droplets in the oil was simulated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques. The finite volume numerical method was applied to solve the Navier–Stokes equations in conjunction with the Volume of Fluid (VOF) approach for interface tracking. The effects of some parameters consisting of the collision velocity, off-center collision parameter, oil viscosity and water–oil interfacial tension on the coalescence time were investigated. The simulation results were validated against the experimental data available in the literature. The results revealed that quicker coalescence could be achieved if the head-on collisions occur or the droplets approach each other with a high velocity. In addition, low oil viscosities or large water–oil interfacial tensions cause less coalescence time. Moreover, a correlation was developed to predict coalescence efficiency as a function of the mentioned parameters.

Oil-water separators for use in ships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parry, G.; Nuttall, P.J.

1978-11-04

After ratification by the United Nations Assembly of the 15 ppm limit for the oil content in water discharges from ships, as recommended by the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization, all oil separating systems used to treat cargo tank washings, oil-contaminated ballast water from double-bottom tanks, engineroom bilge water, or oily sludge from self-cleaning fuel oil purifiers, will be subjected to a stringent test procedure specified by IMCO. This specification requires the use of centrifugal supply pumps capable of discharging at 1.5 times the separator capacity and operating at over 1000 rpm. To meet the 15 ppm standards, filtration or coalescence equipment must be added to conventional single-stage static separators. Tests by Alexander Esplen and Co. Ltd. showed that a two-stage Comyn coagulator incorporating elements specially designed by Vokes Ltd. meets the IMCO requirements. Separator system control and maintenance problems are discussed.

Vapor-Liquid Sol-Gel Approach to Fabricating Highly Durable and Robust Superhydrophobic Polydimethylsiloxane@Silica Surface on Polyester Textile for Oil-Water Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Xiaojing; Li, Hongqiang; Lai, Xuejun; Zhang, Lin; Wang, Jing; Liao, Xiaofeng; Zeng, Xingrong

2017-08-23

Large-scale fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces with excellent durability by simple techniques has been of considerable interest for its urgent practical application in oil-water separation in recent years. Herein, we proposed a facile vapor-liquid sol-gel approach to fabricating highly durable and robust superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane@silica surfaces on the cross-structure polyester textiles. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that the silica generated from the hydrolysis-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) gradually aggregated at microscale driven by the extreme nonpolar dihydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS(OH)). This led to construction of hierarchical roughness and micronano structures of the superhydrophobic textile surface. The as-fabricated superhydrophobic textile possessed outstanding durability in deionized water, various solvents, strong acid/base solutions, and boiling/ice water. Remarkably, the polyester textile still retained great water repellency and even after ultrasonic treatment for 18 h, 96 laundering cycles, and 600 abrasion cycles, exhibiting excellent mechanical robustness. Importantly, the superhydrophobic polyester textile was further applied for oil-water separation as absorption materials and/or filter pipes, presenting high separation efficiency and great reusability. Our method to construct superhydrophobic textiles is simple but highly efficient; no special equipment, chemicals, or atmosphere is required. Additionally, no fluorinated slianes and organic solvents are involved, which is very beneficial for environment safety and protection. Our findings conceivably stand out as a new tool to fabricate organic-inorganic superhydrophobic surfaces with strong durability and robustness for practical applications in oil spill accidents and industrial sewage emission.

Experimental study on immiscible jet breakup using refractive index matched oil-water pair

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Xinzhi; Katz, Joseph

2016-11-01

A subsea oil well blowout creates an immiscible crude oil jet. This jet fragments shortly after injection, resulting in generation of a droplet cloud. Detailed understanding of the processes involved is crucial for modeling the fragmentation and for predicting the droplet size distribution. High density of opaque droplets near nozzle limits our ability to visualize and quantify the breakup process. To overcome this challenge, two immiscible fluids: silicone oil and sugar water with the same index of refraction (1.4015) are used as surrogates for crude oil and seawater, respectively. Their ratios of kinematic viscosity (5.64), density (0.83) and interfacial tension are closely matched with those of crude oil and seawater. Distribution of the oil phase is visualized by fluorescent tagging. Both phases are also seeded with particles for simultaneous PIV measurements. The measurements are performed within atomization range of Ohnesorge and Reynolds numbers. Index matching facilitates undistorted view of the phase distribution in illuminated section. Ongoing tests show that the jet surface initially rolls up into Kelvin-Helmholtz rings, followed by development of dispersed phase ligaments further downstream, which then break into droplets. Some of these droplets are re-entrained into the high momentum core, resulting in secondary breakup. As the oil layer and ligaments evolve, they often entrain water, resulting in generation of multiple secondary water droplets encapsulated within the oil droplets. This research is made possible by a Grant from Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative.

Treatment of Oil & Gas Produced Water.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dwyer, Brian P. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-02-01

Production of oil and gas reserves in the New Mexico Four Corners Region results in large volumes of "produced water". The common method for handling the produced water from well production is re-injection in regulatory permitted salt water disposal wells. This is expensive (%7E $5/bbl.) and does not recycle water, an ever increasingly valuable commodity. Previously, Sandia National Laboratories and several NM small business tested pressure driven membrane-filtration techniques to remove the high TDS (total dissolved solids) from a Four Corners Coal Bed Methane produced water. Treatment effectiveness was less than optimal due to problems with pre-treatment. Inadequate pre-treatment allowed hydrocarbons, wax and biological growth to foul the membranes. Recently, an innovative pre-treatment scheme using ozone and hydrogen peroxide was pilot tested. Results showed complete removal of hydrocarbons and the majority of organic constituents from a gas well production water. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was made possible through funding from the New Mexico Small Business Administration (NMSBA) Program at Sandia National Laboratories. Special thanks to Juan Martinez and Genaro Montoya for guidance and support from project inception to completion. Also, special thanks to Frank McDonald, the small businesses team POC, for laying the ground work for the entire project; Teresa McCown, the gas well owner and very knowledgeable- fantastic site host; Lea and Tim Phillips for their tremendous knowledge and passion in the oil & gas industry.; and Frank Miller and Steve Addleman for providing a pilot scale version of their proprietary process to facilitate the pilot testing.

Risk management in oil reservoir water-flooding under economic uncertainty

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siraj, Muhammad; Van den Hof, Paul; Jansen, Jan Dirk

2015-01-01

Model-based economic optimization of the water-flooding process in oil reservoirs suffers from high levels of uncertainty. The achievable economic objective is highly uncertain due to the varying economic conditions and the limited knowledge of the reservoir model parameters. For improving

Mitigating oil spills in the water column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barry, Edward; Libera, Joseph A.; Mane, Anil University; Avila, Jason R.; DeVitis, David

2017-01-01

The scale and scope of uncontrolled oil spills can be devastating. Diverse marine environments and fragile ecologies are some of the most susceptible to the many ill effects, while the economic costs can be crippling. A notoriously difficult challenge with no known technological solution is the successful removal of oil dispersed in the water column. Here, we address this problem through cheap and reusable oil sorbents based on the chemical modification of polymer foams. Interfacial chemistry was optimized and subsequently tested in a simulated marine environment at the National Oil Spill Response Research & Renewable Energy Test Facility, Ohmsett. We find favorable performance for surface oil mitigation and, for the first time, demonstrate the advanced sorbent's efficiency and efficacy at pilot scale in extraction of crude oil and refined petroleum products dispersed in the water column. As a result, this is a potentially disruptive technology, opening a new field of environmental science focused on sub-surface pollutant sequestration.

The Finite Element Analysis for a Mini-Conductance Probe in Horizontal Oil-Water Two-Phase Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weihang Kong

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Oil-water two-phase flow is widespread in petroleum industry processes. The study of oil-water two-phase flow in horizontal pipes and the liquid holdup measurement of oil-water two-phase flow are of great importance for the optimization of the oil production process. This paper presents a novel sensor, i.e., a mini-conductance probe (MCP for measuring pure-water phase conductivity of oil-water segregated flow in horizontal pipes. The MCP solves the difficult problem of obtaining the pure-water correction for water holdup measurements by using a ring-shaped conductivity water-cut meter (RSCWCM. Firstly, using the finite element method (FEM, the spatial sensitivity field of the MCP is investigated and the optimized MCP geometry structure is determined in terms of the characteristic parameters. Then, the responses of the MCP for the oil-water segregated flow are calculated, and it is found that the MCP has better stability and sensitivity to the variation of water-layer thickness in the condition of high water holdup and low flow velocity. Finally, the static experiments for the oil-water segregated flow were carried out and a novel calibration method for pure-water phase conductivity measurements was presented. The validity of the pure-water phase conductivity measurement with segregated flow in horizontal pipes was verified by experimental results.

The Finite Element Analysis for a Mini-Conductance Probe in Horizontal Oil-Water Two-Phase Flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Weihang; Kong, Lingfu; Li, Lei; Liu, Xingbin; Xie, Ronghua; Li, Jun; Tang, Haitao

2016-08-24

Oil-water two-phase flow is widespread in petroleum industry processes. The study of oil-water two-phase flow in horizontal pipes and the liquid holdup measurement of oil-water two-phase flow are of great importance for the optimization of the oil production process. This paper presents a novel sensor, i.e., a mini-conductance probe (MCP) for measuring pure-water phase conductivity of oil-water segregated flow in horizontal pipes. The MCP solves the difficult problem of obtaining the pure-water correction for water holdup measurements by using a ring-shaped conductivity water-cut meter (RSCWCM). Firstly, using the finite element method (FEM), the spatial sensitivity field of the MCP is investigated and the optimized MCP geometry structure is determined in terms of the characteristic parameters. Then, the responses of the MCP for the oil-water segregated flow are calculated, and it is found that the MCP has better stability and sensitivity to the variation of water-layer thickness in the condition of high water holdup and low flow velocity. Finally, the static experiments for the oil-water segregated flow were carried out and a novel calibration method for pure-water phase conductivity measurements was presented. The validity of the pure-water phase conductivity measurement with segregated flow in horizontal pipes was verified by experimental results.

Studies of water-in-oil emulsions : testing of emulsion formation in OHMSETT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fingas, M.; Fieldhouse, B.

2001-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the stability of water-in-oil emulsions in the OHMSETT tank facility. The results were then compared with previous laboratory studies which suggested that the stability of emulsions can be grouped into four categories, stable, unstable, meso-stable and entrained. It has been determined that entrained emulsions can retain oil by viscous forces long enough for interfacial agents, resins and asphaltenes to stabilize the droplets. This paper also described the difference in viscosity between the 4 categories of emulsion stability. The OHMSETT tests were conducted in two series of one week each. The first series of tests were conducted in July and involved 12 experiments on 2 different types of oils which were placed at varying thicknesses on the water. The second set of tests were conducted in November and involved 12 experiments on 6 oils. The rheological properties of the oils were measured and compared to the same oils undergoing emulsification in the laboratory. The oils and water-in-oil states produced were found to have analogous properties between the laboratory and the first set of tests at the OHMSETT facility. All the oils tested produced entrained water-in-oil states in both the laboratory and the test tank. The energy in the two test conditions was found to be similar, with the OHMSETT emulsions similar to one produced in the laboratory at high energies. The second series of tests at OHMSETT did not result in the expected water in-oil- states. This unexpected result was most likely due to the residual surfactant from an earlier dispersant experiment. The study showed that the conditions for emulsion formation are analogous in the OHMSETT tank and in the laboratory tests. The level of energy is considered to be the major variant. It was concluded that the energy levels between the laboratory mixing experiments and the OHMSETT is similar. It was shown that surfactants left over from dispersant testing inhibited the formation

Anomalous dispersion of magnetic spiky particles for enhanced oil emulsions/water separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hui-Jiuan; Hang, Tian; Yang, Chengduan; Liu, Guishi; Lin, Di-An; Wu, Jiangming; Pan, Shuolin; Yang, Bo-Ru; Tao, Jun; Xie, Xi

2018-01-25

In situ effective separation of oil pollutants including oil spills and oil emulsions from water is an emerging technology yet remains challenging. Hydrophobic micro- or nano-materials with ferromagnetism have been explored for oil removal, yet the separation efficiency of an oil emulsion was compromised due to the limited dispersion of hydrophobic materials in water. A surfactant coating on microparticles prevented particle aggregation, but reduced oil absorption and emulsion cleaning ability. Recently, polystyrene microbeads covered with nanospikes have been reported to display anomalous dispersion in phobic media without surfactants. Inspired by this phenomenon, here magnetic microparticles attached with nanospikes were fabricated for enhanced separation of oil emulsions from water. In this design, the particle surfaces were functionalized to be superhydrophobic/superoleophilic for oil absorption, while the surface of the nanospikes prevented particle aggregation in water without compromising surface hydrophobicity. The magnetic spiky particles effectively absorbed oil spills on the water surface, and readily dispersed in water and offered facile cleaning of the oil emulsion. In contrast, hydrophobic microparticles without nanospikes aggregated in water limiting the particle-oil contact, while surfactant coating severely reduced particle hydrophobicity and oil absorption ability. Our work provides a unique application scope for the anomalous dispersity of microparticles and their potential opportunities in effective oil-water separation.

Organically modified clay removes oil from water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alther, G.R.

1995-01-01

When bentonite or other clays and zeolite are modified with quaternary amines, they become organophilic. Such modified bentonites are used to remove mechanically emulsified oil and grease, and other sparingly soluble organics. Types of oil found in water can include fats, lubricants, cutting fluids, heavy hydrocarbons such as tars, grease, crude oil, diesel oils; and light hydrocarbons such as kerosene, jet fuel, and gasoline. If the organoclay is granulated, it is placed into a liquid phase carbon filter vessel to remove FOGs (Free Oil and Grease) and chlorinated hydrocarbons. In this application the clay is mixed with anthrazite to prevent early plugging of the filter by oil or grease droplets. In batch systems a powdered organoclay is employed. Organoclay removes mechanically emulsified oil and grease at 5--7 times the rate of activated carbon, or 50% of its dry weight. Oil and grease and other large sparingly soluble chlorinated hydrocarbons and NOMs (Natural Organic Matter) blind the pores of activated carbon (and ion-exchange resins), reducing its effectiveness significantly. It is therefore economically advantageous for the end user to prepolish the water before it enters carbon vessels. Operating costs can often be reduced by 50% or more

Design and operation problems related to water curtain system for underground water-sealed oil storage caverns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongkui Li

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The underground water-sealed storage technique is critically important and generally accepted for the national energy strategy in China. Although several small underground water-sealed oil storage caverns have been built in China since the 1970s, there is still a lack of experience for large-volume underground storage in complicated geological conditions. The current design concept of water curtain system and the technical instruction for system operation have limitations in maintaining the stability of surrounding rock mass during the construction of the main storage caverns, as well as the long-term stability. Although several large-scale underground oil storage projects are under construction at present in China, the design concepts and construction methods, especially for the water curtain system, are mainly based on the ideal porosity medium flow theory and the experiences gained from the similar projects overseas. The storage projects currently constructed in China have the specific features such as huge scale, large depth, multiple-level arrangement, high seepage pressure, complicated geological conditions, and high in situ stresses, which are the challenging issues for the stability of the storage caverns. Based on years' experiences obtained from the first large-scale (millions of cubic meters underground water-sealed oil storage project in China, some design and operation problems related to water curtain system during project construction are discussed. The drawbacks and merits of the water curtain system are also presented. As an example, the conventional concept of “filling joints with water” is widely used in many cases, as a basic concept for the design of the water curtain system, but it is immature. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of the conventional concept are pointed out, with respect to the long-term stability as well as the safety of construction of storage caverns. Finally, new concepts and principles

Produced water treatment for beneficial use : emulsified oil removal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waisi, Basma

2016-01-01

The development of novel carbon material, high accessible surface area, interconnected porosity, and stable nanofiber nonwoven media for emulsified oil droplets separation from oily wastewater, in particular for oilfields produced water treatment, is discussed in this thesis. Firstly, the quantity

Radiation-thermal purification of waste water from oil pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mustafaev, I.; Guliyeva, N.; Rzayev, R.; Yagubov, K.

2004-01-01

Full text: During the extraction, preparation, transportation and refining of oil the sewages containing oil contaminations are produced. The concentration of oil content in the water depends on used technology and may vary from a thousandths parts up to tens percents. There is a necessity of cleaning this pollution up to a permissible level. There are numerous methods (adsorption, mechanical, chemical and etc) of treating of waster water from oil contaminations. Radiation-chemical method is one of the effective among the above mentioned methods. The results of radiation-thermal decomposition of n-heptane micro-admixtures in water medium are adduced. The main parameters of radiolysis change within the intervals: temperature 20-400 o C, absorbed dose - 0†10.8 kGy at dose rate 3.6 kGy/h. The correlation of n-heptane concentration and water steam changed within [C 5 H 1 2]/[H 2 O] (1-100) 10-5. Total concentration of steam was about 10 20 molec/ml. As a product of decomposition are observed H 2 , CO, CH 4 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 , C 3 H 6 , C 4 H 8 , hydrocarbons C 5 , and C 6 . The changes of n-heptane concentration in the reactor also were established. The chain regime of n-heptane decomposition at high temperatures in the irradiated mixture is observed. The critical value of temperature and mixture ratio of components, under which the break of chain process of normal n-heptane occurs are defined. The mechanisms of proceeding radiation thermal processes in hydrocarbons-water system are discussed. At the temperatures higher than 300 o C the radiation-thermal decompositions of hydrocarbon micro-impurities in water into gas products occurs according a chain mechanism and the radiation-chemical yield of the decomposition exceeds 100 molec/100eV. This method can be used for purification of sewages from oil contaminations

Numerical modeling of oil spills in continental and estuarine waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goeury, C.

2012-10-01

The application of the European Water Framework Directive on water quality for human consumption and industrial activities creates a need for water quality assessment and monitoring systems. The MIGR'HYCAR research project (http://www.migrhycar.com) was initiated to provide decisional tools for risks connected to oil spills in continental waters (rivers, lakes and estuaries), which represent more than 50% of accidental spills in France. Within the framework of this project, a new numerical oil spill model has been developed, as part of the TELEMAC hydro-informatics system (http://www.opentelemac.org), by combining Lagrangian and Eulerian methods. The Lagrangian model describes the transport of an oil spill near the free surface. The oil spill model enables to simulate the main processes driving oil plumes: advection, diffusion, oil beaching, oil re-floating, evaporation, dissolution, spreading and volatilization. Though generally considered as a minor process, dissolution is important from the point of view of toxicity. To model dissolved oil in water, an Eulerian advection-diffusion model is used. The fraction of dissolved oil is represented by a passive tracer. This approach is able to follow dissolved hydrocarbons in the water column. Laboratory experiments were conducted to characterise the numerous kinetics of the processes listed above. In addition, meso-scale dynamic experiments in artificial channels and test cases derived from the literature are used to validate the numerical model. (author)

The containment of heavy oil in flowing water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, H.M.; Goodman, R.H.; Nicholson, P.

1992-01-01

Viscous bitumen from Alberta oil sand deposits is diluted with a gas condensate before pipeline transport. Because of its unique properties, the diluent/bitumen mix (dilbit) may require novel containment and recovery techniques in the case of an accidental spill. Preliminary experiments were conducted in a large flowing water channel to determine whether several conventional containment devices could be utilized to trap weathered and emulsified dilbit and bitumen. These devices included a conventional river boom, a nylon fine-weave net, and a low-pressure bubble barrier. The behavior of the oil samples during boom failure was noted in order to understand more completely the mechanisms of failure. The river boom failed to hold viscous floating oil by vortex shedding at flows of under 0.25 m/s. A fine mesh net successfully trapped both floating and mid-channel neutrally buoyant oil but the retention time depends on the oil viscosity. The bubble barrier was not successful in trapping either floating viscous oil or neutrally buoyant oil. At low water velocities, the barrier was able to divert some oils but in an inconsistent manner. The results indicate that conventional barriers need improvement to be effective at higher water velocities and suggest that new concepts in containment should be considered. 9 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

Antifouling Cellulose Hybrid Biomembrane for Effective Oil/Water Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kollarigowda, Ravichandran H; Abraham, Sinoj; Montemagno, Carlo D

2017-09-06

Oil/water separation has been of great interest worldwide because of the increasingly serious environmental pollution caused by the abundant discharge of industrial wastewater, oil spill accidents, and odors. Here, we describe simple and economical superhydrophobic hybrid membranes for effective oil/water separation. Eco-friendly, antifouling membranes were fabricated for oil/water separation, waste particle filtration, the blocking of thiol-based odor materials, etc., by using a cellulose membrane (CM) filter. The CM was modified from its original superhydrophilic nature into a superhydrophobic surface via a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer technique. The block copolymer poly{[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl acrylate]-block-myrcene} was synthesized using a "grafting-from" approach on the CM. The surface contact angle that we obtained was >160°, and absorption tests of several organic contaminants (oils and solvents) exhibited superior levels of extractive activity and excellent reusability. These properties rendered this membrane a promising surface for oil/water separation. Interestingly, myrcene blocks thiol (through "-ene-" chemistry) contaminants, thereby bestowing a pleasant odor to polluted water by acting as an antifouling material. We exploited the structural properties of cellulose networks and simple chemical manipulations to fabricate an original material that proved to be effective in separating water from organic and nano/microparticulate contaminants. These characteristics allowed our material to effectively separate water from oily/particulate phases as well as embed antifouling materials for water purification, thus making it an appropriate absorber for chemical processes and environmental protection.

Economic study of NHR application on high pour point oil field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Gang; Zhang Zuoyi; Ma Yuanle

1997-01-01

In order to extent the application of NHR (nuclear heating reactor) and cut down the oil production costs, the authors designed different heating disposition by NHR and boiler heating stations in high pour point oil reservoir, total 16.9 km 2 , in Daqing oil field. This work was based on the study of history matching, water flood planning and hot water circulation for the reservoir. The analyzing results show that, the convert heating cost of NHR is a third of boiler's and the net oil production of NHR is 4 times more than the latter. Considering economization and reliability, authors suggest to adopt the scheme of two NHR with one boiler heating station

Integrated oil sands tailings pond water treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Z. [Saskatchewan Research Council, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

2010-07-01

This PowerPoint presentation discussed research currently being conducted to treat oil sands tailings pond water (TPW). The treatment of TPW is challenged by the high level of naphthenic acids (NAs), the slow settling rate of fine particulate materials, and the complex chemistry of the water. The treatment process consisted of bioflocculation, sludge blanket assisted clarification, ozonation, and oil sands coke assisted hybrid biodegradation. The aggregation and adsorption process bound small particles and cells together while also ensuring the passive uptake of pollutants using microbial masses. The mixed liquor then passed through a sludge blanket to ensure enhanced particle capture. An ozonation process was used to increase the biodegradability of the TPW as well as to increase the biodegradability of the residual NAs after ozonation. The process used a hybrid bioreactor that consisted of both suspended and fixed microbial communities. The coke served as a biofilm carrier for the waste. Further studies are being conducted to investigate the efficiency and capability of the process. tabs., figs.

Evaluation of microbial community composition in thermophilic methane-producing incubation of production water from a high-temperature oil reservoir.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Fang; Mbadinga, Serge Maurice; Liu, Jin-Feng; Gu, Ji-Dong; Mu, Bo-Zhong

2013-01-01

Investigation of petroleum microbes is fundamental for the development and utilization of oil reservoirs' microbial resources, and also provides great opportunities for research and development of bio-energy. Production water from a high-temperature oil reservoir was incubated anaerobically at 55 degrees C for more than 400 days without amendment of any nutrients. Over the time of incubation, about 1.6 mmol of methane and up to 107 micromol of hydrogen (H2) were detected in the headspace. Methane formation indicated that methanogenesis was likely the predominant process in spite of the presence of 23.4 mM SO4(2-) in the production water. Microbial community composition of the incubation was characterized by means of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries construction. Bacterial composition changed from Pseudomonales as the dominant population initially to Hydrogenophilales-related microorganisms affiliated to Petrobacter spp. closely. After 400 days of incubation, other bacterial members detected were related to Anareolineales, beta-, gamma-, and delta-Proteobacteria. The archaeal composition of the original production water was essentially composed of obligate acetoclastic methanogens of the genus Methanosaeta, but the incubation was predominantly composed of CO2-reducing methanogens of the genus Methanothermobacter and Crenarchaeotes-related microorganisms. Our results suggest that methanogenesis could be more active than expected in oil reservoir environments and methane formation from CO2-reduction played a significant role in the methanogenic community. This conclusion is consistent with the predominant role played by H2-oxidizing methanogens in the methanogenic conversion of organic matter in high-temperature petroleum reservoirs.

Closed Process of Shale Oil Recovery from Circulating Washing Water by Hydrocyclones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Huang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The conventional oil recovery system in the Fushun oil shale retorting plant has a low oil recovery rate. A large quantity of fresh water is used in the system, thereby consuming a considerable amount of water and energy, as well as polluting the environment. This study aims to develop a closed process of shale oil recovery from the circulating washing water for the Fushun oil shale retorting plant. The process would increase oil yield and result in clean production. In this process, oil/water hydrocyclone groups were applied to decrease the oil content in circulating water and to simultaneously increase oil yield. The oil sludge was removed by the solid/liquid hydrocyclone groups effectively, thereby proving the smooth operation of the devices and pipes. As a result, the oil recovery rate has increased by 5.3 %, which corresponds to 230 tonnes a month.

Natural Sunlight Shapes Crude Oil-Degrading Bacterial Communities in Northern Gulf of Mexico Surface Waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Bacosa, Hernando P; Liu, Zhanfei; Erdner, Deana L

2015-01-01

Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill in 2010, an enormous amount of oil was observed in the deep and surface waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Surface waters are characterized by intense sunlight and high temperature during summer. While the oil-degrading bacterial communities in the deep-sea plume have been widely investigated, the effect of natural sunlight on those in oil polluted surface waters remains unexplored to date. In this study, we incubated surface water from the DWH site with amendments of crude oil, Corexit dispersant, or both for 36 days under natural sunlight in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The bacterial community was analyzed over time for total abundance, density of alkane and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degraders, and community composition via pyrosequencing. Our results showed that, for treatments with oil and/or Corexit, sunlight significantly reduced bacterial diversity and evenness and was a key driver of shifts in bacterial community structure. In samples containing oil or dispersant, sunlight greatly reduced abundance of the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus but increased the relative abundances of Alteromonas, Marinobacter, Labrenzia, Sandarakinotalea, Bartonella, and Halomonas. Dark samples with oil were represented by members of Thalassobius, Winogradskyella, Alcanivorax, Formosa, Pseudomonas, Eubacterium, Erythrobacter, Natronocella, and Coxiella. Both oil and Corexit inhibited the Candidatus Pelagibacter with or without sunlight exposure. For the first time, we demonstrated the effects of light in structuring microbial communities in water with oil and/or Corexit. Overall, our findings improve understanding of oil pollution in surface water, and provide unequivocal evidence that sunlight is a key factor in determining bacterial community composition and dynamics in oil polluted marine waters.

Radiotracer investigations in oil production and water injection wells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eapen, A.C.; Jain, S.K.; Kirti

1977-01-01

Injection of gamma emitting radiotracers into oil wells followed by logging provides information on several aspects such as the identification of zones of seepage of water in the water injection wells and also the location of source of water entering oil producting wells. The experience gained in the application of bromine-82 and rubidium-86 as radiotracers in such studies at the Ankleshwar and Kalol oil fields in Gujarat and Nazira in Assam has been briefly reported. (author)

Self-similar distribution of oil spills in European coastal waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redondo, Jose M; Platonov, Alexei K

2009-01-01

Marine pollution has been highlighted thanks to the advances in detection techniques as well as increasing coverage of catastrophes (e.g. the oil tankers Amoco Cadiz, Exxon Valdez, Erika, and Prestige) and of smaller oil spills from ships. The new satellite based sensors SAR and ASAR and new methods of oil spill detection and analysis coupled with self-similar statistical techniques allow surveys of environmental pollution monitoring large areas of the ocean. We present a statistical analysis of more than 700 SAR images obtained during 1996-2000, also comparing the detected small pollution events with the historical databases of great marine accidents during 1966-2004 in European coastal waters. We show that the statistical distribution of the number of oil spills as a function of their size corresponds to Zipf's law, and that the common small spills are comparable to the large accidents due to the high frequency of the smaller pollution events. Marine pollution from tankers and ships, which has been detected as oil spills between 0.01 and 100 km 2 , follows the marine transit routes. Multi-fractal methods are used to distinguish between natural slicks and spills, in order to estimate the oil spill index in European coastal waters, and in particular, the north-western Mediterranean Sea, which, due to the influence of local winds, shows optimal conditions for oil spill detection.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Bilberry Extract Water-in-Oil Emulsions: Sensing the Water-Oil Interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Kiefer

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Water-in-oil (w/o emulsions are of great interest in many areas of the life sciences, including food technology, bioprocess engineering, and pharmaceuticals. Such emulsions are complex multi-component systems and the molecular mechanisms which lead to a stable emulsion are yet to be fully understood. In this work, attenuated total reflection (ATR infrared (IR spectroscopy is applied to a series of w/o emulsions of an aqueous anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract dispersed in a medium chain triglyceride (MCT oil phase. The content of the emulsifier polyglycerin-polyricinoleat (PGPR has been varied systematically in order to investigate whether or not its concentration has an impact on the molecular stabilization mechanisms. The molecular stabilization is accessed by a careful analysis of the IR spectrum, where changes in the vibrational frequencies and signal strengths indicate alterations of the molecular environment at the water/oil interface. The results suggest that adding emulsifier in excess of 1% by weight does not lead to an enhanced stabilization of the emulsion.

Effect of cold water injection on operation of and oil production from formations of Romashkino field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mingareev, R Sh; Vakhitov, G G; Sultanov, S A

1968-11-01

Each year about 130 million cu m of cold water are injected into this field. Since cold water can lower reservoir temperature, increase oil viscosity, deposit paraffin in the formation, and reduce oil recovery, a thermal survey of this field was conducted. The survey showed that the average reservoir temperature was not reduced by cold-water injection for 15 yr. However, local cooling was observed at distances less than 400 m from the water injection well. Through these wells more than 4 PV of water have passed. The thermal front lags 1,500 m behind the advancing water front. For this reason, cold-water injection does not reduce oil recovery where there is uniform advance of the floodwater. When the formation is heterogeneous so that water advances more rapidly in high-permeability sand than in adjoining low-permeability sand, then the cooling effect can reduce oil recovery. For this reason, it is advisable to force water into the entire interval of the oil formation. An isotherm map of the Romashkino field is shown.

Lipid oxidation in fish oil enriched oil-in-water emulsions and cream cheese with pre-emulsified fish oil is affected differently by the emulsifier used

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, Anna Frisenfeldt; Nielsen, Nina Skall; Andersen, Ulf

It is well-documented that a high intake of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has several health beneficial effects in humans. Consequently, the interest in food products enriched with marine oils has increased during recent years. However, addition of these highly unsaturated fatty...... will include results from studies on lipid oxidation in simple oil-in-water emulsions prepared with milk proteins alone or combinations of milk proteins and phospholipids. In addition, a study on fish oil enriched cream cheese will be presented. In this study, the cream cheese was enriched with either neat...... acids to foods invariably increases the risk of lipid oxidation. A possible strategy to avoid lipid oxidation and the consecutive development of unpleasant off-flavours is to protect the oil in a delivery emulsion in which the oil droplets are shielded from its possible pro-oxidative surroundings...

Hydraulic Systems with Tap Water versus Bio-oils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conrad, Finn

1997-01-01

Deals with the advantages of using pure tap water hydraulics versus bio-oils for suiteable applications. Focus is in particular on food processing industry.......Deals with the advantages of using pure tap water hydraulics versus bio-oils for suiteable applications. Focus is in particular on food processing industry....

Ship for the cleaning of water from oil, fuel oil, and other floating objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nentvih, V

1969-12-31

The newly designed ship for the cleaning of water surface from floating pollution has its bow section built much lower than its main hull. A slanted platform leads to a channel guiding the water into a centrifuge which separates oil from water. Oil proceeds to a reservoir for reprocessing while water is discharged from the ship. A variable ballast controls the depth of submersion of the platform. The ship is equilibrated by means of a built-in air float.

Application of thin film composite membranes with forward osmosis technology for the separation of emulsified oil-water

KAUST Repository

Duong, Hoang Hanh Phuoc; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

2014-01-01

Large amounts of oily wastewater have been produced from various industries. The main challenge of oily wastewater treatments is to separate the stable emulsified oil particles from water. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of forward osmosis (FO) processes to treat the stable oil-water emulsions. The FO technique has been demonstrated successfully for the treatment of a wide range of oil-water emulsions from a low to a very high concentration up to 200,000. ppm. The dependence of separation performance on oily feed concentration and flow rate has been investigated. Water can be separated from oily feeds containing 500. ppm or 200,000. ppm emulsified oil at a relatively high flux of 16.5±1.2. LMH or 11.8±1.6. LMH respectively by using a thin film composite membrane PAN-TFC and 1. M NaCl as the draw solution. Moreover, this membrane can achieve an oil rejection of 99.88% to produce water with a negligible oil level. Due to the presence of emulsified oil particles in the oily feed solutions, the membrane fouling has been addressed in this study. Better anti-fouling TFC FO membranes are needed. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Application of thin film composite membranes with forward osmosis technology for the separation of emulsified oil-water

KAUST Repository

Duong, Hoang Hanh Phuoc

2014-02-01

Large amounts of oily wastewater have been produced from various industries. The main challenge of oily wastewater treatments is to separate the stable emulsified oil particles from water. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of forward osmosis (FO) processes to treat the stable oil-water emulsions. The FO technique has been demonstrated successfully for the treatment of a wide range of oil-water emulsions from a low to a very high concentration up to 200,000. ppm. The dependence of separation performance on oily feed concentration and flow rate has been investigated. Water can be separated from oily feeds containing 500. ppm or 200,000. ppm emulsified oil at a relatively high flux of 16.5±1.2. LMH or 11.8±1.6. LMH respectively by using a thin film composite membrane PAN-TFC and 1. M NaCl as the draw solution. Moreover, this membrane can achieve an oil rejection of 99.88% to produce water with a negligible oil level. Due to the presence of emulsified oil particles in the oily feed solutions, the membrane fouling has been addressed in this study. Better anti-fouling TFC FO membranes are needed. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Water management challenges and perspective for surface oil sands operations in North Eastern Alberta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacKinnon, M.

2009-01-01

Oil sands waters has many sources, such as raw water inputs (import water and hydrologic waters); oil sands ore water such as formation water; and oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) such as produced water and released water from tailings. This presentation demonstrated the importance of water to oil sands operations and indicated how oil sands processing affects water quality. Water imports to meet oil sands needs is a topic of particular interest. Other topics that were presented included water properties changing during oil sands operations; tailings management and the effects on water quality; oil sands tailings and water management and the impact on water quality of the region; how oil sands processing affected water quality; and current tailings approach and proposed new tailings methods and the effects on water composition. Post extraction changes in OSPW and the potential impacts of engineered tailings were also discussed. It was concluded that water treatment options must meet water management objectives. figs.

Molecular dynamics simulations of radon accumulation in water and oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pafong, Elvira; Drossel, Barbara [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt (Germany)

2016-07-01

Radon is a radioactive gas that can enter the human body from air or from ground water. Radon can accumulate to levels that considerably rise the risk of lung cancer while it is also known as a a treatment of various ailments, most notably rheumatoid arthritis. The accumulation of radon differs between tissues, with particularly high concentrations in fatty cells. In order to understand the mechanisms responsible for the different solubility of radon in water and fat, we perform molecular dynamics simulations of radon gas at ambient conditions in contact with a bulk material consisting either of water or oil. We evaluate the diffusion coefficient of radon in both media as well as the equilibrium concentration. The crucial point here is to understand the hydrophobic interaction between water and radon as compared to the dispersive interaction between radon and oil. Therefore, we artificially vary the water charges (i.e., the hydrophobicity) as well as the parameters of the van-der-Waals interaction.

Comparative toxicity test of water-accommodated fractions of oils and oil dispersants to marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

This reference method describes a simple procedure for comparing the toxicity of oil, oil dispersants, and mixtures thereof, to marine animals. It allows the toxicity of different dispersants to be rapidly compared to that of oil, or of a mixture of oil an oil dispersant. It is designed for routine monitoring and screening purposes and is not appropriate as a research method. The physical and chemical properties of oil dispersants create many difficulties in the measurements of their toxicity to marine organisms. Strictly speaking, their toxicity can only be accurately estimated using complex procedures and apparatus. (A relatively simple apparatus for preparing oil/water or oil/water/oil dispersant emulsions is described in Appendix B). Simpler methods can provide useful information, provided their limitations are clearly understood and taken into consideration in the assessment and application of their results. Some of the special considerations relating to the measurement of the toxicity of oil and oil dispersants are described in Appendix A. The Appendix also explains the rationale and limitations of the method described here. 3 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs

The influence of chemicals on water quality in a high pressure separation rig

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnsen, Einar E.; Hemmingsen, Paal V.; Mediaas, Heidi; Svarstad, May Britt E.; Westvik, Arild

2006-03-15

In the research laboratory of Statoil at Rotvoll, Trondheim, a high pressure experimental rig used for separation and foaming studies has been developed. There have been several studies to ensure that the high pressure separation rig produces reliable and consistent results with regard to the water-in-oil and oil-in-water contents. The results are consistent with available field data and, just as important, consistent when changing variables like temperature, pressure drop and water cut. The results are also consistent when changing hydrodynamic variables like flow velocity and mixing point (using different choke valves) and when using oil with and without gas saturation. At equal experimental conditions, the high pressure separation rig is able to differentiate between separation characteristics of oil and water from different fields and from different wells at the same field. The high pressure separation and foam rig can be used from -10 deg C to 175 deg C and at pressures up to 200 bar. Crude oil and water are studied under relevant process conditions with respect to temperature, pressure, shear, water cut and separation time. In the present work the influence of chemicals on the oil and water quality has been studied. Chemicals have been mixed into the oil and/or water beforehand or added in situ (on-stream; simulated well stream). The amount of oil in the water after a given residence time in the separation cell has been measured. The results from the high pressure rig show that some demulsifiers, with their primary purpose of giving less water in oil, also have influence on the water quality. Improvement of water quality has been observed as well as no effect or aggravation. The experimental results have been compared to results from bottle tests at the field. The results from the bottle tests and from the laboratory are not corresponding, and only a full-scale field test can tell which of them are the correct results, if any. (Experience from corresponding

Study on high power ultraviolet laser oil detection system

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Qi; Cui, Zihao; Bi, Zongjie; Zhang, Yanchao; Tian, Zhaoshuo; Fu, Shiyou

2018-03-01

Laser Induce Fluorescence (LIF) is a widely used new telemetry technology. It obtains information about oil spill and oil film thickness by analyzing the characteristics of stimulated fluorescence and has an important application in the field of rapid analysis of water composition. A set of LIF detection system for marine oil pollution is designed in this paper, which uses 355nm high-energy pulsed laser as the excitation light source. A high-sensitivity image intensifier is used in the detector. The upper machine sends a digital signal through a serial port to achieve nanoseconds range-gated width control for image intensifier. The target fluorescence spectrum image is displayed on the image intensifier by adjusting the delay time and the width of the pulse signal. The spectral image is coupled to CCD by lens imaging to achieve spectral display and data analysis function by computer. The system is used to detect the surface of the floating oil film in the distance of 25m to obtain the fluorescence spectra of different oil products respectively. The fluorescence spectra of oil products are obvious. The experimental results show that the system can realize high-precision long-range fluorescence detection and reflect the fluorescence characteristics of the target accurately, with broad application prospects in marine oil pollution identification and oil film thickness detection.

Characterization and Alteration of Wettability States of Alaskan Reserviors to Improve Oil Recovery Efficiency (including the within-scope expansion based on Cyclic Water Injection - a pulsed waterflood for Enhanced Oil Recovery)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abhijit Dandekar; Shirish Patil; Santanu Khataniar

2008-12-31

Numerous early reports on experimental works relating to the role of wettability in various aspects of oil recovery have been published. Early examples of laboratory waterfloods show oil recovery increasing with increasing water-wetness. This result is consistent with the intuitive notion that strong wetting preference of the rock for water and associated strong capillary-imbibition forces gives the most efficient oil displacement. This report examines the effect of wettability on waterflooding and gasflooding processes respectively. Waterflood oil recoveries were examined for the dual cases of uniform and non-uniform wetting conditions. Based on the results of the literature review on effect of wettability and oil recovery, coreflooding experiments were designed to examine the effect of changing water chemistry (salinity) on residual oil saturation. Numerous corefloods were conducted on reservoir rock material from representative formations on the Alaska North Slope (ANS). The corefloods consisted of injecting water (reservoir water and ultra low-salinity ANS lake water) of different salinities in secondary as well as tertiary mode. Additionally, complete reservoir condition corefloods were also conducted using live oil. In all the tests, wettability indices, residual oil saturation, and oil recovery were measured. All results consistently lead to one conclusion; that is, a decrease in injection water salinity causes a reduction in residual oil saturation and a slight increase in water-wetness, both of which are comparable with literature observations. These observations have an intuitive appeal in that water easily imbibes into the core and displaces oil. Therefore, low-salinity waterfloods have the potential for improved oil recovery in the secondary recovery process, and ultra low-salinity ANS lake water is an attractive source of injection water or a source for diluting the high-salinity reservoir water. As part of the within-scope expansion of this project

Green technological approach to synthesis hydrophobic stable crystalline calcite particles with one-pot synthesis for oil-water separation during oil spill cleanup.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Min-Nan; Maity, Jyoti Prakash; Bundschuh, Jochen; Li, Che-Feng; Lee, Chin-Rong; Hsu, Chun-Mei; Lee, Wen-Chien; Huang, Chung-Ho; Chen, Chien-Yen

2017-10-15

The process of separating oil and water from oil/water mixtures is an attractive strategy to answer the menace caused by industrial oil spills and oily wastewater. In addition, water coproduced during hydrocarbon exploitation, which can be an economic burden and risk for freshwater resources, can become an important freshwater source after suitable water-oil separation. For oil-water separation purposes, considerable attention has been paid to the preparation of hydrophobic-oleophilic materials with modified surface roughness. However, due to issues of thermodynamic instability, costly and complex methods as well as lack of ecofriendly compounds, most of hydrophobic surface modified particles are of limited practical application. The study presents a facile procedure, to synthesize crystalline particles of calcite, which is the most stable polymorph of CaCO 3 from industrial CaCO 3 using oleic acid as an additive in a one-pot synthesis method. The XRD results show that the synthesized particles were a well-crystallized form of calcite. The FTIR results reflect the appearance of the alkyl groups from the oleic acid in synthesized particles which promotes the production of calcite with 'rice shape' (1.64 μm) (aggregated by spherical nanoparticle of 19.56 nm) morphology with concomitant changes in its surface wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. The synthesized particles exhibited near to super hydrophobicity with ∼99% active ratio and a contact angle of 143.8°. The synthesized hydrophobic calcite particles had an oleophilic nature where waste diesel oil adsorption capacity of synthesized calcium carbonate (HCF) showed a very high (>99%) and fast (7 s) oil removal from oil-water mixture. The functional group of long alkyl chain including of CO bounds may play critical roles for adsorption of diesel oils. Moreover, the thermodynamically stable crystalline polymorph calcite (compared to vaterite) exhibited excellent recyclability. The isothermal study

The Rheology of a Three Component System: COAL/WATER/#4 Oil Emulsions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmartin, Barbara Jean

The purpose of this investigation was to study the rheology of a three component system, coal/water/#4 oil emulsions (COW), in which the third component, water, was present in a significant concentration, and to determine the applicability of existing theories from suspension rheology to the three component system studied. In a coal/water/oil emulsion, free coal particles adhere to the surface of the water droplets, preventing their coagulation, while the larger coal particles reside in the matrix of stabilized water droplets. The use of liquid fuels containing coal is a means of utilizing our nation's coal reserves while conserving oil. These fuels can be burned in conventional oil-fired furnaces. In this investigation, a high sulfur, high ash, bituminous coal was used, along with a heavy #4 oil to prepare the emulsions. The coal was ground to a log-normal distribution with an average particle size of 62 microns. A Haake RV3 concentric cylinder viscometer, with a ribbed measuring system, was used to determine the viscosity of the emulsions. A physical pendulum settling device measured the shift in center of mass of the COW as a function of time. The flow behavior of the fuel in pipes was also tested. In interpreting the data from the viscometer and the pipe flow experiments, a power law analysis was used in the region from 30 s('-1) to 200 s('-1). Extrapolation methods were used to obtain the low and high shear behavior of the emulsions. In the shear rate region found in boiler feed systems, COW are shear thinning with a flow behavior index of 0.7. The temperature dependent characteristic of the emulsions studied were similar and followed an Arrhenius type relationship. The viscosity of the COW decreases with increasing coal average particle size and is also a function of the width of the size distribution used. The type of coal used strongly influences the rheology of the fuel. The volatile content and the atomic oxygen to nitrogen ratio of the coal are the most

Durable underwater superoleophobic PDDA/halloysite nanotubes decorated stainless steel mesh for efficient oil-water separation

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Kun; Zeng, Yicheng; Zhou, Cailong; Chen, Jiahui; Wen, Xiufang; Xu, Shouping; Cheng, Jiang; Lin, Yingguang; Pi, Pihui

2017-09-01

A durable underwater superoleophobic mesh was conveniently prepared by layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) on a stainless steel mesh. The hierarchical structure and roughness of the PDDA/HNTs coating surface were controlled by adjusting the number of layer deposition cycles. When the PDDA/HNTs coating with 10 deposition cycles was decorated on the mesh with pore size of about 54 μm, the underwater superoleophobic mesh was obtained. The as-prepared underwater superoleophobic PDDA/HNTs decorated mesh exhibits outstanding oil-water separation performance with a separation efficiency of over 97% for various oil/water mixtures, which allowed water to pass through while repelled oil completely. In addition, the as-prepared decorated mesh still maintained high separation efficiency above 97% after repeated 20 separation times for hexane/water mixture or chloroform/water mixture. More importantly, the as-prepared decorated mesh is durable enough to resist chemical and mechanical challenges, such as strong alkaline, salt aqueous and sand abrasion. Therefore, the as-prepared decorated mesh has practical utility in oil-water separation due to its stable oil-water performance, remarkable chemical and mechanical durability and the facile and eco-friendly preparation process.

Study of Water-Oil Emulsion Breaking by Stabilized Solution Consisting of Anionic Surface Acting Agent - Soda Ash - Polymer (ASP)

Science.gov (United States)

Kulichkov, S. V.; Avtomonov, E. G.; Andreeva, L. V.; Solomennik, S. F.; Nikitina, A. V.

2018-01-01

The paper provides a laboratory research of breaking natural water-oil emulsions: - by non-stabilized ASP; by stabilized ASP; by mixture of stabilized and non-stabilized ASP in different proportions and production of refinery water of the required quality with the use of IronGuard 2495 as flocculant. Oil-in-water emulsion is stable. Classic methods are not suitable for residual water treatment: sediment gravity flow; filtration; centrifuge test. Microemulsion formed after ASP application has low boundary tension and high pH. It contributes to transfer of oil phase into a water one, forming oil-in-water emulsion. Alkaline condition has adverse effect on demulsifying ability of agents, flocculation and boundary tension. For breaking of water-oil emulsion at EBU before the interchanger water or water-oil emulsion from the wells that were not APS-treated in ratio of 1:9 shall be delivered. Residual water after EBU must be prepared in water tanks by dilution in great volume.

Integration or segregation: how do molecules behave at oil/water interfaces?

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, F G; Richmond, G L

2008-06-01

It has been over 250 years since Benjamin Franklin, fascinated with the wave-stilling effect of oil on water, performed his famous oil-drop experiments; nevertheless, the behavior of water molecules adjacent to hydrophobic surfaces continues to fascinate today. In the 18th century, the calming of the seas seemed the most pertinent application of such knowledge; today, we understand that oil-on-water phenomena underlie a range of important chemical, physical, and biological processes, including micelle and membrane formation, protein folding, chemical separation, oil extraction, nanoparticle formation, and interfacial polymerization. Beyond classical experiments of the oil-water interface, recent interest has focused on deriving a molecular-level picture of this interface or, more generally, of water molecules positioned next to any hydrophobic surface. This Account summarizes more than a decade's work from our laboratories aimed at understanding the nature of the hydrogen bonding occurring between water and a series of organic liquids in contact. Although the common perception is that water molecules and oil molecules positioned at the interface between the immiscible liquids want nothing to do with one another, we have found that weak interactions between these hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules lead to interesting interfacial behavior, including highly oriented water molecules and layering of the organic medium that extends several molecular layers deep into the bulk organic liquid. For some organic liquids, penetration of oriented water into the organic layer is also apparent, facilitated by molecular interactions established at the molecularly thin region of first contact between the two liquids. The studies involve a combined experimental and computational approach. The primary experimental tool that we have used is vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS), a powerful surface-specific vibrational spectroscopic method for measuring the molecular

Super-Hydrophobic High Throughput Electrospun Cellulose Acetate (CA) Nanofibrous Mats as Oil Selective Sorbents

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chao

The threat of oil pollution increases with the expansion of oil exploration and production activities, as well as the industrial growth around the world. Use of sorbents is a common method to deal with the oil spills. In this work, an advanced sorbent technology is described. A series of non-woven Cellulose Acetate (CA) nanofibrous mats with a 3D fibrous structure were synthesized by a novel high-throughput electrospinning technique. The precursor was solutions of CA/ acetic acid-acetone in various concentrations. Among them, 15.0% CA exhibits a superhydrophobic surface property, with a water contact angle of 128.95°. Its oil sorption capacity is many times higher the oil sorption capacity of the best commercial sorbent available in the market. Also, it showed good buoyancy properties on the water both as dry-mat and oil-saturated mat. In addition, it is biodegradable, easily available, easily manufactured, so the CA nanofibrous mat is an excellent candidate as oil sorbent for oil spill in water treatment.

Multivariate multiscale complex network analysis of vertical upward oil-water two-phase flow in a small diameter pipe.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Zhong-Ke; Yang, Yu-Xuan; Zhai, Lu-Sheng; Dang, Wei-Dong; Yu, Jia-Liang; Jin, Ning-De

2016-02-02

High water cut and low velocity vertical upward oil-water two-phase flow is a typical complex system with the features of multiscale, unstable and non-homogenous. We first measure local flow information by using distributed conductance sensor and then develop a multivariate multiscale complex network (MMCN) to reveal the dispersed oil-in-water local flow behavior. Specifically, we infer complex networks at different scales from multi-channel measurements for three typical vertical oil-in-water flow patterns. Then we characterize the generated multiscale complex networks in terms of network clustering measure. The results suggest that the clustering coefficient entropy from the MMCN not only allows indicating the oil-in-water flow pattern transition but also enables to probe the dynamical flow behavior governing the transitions of vertical oil-water two-phase flow.

Diverse bacteria isolated from microtherm oil-production water.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ji-Quan; Xu, Lian; Zhang, Zhao; Li, Yan; Tang, Yue-Qin; Wu, Xiao-Lei

2014-02-01

In total, 435 pure bacterial strains were isolated from microtherm oil-production water from the Karamay Oilfield, Xinjiang, China, by using four media: oil-production water medium (Cai medium), oil-production water supplemented with mineral salt medium (CW medium), oil-production water supplemented with yeast extract medium (CY medium), and blood agar medium (X medium). The bacterial isolates were affiliated with 61 phylogenetic groups that belong to 32 genera in the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. Except for the Rhizobium, Dietzia, and Pseudomonas strains that were isolated using all the four media, using different media led to the isolation of bacteria with different functions. Similarly, nonheme diiron alkane monooxygenase genes (alkB/alkM) also clustered according to the isolation medium. Among the bacterial strains, more than 24 % of the isolates could use n-hexadecane as the sole carbon source for growth. For the first time, the alkane-degrading ability and alkB/alkM were detected in Rhizobium, Rhodobacter, Trichococcus, Micrococcus, Enterococcus, and Bavariicoccus strains, and the alkM gene was detected in Firmicutes strains.

The vulnerability of oil collection pipelines to corrosion under conditions of stratified oil-water emulsion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marichev, F N; Chernobay, L A; Teterina, O P; Yarmizin, V G

1980-01-01

Problems with oil industry equipment and pipeline corrosion have recently highlighted the problems of increased water content in oil and the presence of biogenic hydrogen sulphide in petroleum matter. These findings underscore the importance of taking these problems into consideration when formulating long-term production plans. A study of pipeline corrosion and its causes, as well as other factors, has permitted researchers to correlate hydrodynamic parameters for gas-fluid transportability and structural contour flows. The water phase simultaneously carries corrosion-active ions of dissolved hydrogen sulphide and material which interact to corrode metal in the lower sections of pipelines. In order to determine the susceptibility of pipelines to corrosion, it is necessary to establish the presence of stratified fluids in oil and water as well as the gas-fluid flow. Analysis has shown that those sections with stratified emulsion could be identified and that it is necessary to disclose the pipeline's ability to withstand such conditions. The proper selection of transport parameters permits the technological protection of the oil collection pipelines. Partially as a result of the increased flow speed guaranteeing an emulsion flow regime for the gas-water-oil flow, it was found that the operational service-life of pipelines could be prolonged by a reduction of corrosion in oil collection pipelines.

Electrocoagulation with polarity switch for fast oil removal from oil in water emulsions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbi, Lorena C A; Nascimento, Izabela L; Muniz, Eduardo P; Rocha, Sandra M S; Porto, Paulo S S

2018-05-01

An electrocoagulation technique using a 3.5 L reactor, with aluminum electrodes in a monopolar arrangement with polarity switch at each 10 s was used to separate oil from synthetic oily water similar in oil concentration to produced water from offshore platforms. Up to 98% of oil removal was achieved after 20 min of processing. Processing time dependence of the oil removal and pH was measured and successfully adjusted to exponential models, indicating a pseudo first order behavior. Statistical analysis was used to prove that electrical conductivity and total solids depend significantly on the concentration of electrolyte (NaCl) in the medium. Oil removal depends mostly on the distance between the electrodes but is proportional to electrolyte concentration when initial pH is 8. Electrocoagulation with polarity switch maximizes the lifetime of the electrodes. The process reduced oil concentration to a value below that stipulated by law, proving it can be an efficient technology to minimize the offshore drilling impact in the environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of method of polarization surveying of water surface oil pollution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhukov, B. S.

1979-01-01

A method of polarization surveying of oil films on the water surface is analyzed. Model calculations of contrasted oil and water obtained with different orientations of the analyzer are discussed. The model depends on the spectral range, water transparency and oil film, and the selection of observational direction.

Turbidity and oil removal from oilfield produced water, middle oil company by electrocoagulation technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Thamer

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Huge quantity of produced water is salty water trapped in the oil wells rock and brought up along with oil or gas during production. It usually contains hydrocarbons as oil and suspended solids or turbidity. Therefore the aim of this study is to treat produced water before being discharge to surface water or re injected in oil wells. In this paper experimental results were investigated on treating produced water (which is obtained from Middle Oil Company-Iraq, through electrocoagulation (EC. The performance of EC was investigated for reduction of turbidity and oil content up to allowable limit. Effect of different parameters were studied; (pH, current density, distance between two electrodes, and electrolysis time. The experimental runs carried out by an electrocoagulation unit was assembled and installed in the lab and the reactor was made of a material Perspex, with a capacity of approximately 2.5 liters and dimensions were 20 cm in length, 14 cm in width and 16 cm height. The electrodes employed were made of commercial materials. The anode was a perforated aluminum rectangular plate with a thickness of 1.72 mm, a height of 60 mm and length of 140 mm and the cathode was a mesh iron. The current was used in the unit with different densities to test the turbidity removing efficiency (0.0025, 0.00633, 0.01266 and 0.0253 A/cm2.The experiment showed that the best turbidity removing was (10, 9.7, 9.2, 18 NTU respectively. The distance between the electrodes of the unit was 3cm. The present turbidity removing was 92.33%. A slight improvement of turbidity removing was shown when the distance between the electrodes was changed from 0.5 to 3 cm with fixation of current density. The best turbidity removing was 93.5% , (7.79 NTU when the distance between the electrodes were 1 cm. The experimental results found that concentration of oil had decreased to (10.7, 11.2, 11.7, 12.3 mg/l when different current densities (0.00253, 0.00633, 0.01266, 0.0253 A/cm2

Development of a centrifugal in-line separator for oil-water flows

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slot, J.J.

2013-01-01

The world energy consumption will increase in the next decades. However, many aging oil fields are showing a steady decline in oil production. And they are producing increasing amounts of water, making the separation of the oil from the oil-water mixture an important processing step. In-line

Trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil, soil, water, and leaves from oil palm plantations: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Olafisoye, O B; Oguntibeju, O O; Osibote, O A

2017-05-03

Oil palm (Elaeisguineensis) is one of the most productive oil producing plant in the world. Crude palm oil is composed of triglycerides supplying the world's need of edible oils and fats. Palm oil also provides essential elements and antioxidants that are potential mediators of cellular functions. Experimental studies have demonstrated the toxicity of the accumulation of significant amounts of nonessential trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil that affects the health of consumers. It has been reported that uptake of trace elements and radionuclides from the oil palm tree may be from water and soil on the palm plantations. In the present review, an attempt was made to revise and access knowledge on the presence of some selected trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil, soil, water, and leaves from oil palm plantations based on the available facts and data. Existing reports show that the presence of nonessential trace elements and radionuclides in palm oil may be from natural or anthropogenic sources in the environment. However, the available literature is limited and further research need to be channeled to the investigation of trace elements and radionuclides in soil, water, leaves, and palm oil from oil palm plantations around the globe.

Green Approach to the Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Mesh Surface for Oil/Water Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fajun; Lei, Sheng; Xu, Yao; Ou, Junfei

2015-07-20

We report a simple and environment friendly method to fabricate superhydrophobic metallic mesh surfaces for oil/water separation. The obtained mesh surface exhibits superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity after it was dried in an oven at 200 °C for 10 min. A rough silver layer is formed on the mesh surface after immersion, and the spontaneous adsorption of airborne carbon contaminants on the silver surface lower the surface free energy of the mesh. No low-surface-energy reagents and/or volatile organic solvents are used. In addition, we demonstrate that by using the mesh box, oils can be separated and collected from the surface of water repeatedly, and that high separation efficiencies of larger than 92 % are retained for various oils. Moreover, the superhydrophobic mesh also possesses excellent corrosion resistance and thermal stability. Hence, these superhydrophobic meshes might be good candidates for the practical separation of oil from the surface of water. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multivariate weighted recurrence network inference for uncovering oil-water transitional flow behavior in a vertical pipe.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Zhong-Ke; Yang, Yu-Xuan; Cai, Qing; Zhang, Shan-Shan; Jin, Ning-De

2016-06-01

Exploring the dynamical behaviors of high water cut and low velocity oil-water flows remains a contemporary and challenging problem of significant importance. This challenge stimulates us to design a high-speed cycle motivation conductance sensor to capture spatial local flow information. We systematically carry out experiments and acquire the multi-channel measurements from different oil-water flow patterns. Then we develop a novel multivariate weighted recurrence network for uncovering the flow behaviors from multi-channel measurements. In particular, we exploit graph energy and weighted clustering coefficient in combination with multivariate time-frequency analysis to characterize the derived complex networks. The results indicate that the network measures are very sensitive to the flow transitions and allow uncovering local dynamical behaviors associated with water cut and flow velocity. These properties render our method particularly useful for quantitatively characterizing dynamical behaviors governing the transition and evolution of different oil-water flow patterns.

[Near infrared spectroscopy study on water content in turbine oil].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bin; Liu, Ge; Zhang, Xian-Ming

2013-11-01

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with successive projections algorithm (SPA) was investigated for determination of water content in turbine oil. Through the 57 samples of different water content in turbine oil scanned applying near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, with the water content in the turbine oil of 0-0.156%, different pretreatment methods such as the original spectra, first derivative spectra and differential polynomial least squares fitting algorithm Savitzky-Golay (SG), and successive projections algorithm (SPA) were applied for the extraction of effective wavelengths, the correlation coefficient (R) and root mean square error (RMSE) were used as the model evaluation indices, accordingly water content in turbine oil was investigated. The results indicated that the original spectra with different water content in turbine oil were pretreated by the performance of first derivative + SG pretreatments, then the selected effective wavelengths were used as the inputs of least square support vector machine (LS-SVM). A total of 16 variables selected by SPA were employed to construct the model of SPA and least square support vector machine (SPA-LS-SVM). There is 9 as The correlation coefficient was 0.975 9 and the root of mean square error of validation set was 2.655 8 x 10(-3) using the model, and it is feasible to determine the water content in oil using near infrared spectroscopy and SPA-LS-SVM, and an excellent prediction precision was obtained. This study supplied a new and alternative approach to the further application of near infrared spectroscopy in on-line monitoring of contamination such as water content in oil.

Magnetically driven floating foams for the removal of oil contaminants from water.

Science.gov (United States)

Calcagnile, Paola; Fragouli, Despina; Bayer, Ilker S; Anyfantis, George C; Martiradonna, Luigi; Cozzoli, P Davide; Cingolani, Roberto; Athanassiou, Athanassia

2012-06-26

In this study, we present a novel composite material based on commercially available polyurethane foams functionalized with colloidal superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and submicrometer polytetrafluoroethylene particles, which can efficiently separate oil from water. Untreated foam surfaces are inherently hydrophobic and oleophobic, but they can be rendered water-repellent and oil-absorbing by a solvent-free, electrostatic polytetrafluoroethylene particle deposition technique. It was found that combined functionalization of the polytetrafluoroethylene-treated foam surfaces with colloidal iron oxide nanoparticles significantly increases the speed of oil absorption. Detailed microscopic and wettability studies reveal that the combined effects of the surface morphology and of the chemistry of the functionalized foams greatly affect the oil-absorption dynamics. In particular, nanoparticle capping molecules are found to play a major role in this mechanism. In addition to the water-repellent and oil-absorbing capabilities, the functionalized foams exhibit also magnetic responsivity. Finally, due to their light weight, they float easily on water. Hence, by simply moving them around oil-polluted waters using a magnet, they can absorb the floating oil from the polluted regions, thereby purifying the water underneath. This low-cost process can easily be scaled up to clean large-area oil spills in water.

Molecular dynamics study of water molecule diffusion in oil-paper insulation materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao Ruijin; Zhu Mengzhao; Yang Lijun; Zhou Xin; Gong Chunyan

2011-01-01

Moisture is an important factor that influences the safe operation of transformers. In this study, molecular dynamics was employed to investigate the diffusion behavior of water molecules in the oil-paper insulation materials of transformers. Two oil-cellulose models were built. In the first model, water molecules were initially distributed in oil, and in the second model, water molecules were distributed in cellulose. The non-bonding energies of interaction between water molecules and oil, and between water molecules and cellulose, were calculated by the Dreiding force field. The interaction energy was found to play a dominant role in influencing the equilibrium distribution of water molecules. The radial direction functions of water molecules toward oil and cellulose indicate that the hydrogen bonds between water molecules and cellulose are sufficiently strong to withstand the operating temperature of the transformer. Mean-square displacement analysis of water molecules diffusion suggests that water molecules initially distributed in oil showed anisotropic diffusion; they tended to diffuse toward cellulose. Water molecules initially distributed in cellulose diffused isotropically. This study provides a theoretical contribution for improvements in online monitoring of water in transformers, and for subsequent research on new insulation materials.

Molecular dynamics study of water molecule diffusion in oil-paper insulation materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liao Ruijin [State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment and System Security and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Zhu Mengzhao, E-mail: xiaozhupost@163.co [State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment and System Security and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Yang Lijun; Zhou Xin; Gong Chunyan [State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment and System Security and New Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China)

2011-03-01

Moisture is an important factor that influences the safe operation of transformers. In this study, molecular dynamics was employed to investigate the diffusion behavior of water molecules in the oil-paper insulation materials of transformers. Two oil-cellulose models were built. In the first model, water molecules were initially distributed in oil, and in the second model, water molecules were distributed in cellulose. The non-bonding energies of interaction between water molecules and oil, and between water molecules and cellulose, were calculated by the Dreiding force field. The interaction energy was found to play a dominant role in influencing the equilibrium distribution of water molecules. The radial direction functions of water molecules toward oil and cellulose indicate that the hydrogen bonds between water molecules and cellulose are sufficiently strong to withstand the operating temperature of the transformer. Mean-square displacement analysis of water molecules diffusion suggests that water molecules initially distributed in oil showed anisotropic diffusion; they tended to diffuse toward cellulose. Water molecules initially distributed in cellulose diffused isotropically. This study provides a theoretical contribution for improvements in online monitoring of water in transformers, and for subsequent research on new insulation materials.

A self-cleaning underwater superoleophobic mesh for oil-water separation

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Lianbin

2013-07-31

Oil-water separation has recently become a global challenging task because of the frequent occurrence of oil spill accidents due to the offshore oil production and transportation, and there is an increasing demand for the development of effective and inexpensive approaches for the cleaning-up of the oily pollution in water system. In this study, a self-cleaning underwater superoleophobic mesh that can be used for oil-water separation is prepared by the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of sodium silicate and TiO2 nanoparticles on the stainless steel mesh. The integration of the self-cleaning property into the all-inorganic separation mesh by using TiO2 enables the convenient removal of the contaminants by ultraviolet (UV) illumination, and allows for the facile recovery of the separation ability of the contaminated mesh, making it promising for practial oil-water separation applications.

Mitigation of Oil in Water Column: Mitigation Prototype Tests

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

designed with an open end to allow aquatic animals to escape. After the treated foam becomes saturated with submerged oil, the net would be lifted...needed openings to allow the frame to pass through the water column without causing severe drag resistance . However, this also allows oil to flow...to the water and should only help the regions of hypoxia caused by microbial degradation of the oil. However, the proposed field set up with

Adaptable bioinspired special wetting surface for multifunctional oil/water separation

Science.gov (United States)

Kavalenka, Maryna N.; Vüllers, Felix; Kumberg, Jana; Zeiger, Claudia; Trouillet, Vanessa; Stein, Sebastian; Ava, Tanzila T.; Li, Chunyan; Worgull, Matthias; Hölscher, Hendrik

2017-01-01

Inspired by the multifunctionality of biological surfaces necessary for the survival of an organism in its specific environment, we developed an artificial special wetting nanofur surface which can be adapted to perform different functionalities necessary to efficiently separate oil and water for cleaning accidental oil spills or separating industrial oily wastewater. Initial superhydrophobic nanofur surface is fabricated using a hot pulling method, in which nano- and microhairs are drawn out of the polymer surface during separation from a heated sandblasted steel plate. By using a set of simple modification techniques, which include microperforation, plasma treatment and subsequent control of storage environment, we achieved selective separation of either water or oil, variable oil absorption and continuous gravity driven separation of oil/water mixtures by filtration. Furthermore, these functions can be performed using special wetting nanofur made from various thermoplastics, including biodegradable and recyclable polymers. Additionally, nanofur can be reused after washing it with organic solvents, thus, further helping to reduce the environmental impacts of oil/water separation processes. PMID:28051163

Successful water management for the oil sands industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, B.

2003-01-01

Water is a key requirement to produce oil from thermal oil sands projects. Historically, water was considered as a renewable resource that could be used when necessary. Water use is currently examined in a wider context. Canadian Natural Resources Limited has used fresh water for thermal projects in the past, including its thermal operations at Primrose and Wolf Lake. However, technical advancements have made it possible to use recycled water. This allows companies to survive within their licenses while increasing production. Other advances include the use of brackish water, and innovations such as using depleted reservoir sections to store water to increase the use of recycled water. It was noted that brackish water resources need to be mapped and understood in greater detail. The objective is to use brackish water at a cost equal to, or less, than fresh water

Purification of trona ores by conditioning with an oil-in-water emulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, J. D.; Wang, Xuming; Li, Minhua

2009-04-14

The present invention is a trona concentrate and a process for floating gangue material from trona ore that comprises forming an emulsion, conditioning the trona ore at a high solids content in a saturated trona suspension, and then floating and removing the gangue material. The process for separating trona from gangue materials in trona ore can include emulsifying an oil in an aqueous solution to form an oil-in-water emulsion. A saturated trona suspension having a high solids content can also be formed having trona of a desired particle size. The undissolved trona in the saturated suspension can be conditioned by mixing the saturated suspension and the oil-in-water emulsion to form a conditioning solid suspension of trona and gangue material. A gas can be injected through the conditioning solid suspension to float the gangue material. Thus, the floated gangue material can be readily separated from the trona to form a purified trona concentrate without requirements of additional heat or other expensive processing steps.

The oil market towards 2030 - can OPEC combine high oil price with high market share

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aune, Finn Roar; Glomsroed, Solveig; Lindholt, Lars; Rosendahl, Knut Einar

2005-01-01

In this paper we examine within a partial equilibrium model for the oil market whether OPEC can combine high oil prices with a high market share. The oil market model explicitly accounts for reserves, development and production in 4 field categories across 13 regions. Oil companies may invest in new field development or alternatively on improved oil recovery in the decline phase of fields in production. Non-OPEC production is profit-driven, whereas OPEC meets the residual call for OPEC oil at a pre-specified oil price, while maintaining a surplus capacity. The model is run over a range of exogenous oil prices from 15 to 60 $ per barrel. Sustained high oil prices stimulate Non-OPEC production, but its remaining reserves gradually diminish despite new discoveries. Oil demand is only slightly affected by higher prices. Thus, OPEC is able to keep and eventually increase its current market share beyond 2010 even with oil prices around $30 per barrel. In fact, the model simulations indicate that an oil price around $40 is profitable for OPEC, even in the long term. Sensitivity analyses show that the most profitable price level for OPEC is generally above $35 per barrel. Even with several factors working jointly in OPEC's disfavour, the oil price seems to stick to the 30 $ level. Thus, for OPEC there is a trade-off between high prices and high market share in the short to medium term, but not in the long term. For OECD countries, on the other hand, there is a clear trade-off between low oil prices and low import dependence. (Author)

Satellite and airborne oil spill remote sensing: State of the art and application to the BP DeepWater Horizon oil spill

Science.gov (United States)

Leifer, I.; Clark, R.; Jones, C.; Holt, B.; Svejkovsky, J.; Swayze, G.

2011-01-01

The vast, persistent, and unconstrained oil release from the DeepWater Horizon (DWH) challenged the spill response, which required accurate quantitative oil assessment at synoptic and operational scales. Experienced observers are the mainstay of oil spill response. Key limitations are weather, scene illumination geometry, and few trained observers, leading to potential observer bias. Aiding the response was extensive passive and active satellite and airborne remote sensing, including intelligent system augmentation, reviewed herein. Oil slick appearance strongly depends on many factors like emulsion composition and scene geometry, yielding false positives and great thickness uncertainty. Oil thicknesses and the oil to water ratios for thick slicks were derived quantitatively with a new spectral library approach based on the shape and depth of spectral features related to C-H vibration bands. The approach used near infrared, imaging spectroscopy data from the AVIRIS (Airborne Visual/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer) instrument on the NASA ER-2 stratospheric airplane. Extrapolation to the total slick used MODIS satellite visual-spectrum broadband data, which observes sunglint reflection from surface slicks; i.e., indicates the presence of oil and/or surfactant slicks. Oil slick emissivity is less than seawater's allowing MODIS thermal infrared (TIR) nighttime identification; however, water temperature variations can cause false positives. Some strong emissivity features near 6.7 and 9.7 ??m could be analyzed as for the AVIRIS short wave infrared features, but require high spectral resolution data. TIR spectral trends can allow fresh/weathered oil discrimination. Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SSAR) provided synoptic data under all-sky conditions by observing oil dampening of capillary waves; however, SSAR typically cannot discriminate thick from thin oil slicks. Airborne UAVSAR's significantly greater signal-to-noise ratio and fine spatial resolution allowed

An oil spill-food chain interaction model for coastal waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yew Hoong Gin, K.; Huda, Md. K.; Tkalich, P.

2001-01-01

An oil spill-food chain interaction model, composed of a multiphase oil spill model (MOSM) and a food chain model, has been developed to assess the probable impacts of oil spills on several key marine organisms (phytoplankton, zooplankton, small fish, large fish and benthic invertebrates). The MOSM predicts oil slick thickness on the water surface; dissolved, emulsified and particulate oil concentrations in the water column; and dissolved and particulate oil concentrations in bed sediments. This model is used to predict the fate of oil spills and transport with respect to specific organic compounds, while the food chain model addresses the uptake of toxicant by marine organisms. The oil spill-food chain interaction model can be used to assess the environmental impacts of oil spills in marine ecosystems. The model is applied to the recent Evoikos-Orapin Global oil spill that occurred in the Singapore Strait. (author)

Onset of entrainment and degree of dispersion in dual continuous horizontal oil-water flows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Wahaibi, Talal [Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al-Khoud, P.C. 123 (Oman); Angeli, Panagiota [Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom)

2009-04-15

The transition from stratified to dual continuous oil-water flow (where each phase retains its continuity but there is dispersion of one phase into the other) as well as the dispersed phase fractions in the layers of the dual continuous pattern, were studied experimentally. Transition to this pattern from stratified flow occurs when drops of one phase appear into the other (onset of entrainment). The studies were carried out in a 38 mm ID horizontal stainless steel test section using two different inlet geometries, a T- and a Y-junction. The patterns were visualized through a transparent acrylic section located at 7 m from the inlet using a high speed video camera. Phase distribution measurements in a pipe cross section were obtained just before the acrylic section with a local impedance probe and the results were used to calculate the volume fraction of each phase entrained into the other. The onset of entrainment was found to occur at lower superficial water velocities as the oil superficial velocities increased. However, the inlet geometry did not affect significantly the transition line. During dual continuous flow, the dispersion of one phase into the opposite was found to extend further away from the interface with increasing water superficial velocity for a certain oil superficial velocity. An increase in the superficial water velocity increased the entrained fraction of water in oil (E{sub w/o}) but there was no trend with the oil velocity. Similarly, an increase in the superficial oil velocity increased the fraction of oil drops in water (E{sub o/w}) but the water velocity had no clear effect. The entrainment fractions were affected by the inlet geometry, with the T-inlet resulting in higher entrainment than the Y-inlet, perhaps because of the increased mixing induced by the T-inlet. The difference between the two inlets increased as the oil and water velocities increased. (author)

Molecular Dynamics Simulation: The Behavior of Asphaltene in Crude Oil and at the Oil/Water Interface

KAUST Repository

Gao, Fengfeng

2014-12-18

Carboxyl asphaltene is commonly discussed in the petroleum industry. In most conditions, electroneutral carboxyl asphaltene molecules can be deprotonated to become carboxylate asphaltenes. Both in crude oil and at the oil/water interface, the characteristics of anionic carboxylate asphaltenes are different than those of the carboxyl asphaltenes. In this paper, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are utilized to study the structural features of different asphaltene molecules, namely, C5 Pe and anionic C5 Pe, at the molecular level. In crude oil, the electroneutral C5 Pe molecules prefer to form a steady face-to-face stacking, while the anionic C5 Pe molecules are inclined to form face-to-face stacking and T-shaped II stacking because of the repulsion of the anionic headgroups. Anionic C5 Pe has a distinct affinity to the oil/water interface during the simulation, while the C5 Pe molecules persist in the crude oil domain. A three-stage model of anionic C5 Pe molecules adsorbed at the oil/water interface is finally developed.

OPTIMIZATION OF DEMULSIFIER FORMULATION FOR SEPARATION OF WATER FROM CRUDE OIL EMULSIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Hajivand

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract In this study, various water-soluble and oil-soluble demulsifiers were selected for separation of water from crude oil emulsions and their productivity measured using the Bottle-test method at 70 °C and 10 ppm concentration. The best ones among 23 demulsifiers examined through the screening process were fatty alcohol ethoxylate, triethanol amine and urea from the water-soluble group and Basororol E2032, Basorol PDB 9935 and TOMAC from the oil-soluble category. Furthermore, the present study investigated the factors effective for demulsification such as temperature, concentration, pH, salinity and modifiers. It was found that the separation improves with increasing demulsifier concentration, increasing salt content, increasing temperature up to 80 °C, keeping the pH values between 5-9. Adding solvent modifiers proved unnecessary. Two formulations were prepared based on suggested optimal concentrations of demulsifier content by experimental design using Qualitec 4 and these proved to be highly effective in treating real and synthetic emulsions.

A Scalable Method toward Superhydrophilic and Underwater Superoleophobic PVDF Membranes for Effective Oil/Water Emulsion Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Tao; Meng, Jianqiang; Hao, Tingyu; Wang, Zihong; Zhang, Yufeng

2015-07-15

A superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic PVDF membrane (PVDFAH) has been prepared by surface-coating of a hydrogel onto the membrane surface, and its superior performance for oil/water emulsion separation has been demonstrated. The coated hydrogel was constructed by an interfacial polymerization based on the thiol-epoxy reaction of pentaerythritol tetrakis (3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP) with diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) and simultaneously tethered on an alkaline-treated commercial PVDF membrane surface via the thio-ene reaction. The PVDFAH membranes can be fabricated in a few minutes under mild conditions and show superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic properties for a series of organic solvents. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis shows that the hydrogel coating was efficient throughout the pore lumen. The membrane shows superior oil/water emulsion separation performance, including high water permeation, quantitative oil rejection, and robust antifouling performance in a series oil/water emulsions, including that prepared from crude oil. In addition, a 24 h Soxhlet-extraction experiment with ethanol/water solution (50:50, v/v) was conducted to test the tethered hydrogel stability. We see that the membrane maintained the water contact angle below 5°, indicating the covalent tethering stability. This technique shows great promise for scalable fabrication of membrane materials for handling practical oil emulsion purification.

An additive to well injection water for increasing the oil yield

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Absov, M.T.; Abutalybov, M.G.; Aslanov, S.M.; Movruzov, E.N.; Musaev, R.A.; Tairov, N.D.

1979-03-05

This invention relates to oil production using flooding. The goal of this invention is to increase the oil yield of a producing formation. This is achieved by using a saponin solution as an additive to the water injected into the formation (with related organic substances which are complex organic nitrogen-free compounds from the glycoside group; these substances yield solution that foam easily with an agitation). The use of saponin facilitates good solubility in fresh, sea and formation (alkaline and hard) waters, as well as the absence of sediment formation during dissolution, low solid adsorption, and a significant decrease in the surface water tension on the oil-water boundary. The aqueous saponin solution makes it possible to decrease the production cost of oil, as well as to decrease the development time of the fields and the volume of water injected into the formation and to significantly increase the oil yield.

Subcritical Water Extraction of Monosaccharides from Oil Palm Fronds Hemicelluloses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norsyabilah, R.; Hanim, S.S.; Norsuhaila, M.H.; Noraishah, A.K.; Siti Kartina

2013-01-01

Oil palm plantations in Malaysia generate more than 36 million tones of pruned and felled oil palm fronds (OPF) and are generally considered as waste. The composition of monosaccharide in oil palm frond can be extracted using hydrothermal treatment for useful applications. The objectives of this study were to quantify the yield of monosaccharides at various reaction conditions; temperature 170 to 200 degree Celsius, pressure from 500 psi to 800 psi, reaction time from 5 to 15 min using subcritical water extraction and to determine the composition of oil palm frond hemicelluloses at optimum condition. The monosaccharides composition of oil palm frond hemicelluloses were analysed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The highest yield of monosaccharides can be extracted from OPF at temperature of 190 degree Celsius, pressure of 600 psi and 10 min of contact time which is xylose the most abundant composition (11.79 %) followed with arabinose (2.82 %), glucose (0.61 %) and mannose (0.66 %). (author)

Organically modified clay removes oil from water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alther, G.R.

1995-01-01

When bentonite or other clays and zeolites are modified with quaternary amines, they become organophilic. Such modified bentonites are used to remove mechanically emulsified oil and grease, and other sparingly soluble organics. If the organoclay is granulated, it is placed into a liquid phase carbon filter vessel to remove FOG's and chlorinated hydrocarbons. In this application the clay is mixed with anthrazite to prevent early plugging of the filter by oil or grease droplets. In batch systems a powered organoclay is employed. Types of oil found in water can include fats, lubricants, cutting fluids, heavy hydrocarbons such as tars, grease, crude oil, diesel oils; and light hydrocarbons such as kerosene, jet fuel, and gasoline

Cross-well 4-D resistivity tomography localizes the oil-water encroachment front during water flooding

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J.; Revil, A.

2015-04-01

The early detection of the oil-water encroachment front is of prime interest during the water flooding of an oil reservoir to maximize the production of oil and to avoid the oil-water encroachment front to come too close to production wells. We propose a new 4-D inversion approach based on the Gauss-Newton approach to invert cross-well resistance data. The goal of this study is to image the position of the oil-water encroachment front in a heterogeneous clayey sand reservoir. This approach is based on explicitly connecting the change of resistivity to the petrophysical properties controlling the position of the front (porosity and permeability) and to the saturation of the water phase through a petrophysical resistivity model accounting for bulk and surface conductivity contributions and saturation. The distributions of the permeability and porosity are also inverted using the time-lapse resistivity data in order to better reconstruct the position of the oil water encroachment front. In our synthetic test case, we get a better position of the front with the by-products of porosity and permeability inferences near the flow trajectory and close to the wells. The numerical simulations show that the position of the front is recovered well but the distribution of the recovered porosity and permeability is only fair. A comparison with a commercial code based on a classical Gauss-Newton approach with no information provided by the two-phase flow model fails to recover the position of the front. The new approach could be used for the time-lapse monitoring of various processes in both geothermal fields and oil and gas reservoirs using a combination of geophysical methods.

A Microfluidic Method to Assess Emulsion Stability in Crude-Oil/Water Separators

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krebs, T.; Schroën, C.G.P.H.; Boom, R.M.

2011-01-01

The control of emulsion stability and droplet size is of crucial importance for oil production, especially for the processes of crude/oil water separation and cleanup of produced water. To recover pure oil and water, coalescence between droplets needs to take place, the extent of which will depend

Solubilization of tea seed oil in a food-grade water-dilutable microemulsion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lingli Deng

Full Text Available Food-grade microemulsions containing oleic acid, ethanol, Tween 20, and water were formulated as a carrier system for tea seed oil (Camellia oleifera Abel.. The effect of ethanol on the phase behavior of the microemulsion system was clearly reflected in pseudo-ternary diagrams. The solubilization capacity and solubilization efficiency of tea seed oil dispersions were measured along the dilution line at a 70/30 surfactant/oil mass ratio with Tween 20 as the surfactant and oleic acid and ethanol (1:3, w/w as the oil phase. The dispersed phase of the microemulsion (1.5% weight ratio of tea seed oil to the total amount of oil, surfactant, and tea seed oil could be fully diluted with water without phase separation. Differential scanning calorimetry and viscosity measurements indicated that both the carrier and solubilized systems underwent a similar microstructure transition upon dilution. The dispersion phases gradually inverted from the water-in-oil phase ( 45% water along the dilution line.

Gill histopathology of goldfish exposed to oil sands processed-waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nero, V.; Farwell, A.J.; Dixon, D.G.; Lee, L.E.J.

2002-01-01

Large volumes of processed wastewater are generated through the oil extraction process at Alberta's Athabasca oil sand deposit. These wastewaters are very toxic to aquatic biota because they are high in salinity and consist of napthenic acids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In this study, goldfish were caged in 3 different experimental ponds in order to evaluate the biological effects of aquatic reclamation alternatives for process-affected waters. The first pond was a control pond, while the other 2 ponds consisted of known and varying chemicals. The fish were exposed to the ponds for 19 days. Those in the pond with elevated levels of napthenic acids and high salinity exhibited severe gill histopathological changes. Alterations included epithelial hyperplasia resulting in severe lamellar fusion, chloride cell hyperplasia, and lamellar edema, all of which were believed to be defense responses of the fish. Additional severe gill alterations were also observed that may indicate the direct negative effects of oil sands processed-water on fish. Exposed goldfish also showed signs of necrosis and degenerative changes resulting in desquamation of the epithelial surfaces of the gill, which are symptoms seen in free-range exposure of yellow perch, a native fish species, at the same sites and exposure times

Gill histopathology of goldfish exposed to oil sands processed-waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nero, V.; Farwell, A.J.; Dixon, D.G. [Waterloo Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Biology; Lister, A.; Van Der Kraak, G.J. [Guelph Univ., ON (Canada); Lee, L.E.J. [Wilfred Laurier Univ., Waterloo, ON (Canada). Dept. of Biology

2002-07-01

Large volumes of processed wastewater are generated through the oil extraction process at Alberta's Athabasca oil sand deposit. These wastewaters are very toxic to aquatic biota because they are high in salinity and consist of napthenic acids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In this study, goldfish were caged in 3 different experimental ponds in order to evaluate the biological effects of aquatic reclamation alternatives for process-affected waters. The first pond was a control pond, while the other 2 ponds consisted of known and varying chemicals. The fish were exposed to the ponds for 19 days. Those in the pond with elevated levels of napthenic acids and high salinity exhibited severe gill histopathological changes. Alterations included epithelial hyperplasia resulting in severe lamellar fusion, chloride cell hyperplasia, and lamellar edema, all of which were believed to be defense responses of the fish. Additional severe gill alterations were also observed that may indicate the direct negative effects of oil sands processed-water on fish. Exposed goldfish also showed signs of necrosis and degenerative changes resulting in desquamation of the epithelial surfaces of the gill, which are symptoms seen in free-range exposure of yellow perch, a native fish species, at the same sites and exposure times.

Process development, design and operation of off-line purification system for oil-contaminated impure heavy water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bose, H.; Rakesh Kumar; Gandhi, H.C.; Unny, V.K.P.; Ghosh, S.K.; Mishra, Vivek; Shukla, D.K.; Duraisamy, S.; Agarwal, S.K.

2004-01-01

A large volume of degraded, tritiated heavy water contaminated with mineral oil and ionic impurities have accumulated at Dhruva in the past years of reactor operation as a result of routine operation and maintenance activities. The need was felt for a simple and efficient process that could be set up and operated locally at site using readily available materials, to purify the accumulated impure heavy waters at Dhruva so as to make them acceptable at the up gradation facilities. After a detailed laboratory study, a three stage clean-up process was developed which could purify a highly turbid oil-water emulsion to yield clear, oil-free and de-mineralized heavy water at reasonable rates of volume through-put. Based on the laboratory data, a suitably scaled up purification unit has been designed and commissioned which in the past few months has processed a sizeable volume of oil-contaminated heavy water waste from Dhruva, with most satisfactory results

Emulsification technique affects oxidative stability of fish oil-in-water emulsion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, Anna Frisenfeldt; Nielsen, Nina Skall; Jensen, Louise Helene Søgaard

of this study was therefore to compare lipid oxidation in 10% fish oil-in-water emulsions prepared by two different kinds of high pressure homogenizers i.e. a microfluidizer and a two valve high pressure homogenizer. Emulsions were made with equal droplet sizes, and with either 1% sodium caseinate or 1% whey...

Emulsification technique affects oxidative stability of fish oil-in-water emulsions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, Anna Frisenfeldt; Nielsen, Nina Skall; Jensen, Louise Helene Søgaard

of this study was to compare lipid oxidation in 10% fish oil-in-water emulsions prepared by two different kinds of high pressure homogenizers i.e. a microfluidizer and a two valve high pressure homogenizer. Emulsions were made with equal droplet sizes, and with either 1% sodium caseinate or 1% whey protein...

Toxicity of water-soluble fractions of biodiesel fuels derived from castor oil, palm oil, and waste cooking oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Leite, Maria Bernadete Neiva Lemos; de Araújo, Milena Maria Sampaio; Nascimento, Iracema Andrade; da Cruz, Andrea Cristina Santos; Pereira, Solange Andrade; do Nascimento, Núbia Costa

2011-04-01

Concerns over the sustained availability of fossil fuels and their impact on global warming and pollution have led to the search for fuels from renewable sources to address worldwide rising energy demands. Biodiesel is emerging as one of the possible solutions for the transport sector. It shows comparable engine performance to that of conventional diesel fuel, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the toxicity of products and effluents from the biodiesel industry has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Brazil has a very high potential as a biodiesel producer, in view of its climatic conditions and vast areas for cropland, with consequent environmental risks because of possible accidental biodiesel spillages into water bodies and runoff to coastal areas. This research determined the toxicity to two marine organisms of the water-soluble fractions (WSF) of three different biodiesel fuels obtained by methanol transesterification of castor oil (CO), palm oil (PO), and waste cooking oil (WCO). Microalgae and sea urchins were used as the test organisms, respectively, for culture-growth-inhibition and early-life-stage-toxicity tests. The toxicity levels of the analyzed biodiesel WSF showed the highest toxicity for the CO, followed by WCO and the PO. Methanol was the most prominent contaminant; concentrations increased over time in WSF samples stored up to 120 d. Copyright © 2010 SETAC.

Soil water repellency at old crude oil spill sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, J.L.

1999-08-01

This thesis presents the current state of knowledge regarding the cause of soil water repellency and characterizes disaggregated nonwettable surface soils found at old crude oil spill sites. Pollution-induced water repellency generally develops following prolonged exposures of soil to liquid- or vapour-phase petroleum hydrocarbons. The condition varies significantly in terms of severity and persistence. Soil water repellency retards plant growth and disturbs the hydrological balance of ecosystems. Disaggregated water-repellent soils are also very susceptible to dispersal by erosion, posing a threat to the productivity of surrounding soils. The author described the probable causes of soil water repellency under the following three main themes: (1) accumulation of hydrophobic organic material in soil, (2) redistribution and re-organisation of this material in soil, and (3) stabilisation of the hydrophobic organic material. This final process is necessary to ensure persistence of induced water repellency symptoms. Petroleum residues as water-repellent substances in weathered nonwettable oil-contaminated soils were also discussed and a hypothesis about soil water repellency was presented which deals with flexible conformation in organic matter coatings. Processes leading to the development of soil water repellency following crude oil contamination were also described. It was determined that soil water repellency is a function of the packing density and the chain conformation of amphiphilic organic molecules in the outermost layer of soil organic matter coatings. This research suggests that the fractional coverage of alkyl chains on soil particle surfaces determines the degree of water repellency that is displayed by soil. It was shown that prompt remediation of some oil-contaminated plots can effectively prevent the development of soil water repellency. 4 refs., 32 tabs., 22 figs., 5 appendices

Attachment of composite porous supra-particles to air-water and oil-water interfaces: theory and experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Paunov, Vesselin N; Al-Shehri, Hamza; Horozov, Tommy S

2016-09-29

We developed and tested a theoretical model for the attachment of fluid-infused porous supra-particles to a fluid-liquid interface. We considered the wetting behaviour of agglomerated clusters of particles, typical of powdered materials dispersed in a liquid, as well as of the adsorption of liquid-infused colloidosomes at the liquid-fluid interface. The free energy of attachment of a composite spherical porous supra-particle made from much smaller aggregated spherical particles to the oil-water interface was calculated. Two cases were considered: (i) a water-filled porous supra-particle adsorbed at the oil-water interface from the water phase, and, (ii) an oil-filled porous supra-particle adsorbed at the oil-water interface from the oil-phase. We derived equations relating the three-phase contact angle of the smaller "building block" particles and the contact angle of the liquid-infused porous supra-particles. The theory predicts that the porous supra-particle contact angle attached at the liquid interface strongly depends on the type of fluid infused in the particle pores and the fluid phase from which it approaches the liquid interface. We tested the theory by using millimetre-sized porous supra-particles fabricated by evaporation of droplets of polystyrene latex suspension on a pre-heated super-hydrophobic surface, followed by thermal annealing at the glass transition temperature. Such porous particles were initially infused with water or oil and approached to the oil-water interface from the infusing phase. The experiment showed that when attaching at the hexadecane-water interface, the porous supra-particles behaved as hydrophilic when they were pre-filled with water and hydrophobic when they were pre-filled with hexadecane. The results agree with the theoretically predicted contact angles for the porous composite supra-particles based on the values of the contact angles of their building block latex particles measured with the Gel Trapping Technique. The

75 FR 76742 - Detecting Oil Leaks From Vessels Into the Water

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-09

... to detect leaks from oil tanks into the water? (E) What is the threshold for detection, accuracy... than leak detection from oil cargo tanks into the water? (H) Are methods or equipment being applied for... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG-2010-1085] Detecting Oil Leaks From...

Topology and stability of a water-soybean-oil swirling flow

Science.gov (United States)

Carrión, Luis; Herrada, Miguel A.; Shtern, Vladimir N.

2017-02-01

This paper reveals and explains the flow topology and instability hidden in an experimental study by Tsai et al. [Tsai et al., Phys. Rev. E 92, 031002(R) (2015)], 10.1103/PhysRevE.92.031002. Water and soybean oil fill a sealed vertical cylindrical container. The rotating top disk induces the meridional circulation and swirl of both fluids. The experiment shows a flattop interface shape and vortex breakdown in the oil flow developing as the rotation strength R eo increases. Our numerical study shows that vortex breakdown occurs in the water flow at R eo=300 and in the oil flow at R eo=941 . As R eo increases, the vortex breakdown cell occupies most of the water domain and approaches the interface at R eo around 600. The rest of the (countercirculating) water separates from the axis as the vortex breakdown cells in the oil and water meet at the interface-axis intersection. This topological transformation of water flow significantly contributes to the development of the flattop shape. It is also shown that the steady axisymmetric flow suffers from shear-layer instability, which emerges in the water domain at R eo=810 .

Molecular Theory and Simulation of Water-Oil Contacts

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Liang

. Eventually the dispersant COREXIT 9500 was used predominantly in responding to this accident. The formulation of COREXIT dispersants is somewhat complicated and the various constituents (and their interactions) deserve exhaustive study. Here we focus on sorbitan monooleate (SPAN80), one important component of COREXIT 9500, and we investigate its behavior in oil-water-surfactant systems. Extensive all-atom molecular dynamics calculations on the water-squalane interface for nine different loadings with SPAN80, at T = 300K, are analyzed for the surface tension equation of state, desorption free energy profiles as they depend on loading, and to evaluate escape times for absorbed SPAN80 into the bulk phases. These results suggest that loading only weakly affects accommodation of a SPAN80 molecule by this squalane-water interface. Specifically, the surface tension equation of state is simple from conditions of low loading (high tension) to high loading (lower tension) studied, and the desorption free energy profiles are weakly dependent on loading here. The perpendicular motion of the centroid of the SPAN80 head-group ring is well-described by a diffusional model near the minimum of the desorption free energy profile. Lateral diffusional motion is weakly dependent on loading. Escape times evaluated on the basis of a diffusional model and the desorption free energies are 0.07 s (into the squalane) and 300 h (into the water). The latter value is consistent with irreversible absorption observed by related experimental work.

Feasibility evaluation of downhole oil/water separator (DOWS) technology.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veil, J. A.; Langhus, B. G.; Belieu, S.

1999-01-31

The largest volume waste stream associated with oil and gas production is produced water. A survey conducted by the American Petroleum Institute estimated that 20.9 billion barrels of produced water were disposed of in 1985 (Wakim 1987). Of this total, 91% was disposed of through disposal wells or was injected for enhanced oil recovery projects. Treatment and disposal of produced water represents a significant cost for operators. A relatively new technology, downhole oil/water separators (DOWS), has been developed to reduce the cost of handling produced water. DOWS separate oil and gas from produced water at the bottom of the well and reinject some of the produced water into another formation or another horizon within the same formation, while the oil and gas are pumped to the surface. Since much of the produced water is not pumped to the surface, treated, and pumped from the surface back into a deep formation, the cost of handling produced water is greatly reduced. When DOWS are used, additional oil may be recovered as well. In cases where surface processing or disposal capacity is a limiting factor for further production within a field, the use of DOWS to dispose of some of the produced water can allow additional production within that field. Simultaneous injection using DOWS minimizes the opportunity for contamination of underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) through leaks in tubing and casing during the injection process. This report uses the acronym 'DOWS' although the technology may also be referred to as DHOWS or as dual injection and lifting systems (DIALS). Simultaneous injection using DOWS has the potential to profoundly influence the domestic oil industry. The technology has been shown to work in limited oil field applications in the United States and Canada. Several technical papers describing DOWS have been presented at oil and gas industry conferences, but for the most part, the information on the DOWS technology has not been widely

Operation Clean Feather: Reducing oil pollution in Newfoundland waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chardine, J.W.; Pelly, G.

1994-01-01

Oil pollution of marine waters around Newfoundland, and particularly in the vicinity of Placentia Bay, is a frequent occurrence. Many oiled seabirds are found on beaches in the bay, particularly in winter. The most likely pollution sources are ship operators who dump waste oils from bilges and slop tanks. In an effort to reduce the chronic discharge of waste oil into Placentia Bay, and thus the incidence of bird oiling, Operation Clean Feather was launched in 1991-92 and consisted of weekly surveys of Placentia Bay beaches, sampling of oil from vessels using the bay and from oiled birds and beaches, and experimentation to determine possible recovery rates of birds oiled at sea. The operation was considered a success at a number of levels. Significant reductions in numbers of oiled birds were noted in both 1991 and 1992 compared to 1989 or 1990. Estimated oil-related mortality was reduced to ca 25% of levels seen in the two years prior to the operation. The operation also provided the opportunity to test and refine an organizational framework designed to deal with the problem of chronic oil pollution reports. Communication efforts heightened the awareness of the oil pollution problem in Newfoundland waters. These efforts included distribution of pamphlets in various languages to ship operators, describing the seriousness of oil-related marine bird mortality and warning of the substantial fines that can be imposed under the Canada Shipping Act. 6 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Separation of motor oils, oily wastes and hydrocarbons from contaminated water by sorption on chrome shavings.

Science.gov (United States)

Gammoun, A; Tahiri, S; Albizane, A; Azzi, M; Moros, J; Garrigues, S; de la Guardia, M

2007-06-25

In this paper, the ability of chrome shavings to remove motor oils, oily wastes and hydrocarbons from water has been studied. To determine amount of hydrocarbons sorbed on tanned wastes, a FT-NIR methodology was used and a multivariate calibration based on partial least squares (PLS) was employed for data treatment. The light density, porous tanned waste granules float on the surface of water and remove hydrocarbons and oil films. Wastes fibers from tannery industry have high sorption capacity. These tanned solid wastes are capable of absorbing many times their weight in oil or hydrocarbons (6.5-7.6g of oil and 6.3g of hydrocarbons per gram of chrome shavings). The removal efficiency of the pollutants from water is complete. The sorption of pollutants is a quasi-instantaneous process.

Novel concepts for the containment of oil in flowing water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, H.M.; Nicholson, P.; Goodman, R.H.; Berry, B.A.; Hughes, B.R.

1993-01-01

Both a laboratory study of the hydrodynamic properties of variously shaped objects and a meso-scale flume study of several containment concepts have been undertaken to determine whether these can be used to contain oil in fast flowing water. The laboratory study showed that stable vortices are difficult to generate and that spilled oil is not easily trapped by them. Only two of the structures studied showed some promise of trapping oil in fast moving water: a partially submerged barrier with fins placed at an angle across the flume and a horizontal hydrofoil placed across the channel near the surface. Several filter materials were tested in an outdoor flowing channel with both floating and neutrally buoyant oil. Although some of these materials trapped and held heavy oil, they were not a significant improvement over nylon fishing nets which had been tested previously. The filter materials would not hold a medium gravity oil. A hydrofoil device which generated a horizontal eddy successfully trapped and held surface oil at water speeds up to 0.35 m/s. Neutrally buoyant oil was often caught by the eddy but was never held for more than 1-2 minutes. 9 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

Policy Analysis of Water Availability and Use Issues for Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruple, John [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Keiter, Robert [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2010-03-01

Oil shale and oil sands resources located within the intermountain west represent a vast, and as of yet, commercially untapped source of energy. Development will require water, and demand for scarce water resources stands at the front of a long list of barriers to commercialization. Water requirements and the consequences of commercial development will depend on the number, size, and location of facilities, as well as the technologies employed to develop these unconventional fuels. While the details remain unclear, the implication is not – unconventional fuel development will increase demand for water in an arid region where demand for water often exceeds supply. Water demands in excess of supplies have long been the norm in the west, and for more than a century water has been apportioned on a first-come, first-served basis. Unconventional fuel developers who have not already secured water rights stand at the back of a long line and will need to obtain water from willing water purveyors. However, uncertainty regarding the nature and extent of some senior water claims combine with indeterminate interstate river management to cast a cloud over water resource allocation and management. Quantitative and qualitative water requirements associated with Endangered Species protection also stand as barriers to significant water development, and complex water quality regulations will apply to unconventional fuel development. Legal and political decisions can give shape to an indeterminate landscape. Settlement of Northern Ute reserved rights claims would help clarify the worth of existing water rights and viability of alternative sources of supply. Interstate apportionment of the White River would go a long way towards resolving water availability in downstream Utah. And energy policy clarification will help determine the role oil shale and oil sands will play in our nation’s future.

Water footprint assessment of oil palm in Malaysia: A preliminary study

Science.gov (United States)

Muhammad-Muaz, A.; Marlia, M. H.

2014-09-01

This study evaluates the water footprint of growing oil palm in Malaysia based on the water footprint method. The crop water use was determined using the CROPWAT 8.0 model developed by the Land and Water Development Division of FAO. The total water footprint for growing oil palm is 243 m3/ton. The result of this study showed that the green water footprint is 1.5 orders of magnitude larger compared to the blue water footprint. Besides providing updated status of total water used from the oil palm plantation, our result also shows that this baseline information helps in identifying which areas need to be conserved and what type of recommendation that should be drawn. As the results of the water footprint can differ between locations, the inclusion of local water stress index should be considered in the calculation of water footprint.

Life cycle water demand coefficients for crude oil production from five North American locations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Babkir; Kumar, Amit

2017-10-15

The production of liquid fuels from crude oil requires water. There has been limited focus on the assessment of life cycle water demand footprints for crude oil production and refining. The overall aim of this paper is address this gap. The objective of this research is to develop water demand coefficients over the life cycle of fuels produced from crude oil pathways. Five crude oil fields were selected in the three North American countries to reflect the impact of different spatial locations and technologies on water demand. These include the Alaska North Slope, California's Kern County heavy oil, and Mars in the U.S.; Maya in Mexico; and Bow River heavy oil in Alberta, Canada. A boundary for an assessment of the life cycle water footprint was set to cover the unit operations related to exploration, drilling, extraction, and refining. The recovery technology used to extract crude oil is one of the key determining factors for water demand. The amount of produced water that is re-injected to recover the oil is essential in determining the amount of fresh water that will be required. During the complete life cycle of one barrel of conventional crude oil, 1.71-8.25 barrels of fresh water are consumed and 2.4-9.51 barrels of fresh water are withdrawn. The lowest coefficients are for Bow River heavy oil and the highest coefficients are for Maya crude oil. Of all the unit operations, exploration and drilling require the least fresh water (less than 0.015 barrel of water per barrel of oil produced). A sensitivity analysis was conducted and uncertainty in the estimates was determined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of material balanced equation to determine the oil water ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The oil water contact of an oil reservoir can be determined using some geophysical well logs. However, some of the methods might not be accurate. Therefore the material balanced equation which is an accurate means of formation evaluation is critically analysed in this study and then used to determine the oil water contact ...

TREATMENT OF PRODUCED OIL AND GAS WATERS WITH SURFACTANT-MODIFIED ZEOLITE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lynn E. Katz; R.S. Bowman; E.J. Sullivan

2003-11-01

Co-produced water from the oil and gas industry accounts for a significant waste stream in the United States. It is by some estimates the largest single waste stream in the country, aside from nonhazardous industrial wastes. Characteristics of produced water include high total dissolved solids content, dissolved organic constituents such as benzene and toluene, an oil and grease component, and chemicals added during the oil-production process. While most of the produced water is disposed via reinjection, some must be treated to remove organic constituents before the water is discharged. Current treatment options are successful in reducing the organic content; however, they cannot always meet the levels of current or proposed regulations for discharged water. Therefore, an efficient, cost-effective treatment technology is needed. Surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) has been used successfully to treat contaminated ground water for organic and inorganic constituents. In addition, the low cost of natural zeolites makes their use attractive in water-treatment applications. This report summarizes the work and results of this four-year project. We tested the effectiveness of surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) for removal of BTEX with batch and column experiments using waters with BTEX concentrations that are comparable to those of produced waters. The data from our experimental investigations showed that BTEX sorption to SMZ can be described by a linear isotherm model, and competitive effects between compounds were not significant. The SMZ can be readily regenerated using air stripping. We field-tested a prototype SMZ-based water treatment system at produced water treatment facilities and found that the SMZ successfully removes BTEX from produced waters as predicted by laboratory studies. When compared to other existing treatment technologies, the cost of the SMZ system is very competitive. Furthermore, the SMZ system is relatively compact, does not require the storage of

Energy consumption in desalinating produced water from shale oil and gas extraction

OpenAIRE

Tow, Emily W.; Chung, Hyung Won; Lienhard, John H.; Thiel, Gregory Parker; Banchik, Leonardo David

2014-01-01

On-site treatment and reuse is an increasingly preferred option for produced water management in unconventional oil and gas extraction. This paper analyzes and compares the energetics of several desalination technologies at the high salinities and diverse compositions commonly encountered in produced water from shale formations to guide technology selection and to inform further system development. Produced water properties are modeled using Pitzer's equations, and emphasis is placed on how t...

Decontamination of water polluted with oil through the use of tanned solid wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gammoun, A.; Azzi, M.

2007-01-01

The ability of chrome shavings (CS) and buffing dusts of crust leather (BDCL) to remove oily wastes from demineralized water and natural seawater was investigated. The aim of the study was to discover environmentally friendly alternatives for the disposal of solid tannery wastes. The specific surface area of the CS and the BDCL were examined to determine ash content; chromium oxide; fat; and the pH of soluble matter. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was then used to examine the structure and morphology of the samples. Three types of oil were used in the experiment: diesel motor oil; premium motor oil; and used motor oil. Sorbent materials were added to a beaker containing 1000 ml of water and 5.5 g of oil. The amount of residual oil in the water was then extracted with petroleum ether. The amount of oil sorbed on the wastes was calculated by subtracting the amount of residual oil in water from the initial mass of oil added to the beakers. Results suggested that the tanned solid wastes efficiently removed the oil from the water. It was concluded that the waste materials were able to absorb many times their weight in oil. 21 refs., 4 tabs., 2 figs

De-emulsifiers for water-in-crude oil-emulsions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaki, N. [Egyptian Petroleum Research Inst. (EPRI), Cairo (Egypt); Al-Sabagh, A. [Egyptian Petroleum Research Inst. (EPRI), Cairo (Egypt)

1997-01-01

The efficiency of 18 different polyalkylphenols-polyalkylene-polyamines-formaldehyde ethoxylates (PAPAFE) in the deemulsification of water-in-crude oil-emulsion were studied. In this respect, two naturally occurring Egyptian water-in-curde oil-emulsions were used to test the investigated de-emulsifiers. The effect of the variation in the molecular structure of the (PAPAFE) on their de-emulsification potency is investigated. The investigation reveals that de-emulsifiers containing nonyl phenol reduce crude oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) and are more efficient than those containing dodecyl phenol. PAPAFE containing more amino groups are found to have better emulsion breaking ability. This is attributed to their enhanced ability to solubilize asphaltenes, which are the prime motivators for crude oil-water emulsion stability. They drag asphaltenes crosslinked at the water-crude oil interface and consequently, resulting in a substantial decrease in emulsion stability. There exists an optimum hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) for the investigated PAPAFE, ranging from 12 to 13.5 at which their maximum de-emulsification ability is attained. All studied PAPAFE showed increased de-emulsification performance by increasing the temperature from 50 to 70 C. Increasing the temperature reduces the viscosity of the crude oil continuous phase and increases the rate of diffusion of both the surfactant molecules and the dispersed water droplets. This will cause an increase in the rate of coalescence of the water droplets. (orig.) [Deutsch] Es wurde die Wirkung von 18 verschiedenen Polyalkylphenolpolyalkylenpolyamine-formaldehydethoxylaten (PAPAFE) bei der Demulgierung von Wasser-in-Rohoel-Emulsionen untersucht. Zwei in Aegypten natuerlich vorkommende Wasser-in-Rohoel-Emulsionen wurden fuer die Versuche eingesetzt, dabei wurde der Einfluss der molekularen Struktur der PAPAFEs auf das Demulgiervermoegen untersucht. Es zeigte sich, dass Demulgatoren mit Nonylphenol die

Toxicity of methylmercury injected into eggs when dissolved in water versus corn oil

Science.gov (United States)

Heinz, G.H.; Hoffman, D.J.; Klimstra, J.D.; Stebbins, K.R.; Kondrad, S.L.

2011-01-01

In a previous study, the embryotoxicity of methylmercury dissolved in corn oil was compared among 26 species of birds. Corn oil is not soluble in the water-based matrix that constitutes the albumen of an egg. To determine whether the use of corn oil limited the usefulness of this earlier study, a comparison was made of the embryotoxicity of methylmercury dissolved in corn oil versus water. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and chicken (Gallus gallus) eggs were injected with methylmercury chloride dissolved in corn oil or water to achieve concentrations of 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6??g/g mercury in the egg on a wet weight basis. Hatching success at each dose of mercury was compared between the two solvents. For mallards, 16.4% of the eggs injected with 1.6??g/g mercury dissolved in water hatched, which was statistically lower than the 37.6% hatch rate of eggs injected with 1.6??g/g mercury dissolved in corn oil, but no differences in hatching success were observed between corn oil and water at any of the other doses. With chicken eggs, no significant differences occurred in percentage hatch of eggs between corn oil and water at any of the mercury doses. Methylmercury dissolved in corn oil seems to have a toxicity to avian embryos similar to that of does methylmercury dissolved in water. Consequently, the results from the earlier study that described the toxicity of methylmercury dissolved in corn oil to avian embryos were probably not compromised by the use of corn oil as a solvent. ?? 2011 SETAC.

Isotope and chemical investigation of geothermal springs and thermal water produced by oil wells in potwat area, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M.; Rafique, M.; Tariq, J.A; Choudhry, M.A.; Hussain, Q.M.

2008-10-01

Isotopes and geochemical techniques were applied to investigate the origin, subsurface history and reservoir temperatures of geothermal springs in Potwar. Two sets of water samples were collected. Surface temperatures of geothermal springs ranges from 52 to 68.3 C. Waters produced by oil wells in Potwar area were also investigated. Geothermal springs of Potwar area are Na-HCO/sub 3/ type, while the waters produced by oil wells are Na-Cl and Ca-Cl types. Source of both the categories of water is meteoric water recharged from the outcrops of the formations in the Himalayan foothills. These waters undergo very high /sup 18/O-shift (up to 18%) due to rock-water interaction at higher temperatures. High salinity of the oil field waters is due to dissolution of marine evaporites. Reservoir temperatures of thermal springs determined by the Na-K geo thermometers are in the range of 56-91 deg. C, while Na-K-Ca, Na-K-Mg, Na-K-Ca-Mg and quartz geo thermometers give higher temperatures up to 177 C. Reservoir temperature determined by /sup 18/O(SO/Sub 4/-H/sub 2/O) geo thermometer ranges from 112 to 138 deg. C. There is wide variation in reservoir temperatures (54-297 deg. C) of oil fields estimated by different chemical geo thermometers. Na-K geo thermometer seems more reliable which gives close estimates to real temperature (about 100 deg. C) determined during drilling of oil wells. (author)

Formation of water-in-diesel oil nano-emulsions using high energy method and studying some of their surface active properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.M. Al-Sabagh

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In this work, formations of water-in-diesel oil nano-emulsions using water/mixed nonionic surfactant/diesel oil system have been studied. The high energy emulsification method was used to form three emulsions using different water contents: 5%, 10% and 14% (v/v namely; E1, E2 and E3, respectively. These nano-emulsions were stabilized with emulsifiers having different Hydrophilic–Lipophilic Balance (HLB namely; span 80 (HLB = 4.3, emarol 85 (HLB = 11 and their mixture (SE with HLB = 10. The effect of water on the droplet size formation has been investigated. The interfacial tension and thermodynamic properties of the individual and emulsifiers blends have been studied. The interfacial tension (γ measurements at 30 °C were used to determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC and surface active properties of these emulsifiers. The water droplet sizes were measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS. From the obtained data, it was found that, mean sizes between 19.3 and 39 nm were obtained depending on the water content and concentration of blend emulsifiers (SE. Also, the results show that, the interfacial tension (γ gives minimum value (10.85 mN/m for SE comparing with individual emulsifier (17.13 and 12.77 mN/m for span 80 and emarol 85, respectively. The visual inspection by TEM showed that the obtained results support the data obtained by dynamic light scattering.

Distinguishing oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium using pulsed neutron logging data based on Hudson's crack theory

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xueang; Yang, Zhichao; Tang, Bin; Wang, Renbo; Wei, Xiong

2018-05-01

During geophysical surveys, water layers may interfere with the detection of oil layers. In order to distinguish between oil and water layers in porous cracked media, research on the properties of the cracks, the oil and water layers, and their relation to pulsed neutron logging characteristics is essential. Using Hudson's crack theory, we simulated oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium with different crack parameters corresponding to the well log responses. We found that, in a cracked medium with medium-angle (40°-50°) cracks, the thermal neutron count peak value is higher and more sensitive than those in low-angle and high-angle crack environments; in addition, the thermal neutron density distribution shows more minimum values than in other cases. Further, the thermal neutron count and the rate of change for the oil layer are greater than those of the water layer, and the time spectrum count peak value for the water layer in middle-high-angle (40°-70°) cracked environments is higher than that of the oil layer. The thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity is higher in the water layer with a range of small crack angles (0°-30°) than in the oil layer with the same range of angles. In comparing the thermal neutron density distribution, thermal neutron count peak, thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity, and time spectrum maximum in the oil and water layers, we find that neutrons in medium-angle (40°-50°) cracked reservoirs are more sensitive to deceleration and absorption than those in water layers; neutrons in approximately horizontal (0°-30°) cracked water layers are more sensitive to deceleration than those in reservoirs. These results can guide future work in the cracked media neutron logging field.

Pyrolysis of azolla, sargassum tenerrimum and water hyacinth for production of bio-oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Bijoy; Singh, Rawel; Krishna, Bhavya B; Kumar, Jitendra; Bhaskar, Thallada

2017-10-01

Pyrolysis of azolla, sargassum tenerrimum and water hyacinth were carried out in a fixed-bed reactor at different temperatures in the range of 300-450°C in the presence of nitrogen (inert atmosphere). The objective of this study is to understand the effect of compositional changes of various aquatic biomass samples on product distribution and nature of products during slow pyrolysis. The maximum liquid product yield of azolla, sargassum tenerrimum and water hyacinth (38.5, 43.4 and 24.6wt.% respectively) obtained at 400, 450 and 400°C. Detailed analysis of the bio-oil and bio-char was investigated using 1 H NMR, FT-IR, and XRD. The characterization of bio-oil showed a high percentage of aliphatic functional groups and presence of phenolic, ketones and nitrogen-containing group. The characterization results showed that the bio-oil obtained from azolla, sargassum tenerrimum and water hyacinth can be potentially valuable as a fuel and chemicals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Demulsification of crude oil-in-water emulsions by means of fungal spores.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alba Adriana Vallejo-Cardona

Full Text Available The present feature describes for the first time the application of spores from Aspergillus sp. IMPMS7 to break out crude oil-in-water emulsions (O/W. The fungal spores were isolated from marine sediments polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons. The spores exhibited the ability to destabilize different O/W emulsions prepared with medium, heavy or extra-heavy Mexican crude oils with specific gravities between 10.1 and 21.2°API. The isolated fungal spores showed a high hydrophobic power of 89.3 ± 1.9% and with 2 g of spores per liter of emulsion, the half-life for emulsion destabilization was roughly 3.5 and 0.7 h for extra-heavy and medium crude oil, respectively. Then, the kinetics of water separation and the breaking of the O/W emulsion prepared with heavy oil through a spectrofluorometric technique were studied. A decrease in the fluorescence ratio at 339 and 326 nm (I339/I326 was observed in emulsions treated with spores, which is similar to previously reported results using chemical demulsifiers.

Effects of Irrigating with Treated Oil and Gas Product Water on Crop Biomass and Soil Permeability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terry Brown; Jeffrey Morris; Patrick Richards; Joel Mason

2010-09-30

Demonstrating effective treatment technologies and beneficial uses for oil and gas produced water is essential for producers who must meet environmental standards and deal with high costs associated with produced water management. Proven, effective produced-water treatment technologies coupled with comprehensive data regarding blending ratios for productive long-term irrigation will improve the state-of-knowledge surrounding produced-water management. Effective produced-water management scenarios such as cost-effective treatment and irrigation will discourage discharge practices that result in legal battles between stakeholder entities. The goal of this work is to determine the optimal blending ratio required for irrigating crops with CBNG and conventional oil and gas produced water treated by ion exchange (IX), reverse osmosis (RO), or electro-dialysis reversal (EDR) in order to maintain the long term physical integrity of soils and to achieve normal crop production. The soils treated with CBNG produced water were characterized with significantly lower SAR values compared to those impacted with conventional oil and gas produced water. The CBNG produced water treated with RO at the 100% treatment level was significantly different from the untreated produced water, while the 25%, 50% and 75% water treatment levels were not significantly different from the untreated water. Conventional oil and gas produced water treated with EDR and RO showed comparable SAR results for the water treatment technologies. There was no significant difference between the 100% treated produced water and the control (river water). The EDR water treatment resulted with differences at each level of treatment, which were similar to RO treated conventional oil and gas water. The 100% treated water had SAR values significantly lower than the 75% and 50% treatments, which were similar (not significantly different). The results of the greenhouse irrigation study found the differences in biomass

A Review of Laboratory-Scale Research on Upgrading Heavy Oil in Supercritical Water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning Li

2015-08-01

Full Text Available With the growing demand for energy and the depletion of conventional crude oil, heavy oil in huge reserve has attracted extensive attention. However, heavy oil cannot be directly refined by existing processes unless they are upgraded due to its complex composition and high concentration of heteroatoms (N, S, Ni, V, etc.. Of the variety of techniques for heavy oil upgrading, supercritical water (SCW is gaining popularity because of its excellent ability to convert heavy oil into valued, clean light oil by the suppression of coke formation and the removal of heteroatoms. Based on the current status of this research around the world, heavy oil upgrading in SCW is summarized from three aspects: Transformation of hydrocarbons, suppression of coke, and removal of heteroatoms. In this work, the challenge and future development of the orientation of upgrading heavy oil in SCW are pointed out.

Mass transfer of H2O between petroleum and water: implications for oil field water sample quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCartney, R.A.; Ostvold, T.

2005-01-01

Water mass transfer can occur between water and petroleum during changes in pressure and temperature. This process can result in the dilution or concentration of dissolved ions in the water phase of oil field petroleum-water samples. In this study, PVT simulations were undertaken for 4 petroleum-water systems covering a range of reservoir conditions (80-185 o C; 300-1000 bar) and a range of water-petroleum mixtures (volume ratios of 1:1000-300:1000) to quantify the extent of H 2 O mass transfer as a result of pressure and temperature changes. Conditions were selected to be relevant to different types of oil field water sample (i.e. surface, downhole and core samples). The main variables determining the extent of dilution and concentration were found to be: (a) reservoir pressure and temperature, (b) pressure and temperature of separation of water and petroleum, (c) petroleum composition, and (d) petroleum:water ratio (PWR). The results showed that significant dilution and concentration of water samples could occur, particularly at high PWR. It was not possible to establish simple guidelines for identifying good and poor quality samples due to the interplay of the above variables. Sample quality is best investigated using PVT software of the type used in this study. (author)

Effect of Oil Hydrophobicity on the Adsorption and Rheology of β-Lactoglobulin at Oil-Water Interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergfreund, Jotam; Bertsch, Pascal; Kuster, Simon; Fischer, Peter

2018-04-24

The adsorption of protein layers at oil-water interfaces is critical to the formation and stability of various emulsions in, for example, technical applications as well as in biological lipid storage. Effects of ionic strength, pH, temperature, and pretreatments of the proteins are well-known. However, the oil phase has been regarded as exchangeable and its role in protein adsorption has been widely ignored. Herein, the influence of systematically selected oil interfaces of high purity on the formation and properties of β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) adsorption layers was evaluated. Droplet profile tensiometry and interfacial rheometry were employed to determine the adsorption kinetics and dilatational and interfacial shear moduli. We show that depending on the molecular size, flexibility, hydrophobicity, polarity, and polarizability of the oils, globular proteins adsorb distinctively. Stronger interactions of polar oils with the hydrophilic exterior of the native β-lg lead to decelerated protein unfolding. This results in lower surface pressures and slower formation of viscoelastic networks. In addition, polar oils interact stronger with the protein network by hydrophilic bonding and thereby act as softening agents. The observed effects of hydrophobic subphases on the adsorbed protein layers provide knowledge, which promotes higher reproducibility in rheological studies and precise tailoring of interfacial films for enhanced formation and stability of emulsions.

Oil spill in Bombay high marine impacts

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

pollutant contamination requires reliable baseline against which the measured environmental quality can be compared. Fortunately, the coastal waters of Murud are being periodically monitored under the Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMAPS... avoidance reaction even at low concentration of oil in water. Moreover, the fish possesses an enzyme system which can deal with petroleum hydrocarbons in its tissues. Hence, fish kills due to oil pollution are rare and when occur, the numbers involved...

High-rate oil removing scouring agent. Koyubun jokyoyo seirenzai ni tsuite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishihara, K.; Sato, Y. (Dai-Ichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co. Ltd., Kyoto (Japan))

1991-11-01

Fiber forming, scutching and knitting processes in recent years are performed three to five times faster than in the conventional processes. Associated therewith, oil solutions are taken importantly for their stability and workability, such as smoothing properties, heat resistance and abrasion resistance. On the other hand, difficulty is increasing in removing the oils after scutching and knitting. This paper explains basic rinsing activities required in oil removal, and describes various test characteristics and compatibility of various high-rate oil removing scouring agents. An oil-in-water rinsing mechanism relies upon comprehensive actions of a surfactant in wetting, permeation, emulsified dispersion and solubilization. The most importantly taken among them is the emulsifying action, which largely depends upon its chemical structure. Therefore, for a high-rate oil removing scouring agent, creation of activators is required that make the above basic characteristics and activities compatible for various applications. For example, the above product covers a great variety of kinds for diverse applications, based on non-ionic and anion-based activators. 6 figs., 20 tabs.

Stability Proxies for Water-in-Oil Emulsions and Implications in Aqueous-based Enhanced Oil Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrnoosh Moradi

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Several researchers have proposed that mobility control mechanisms can positively contribute to oil recovery in the case of emulsions generated in Enhanced-Oil Recovery (EOR operations. Chemical EOR techniques that use alkaline components or/and surfactants are known to produce undesirable emulsions that create operational problems and are difficult to break. Other water-based methods have been less studied in this sense. EOR processes such as polymer flooding and LoSalTM injection require adjustments of water chemistry, mainly by lowering the ionic strength of the solution or by decreasing hardness. The decreased ionic strength of EOR solutions can give rise to more stable water-in-oil emulsions, which are speculated to improve mobility ratio between the injectant and the displaced oil. The first step toward understanding the connection between the emulsions and EOR mechanisms is to show that EOR conditions, such as salinity and hardness requirements, among others, are conducive to stabilizing emulsions. In order to do this, adequate stability proxies are required. This paper reviews commonly used emulsion stability proxies and explains the advantages and disadvantage of methods reviewed. This paper also reviews aqueous-based EOR processes with focus on heavy oil to contextualize in-situ emulsion stabilization conditions. This context sets the basis for comparison of emulsion stability proxies.

Deepwater Horizon oil in Gulf of Mexico waters after 2 years: transformation into the dissolved organic matter pool.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Thomas S; Osburn, Christopher; Shields, Michael R; Yvon-Lewis, Shari; Young, Jordan; Guo, Laodong; Zhou, Zhengzhen

2014-08-19

Recent work has shown the presence of anomalous dissolved organic matter (DOM), with high optical yields, in deep waters 15 months after the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Here, we continue to use the fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) technique coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) modeling, measurements of bulk organic carbon, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), oil indices, and other optical properties to examine the chemical evolution and transformation of oil components derived from the DWH in the water column of the GOM. Seawater samples were collected from the GOM during July 2012, 2 years after the oil spill. This study shows that, while dissolved organic carbon (DOC) values have decreased since just after the DWH spill, they remain higher at some stations than typical deep-water values for the GOM. Moreover, we continue to observe fluorescent DOM components in deep waters, similar to those of degraded oil observed in lab and field experiments, which suggest that oil-related fluorescence signatures, as part of the DOM pool, have persisted for 2 years in the deep waters. This supports the notion that some oil-derived chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) components could still be identified in deep waters after 2 years of degradation, which is further supported by the lower DIC and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) associated with greater amounts of these oil-derived components in deep waters, assuming microbial activity on DOM in the current water masses is only the controlling factor of DIC and pCO2 concentrations.

Dynamic Oil-in-Water Concentration Acquisition on a Pilot-Scaled Offshore Water-Oil Separation Facility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løhndorf, Petar Durdevic; Raju, Chitra Sangaraju; Bram, Mads Valentin

2017-01-01

This article is a feasibility study on using fluorescence-based oil-in-water (OiW) monitors for on-line dynamic efficiency measurement of a deoiling hydrocyclone. Dynamic measurements are crucial in the design and validation of dynamic models of the hydrocyclones, and to our knowledge, no dynamic...

Molecular Dynamics Simulation: The Behavior of Asphaltene in Crude Oil and at the Oil/Water Interface

KAUST Repository

Gao, Fengfeng; Xu, Zhen; Liu, Guokui; Yuan, Shiling

2014-01-01

of the repulsion of the anionic headgroups. Anionic C5 Pe has a distinct affinity to the oil/water interface during the simulation, while the C5 Pe molecules persist in the crude oil domain. A three-stage model of anionic C5 Pe molecules adsorbed at the oil

A new concept for improved oil spill containment in open waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sethness, E.D. Jr.

1990-01-01

In this paper a new concept for improved oil spill containment in open waters is presented. The proposed system is a combination oil boom and wave barrier. Waveguard International has taken its extensive experience as a designer of floating breakwaters and applied this knowledge into the design of a readily transportable, readily deployable floating oil boom with integrated wave attenuation capabilities as well. The new concept is based on the attenuation of the two major natural causes of oil spill dispersion; first, horizontal dispersion caused by wind shear effects; and second, vertical entrainment into the water column caused by the mixing action of wave motion. The physical encirclement of an oil spill with a floating boom to contain horizontal dispersion is not a new concept. Existing systems, however, work best in calm water and rapidly loose efficiency as waves increase. The proposed system can not only physically surround the spill area, but is as much as 90% effective in stopping the transmission of wave energy. The oil boom thus minimizes vertical mixing of the contained oil slick

Petrophysical studies in heavy oil sands with early water production - Hamaca area, Orinoco Oil Belt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salisch, H.A.

1982-07-01

This study describes the main lines of petrophysical research in the Hamaca-Pao region of the Orinoco Oil Belt. The techniques and parameters most appropriate for petrophysical studies in the area of interest are discussed. Field tests have confirmed the conclusions of this study on early water production and low oil recovery. Steam injection was shown to be a means for increasing oil mobility to such a degree that significant amounts of additional oil can be produced.

Investigation of the mixture flow rates of oil-water two-phase flow using the turbine flow meter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Donghui; Feng Feifei; Wu Yingxiang; Xu Jingyu

2009-01-01

In this work, the mixture flow rate of oil-water flows was studied using the turbine flow-meter. The research emphasis focuses on the effect of oil viscosity and input fluids flow rates on the precision of the meter. Experiments were conducted to measure the in-situ mixture flow rate in a horizontal pipe with 0.05m diameter using seven different viscosities of white oil and tap water as liquid phases. Results showed that both oil viscosity and input oil fraction exert a remarkable effect on measured results, especially when the viscosity of oil phase remained in the area of high value. In addition, for metering mixture flow rate using turbine flow-meter, the results are not sensitive to two-phase flow pattern according to the experimental data.

Bioremediation potential of the Sava river water polluted by oil refinery wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaksic, B.; Matavulj, M.; Vukic, Lj.; Radnovic, D.

2002-01-01

Microbial enumeration is a screening-level tool which can be used to evaluate in-situ response of water microorganisms to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination as well as for evaluating enhanced bioremediation potential of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. In this investigations the increase between 17- and 44-fold of number of heterotrophs in hydrocarbon contaminated the Sava River water when compared with the no contaminated river water have been recorded. The significant increase of number of facultative oligotrophs in the river Sava water downstream of wastewater discharge (between 70- and almost 100-fold higher number) direct to the conclusion that oligotrophic bacteria (adapted to the environments with low amount of easy-to-degrade nutrients, oligocarbophilic microorganisms) could be better indicator of water bioremediation potential than number of heterotrophic (THR) bacteria. Quantitative composition of heterotrophic, facultative oligotrophic, crude oil degrading, and other physiological groups of bacteria, being, as a rule, higher in samples taken downstream of the waste-water discharge, testify about high biodegradative potential of the River Sava microbial community, if the oil refinery wastewater is taken into consideration. (author)

Controlling the Accumulation of Water at Oil-Solid Interfaces with Gradient Coating.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Yang, Qiaomu; Mei, Ran Andy; Cai, Meirong; Heng, Jerry Y Y; Yang, Zhongqiang

2017-07-13

In this work, we demonstrate a strategy to control the accumulation of water in the oil-solid interface using a gradient coating. Gradient chemistry on glass surface is created by vapor diffusion of organosilanes, leading to a range of contact angles from 110 to 20°. Hexadecane is placed on the gradient substrate as an oil layer, forming a "water/hexadecane/gradient solid substrate" sandwich structure. During incubation, water molecules spontaneously migrate through the micrometer-thick oil layer and result in the formation of micrometer-sized water droplets at the oil-solid interface. It turns out that water droplets at more hydrophobic regions tend to be closer to a regular spherical shape, which is attributed to their higher contact angle with the hydrophobic substrate. However, along the gradient from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, the water droplets gradually form more irregular shapes, as hydrophilic surfaces pin the edges of droplets to form a distorted morphology. It indicates that more hydrophilic surfaces containing more Si-OH groups lead to a higher electrostatic interaction with water and a higher growth rate of interfacial water droplets. This work provides further insights into the mechanism of spontaneous water accumulation at oil-solid interfaces and assists in the rational design for controlling such interfacial phenomenon.

Partition of selected food preservatives in fish oil-water systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cheng, Hongyuan; Friis, Alan; Leth, Torben

2010-01-01

The partition coefficients (Kow) of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in systems of fish oil (sand eel)–water, fish oil–buffer solution, rape oil–water and olive oil–water were experimentally determined in a temperature range from 5 to 43 °C and pH from 4.5 to 6.5 °C. The dimerization of benzoic acid...... in fish oil–water system was observed at 25 °C. Two modifications have been made to the Nordic Food Analysis Standard for the determination of sorbic acid by HPLC. The experimental results show that the Kow of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in fish oil–buffer system is ca. 100 times lower than that in fish...... oil–water system. The Kow values of benzoic acid and sorbic acid in fish oil and water system decrease with increasing system pH values. The partition coefficients of plant origin and fish origin oils are in the same order of magnitude even though their molecular structures are very different....

Numerical simulation and structural optimization of the inclined oil/water separator.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liqiong Chen

Full Text Available Improving the separation efficiency of the inclined oil/water separator, a new type of gravity separation equipment, is of great importance. In order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the internal flow field of the separation process of oil and water within this separator, a numerical simulation based on Euler multiphase flow analysis and the realizable k-ε two equation turbulence model was executed using Fluent software. The optimal value ranges of the separator's various structural parameters used in the numerical simulation were selected through orthogonal array experiments. A field experiment on the separator was conducted with optimized structural parameters in order to validate the reliability of the numerical simulation results. The research results indicated that the horizontal position of the dispenser, the hole number, and the diameter had significant effects on the oil/water separation efficiency, and that the longitudinal position of the dispenser and the position of the weir plate had insignificant effects on the oil/water separation efficiency. The optimal structural parameters obtained through the orthogonal array experiments resulted in an oil/water separation efficiency of up to 95%, which was 4.996% greater than that realized by the original structural parameters.

Watered down : overcoming federal inaction on the impact of oil sands development to water resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Droitsch, D.

2009-11-01

The oil sands industry is having a negative impact on Canada's fresh water resources and aquatic ecosystems. Members of the Government of the Northwest Territories (NT) and experts from scientific, non-governmental, and First Nations groups have stated at federal hearings that the federal government must involve itself in the protection of Canada's water resources. This report discussed compelling testimony from recent federal hearings by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.The federal government must establish enforceable standards for key toxic substances created by oil sands activity. A water-sharing agreement must be established between Alberta, NT, Saskatchewan, and First Nations governments. Other recommendations included the establishment of a peer-reviewed assessment of the health impacts of industrial oil sands development on First Nations communities; the establishment of cumulative effects assessment procedures; the identification and protection of listed species at risk; and the establishment of proactive measures designed to ensure that oil sands operators pay for the environmental damage caused to water resources. 94 refs., 4 figs.

Characterization of the Water-Soluble Fraction of Woody Biomass Pyrolysis Oils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stankovikj, Filip; McDonald, Armando G.; Helms, Gregory L.; Olarte, Mariefel V.; Garcia-Perez, Manuel

2017-01-31

This paper reports a study of the chemical composition of the water soluble (WS) fraction obtained by cold water precipitation of two commercial wood pyrolysis oils (BTG and Amaron). The fraction studied accounts for between 50.3 and 51.3 wt. % of the oils. With the most common analytical techniques used today for the characterization of this fraction (KF titration, GC/MS, hydrolysable sugars and total carbohydrates), it is possible to quantify only between 45 and 50 wt. % of it. Our results confirm that most of the total carbohydrates (hydrolysable sugars and non-hydrolysable) are soluble in water. The ion chromatography hydrolysis method showed that between 11.6 and 17.3 wt. % of these oils were hydrolysable sugars. A small quantity of phenols detectable by GC/MS (between 2.5 and 3.9 wt. %) were identified. It is postulated that the unknown high molecular weight fraction (30-55 wt. %) is formed by highly dehydrated sugars rich in carbonyl groups and WS phenols. The overall content of carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl and phenolic compounds in the WS fraction were quantified by titration, Folin-Ciocalteu, 31P-NMR and 1H-NMR. The WS fraction contains between 5.5 and 6.2 mmol/g of carbonyl groups, between 0.4 and 1.0 mmol/g of carboxylic acid groups, between 1.2 and 1.8 mmol/g phenolic -OH, and between 6.0 and 7.9 mmol/g of aliphatic alcohol groups. Translation into weight fractions of the WS was done by supposing surrogate structures for the water soluble phenols, carbonyl and carboxyl groups and we estimated the content of WS phenols (21-27 wt. %), carbonyl (5-14 wt.%), and carboxyl (0-4 wt.%). Together with the total carbohydrates (23-27 wt.%), this approach leads to > 90 wt. % of the WS material in the bio-oils being quantified. We speculate the larger portion of the difference between the total carbohydrates and hydrolysable sugars is the missing furanic fraction. Further refinement of the suggested methods and development of separation schemes to obtain and

Method for reducing heat loss during injection of hot water into an oil stratum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evgenev, A E; Kalashnikov, V N; Raiskii, Yu D

1968-07-01

A method is described for reduction of heat loss during the injection of hot water into an oil stratum. During the transportation of the hot water to the face of the bore holes, it has high-molecular polymers added to it. The high-molecular polymer may be guanidine or polyoxyethylene in the quantity of 0.01 to 0.03% by wt.

Fabrication of a novel superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surface by one-step electrodeposition method for continuous oil/water separation

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Meisu; Jiang, Meihuizi; Zhang, Yanzong; Liu, Yan; Shen, Fei; Yang, Gang; He, Yan; Wang, Lilin; Zhang, Xiaohong; Deng, Shihuai

2018-03-01

A novel superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surface was fabricated by one-step electrodeposition on stainless steel meshes, and the durability and oil/water separation properties were assessed. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and optical contact angle measurements were used to characterize surface morphologies, chemical compositions, and wettabilities, respectively. The results indicated that the as-prepared mesh preformed excellent superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity with a high water contact angle (WCA) of 162 ± 1° and oil contact angle of (OCA) 0°. Meanwhile, the as-prepared mesh also exhibited continuous separation capacity of many kinds of oil/water mixtures, and the separation efficiency for lubrication oil/water mixture was about 98.6%. In addition, after 10 separation cycles, the as-prepared mesh possessed the WCAs of 155 ± 2°, the OCAs of 0° and the separation efficiency of 97.8% for lubrication oil/water mixtures. The as-prepared mesh also retained superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties after abrading, immersing in salt solutions and different pH solutions.

40 CFR 63.137 - Process wastewater provisions-oil-water separators.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... wastewater provisions—oil-water separators. (a) For each oil-water separator that receives, manages, or...; (2) A floating roof meeting the requirements in 40 CFR part 60, subpart QQQ § 60.693-2 (a)(1)(i), (a... to construct and operate a floating roof, such as over the weir mechanism, the owner or operator...

Oil spill dispersants. Risk assessment for Swedish waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindgren, C.; Lager, H.; Fejes, J.

2001-12-01

IVL has compiled a list of the international usage of oil spill dispersants and presents the technical limitations with the use of such agents as well as the biological effects of these chemical products. IVL, has also conducted an analysis of the pros and cons to using dispersants against oil spills in waters and has applied this with a risk assessment of chemical methods to combat oil spills in the Kattegat and Skagerrak and the Baltic Sea

Stochastic Plume Simulations for the Fukushima Accident and the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill

Science.gov (United States)

Coelho, E.; Peggion, G.; Rowley, C.; Hogan, P.

2012-04-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant suffered damage leading to radioactive contamination of coastal waters. Major issues in characterizing the extent of the affected waters were a poor knowledge of the radiation released to the coastal waters and the rather complex coastal dynamics of the region, not deterministically captured by the available prediction systems. Equivalently, during the Gulf of Mexico Deep Water Horizon oil platform accident in April 2010, significant amounts of oil and gas were released from the ocean floor. For this case, issues in mapping and predicting the extent of the affected waters in real-time were a poor knowledge of the actual amounts of oil reaching the surface and the fact that coastal dynamics over the region were not deterministically captured by the available prediction systems. To assess the ocean regions and times that were most likely affected by these accidents while capturing the above sources of uncertainty, ensembles of the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) were configured over the two regions (NE Japan and Northern Gulf of Mexico). For the Fukushima case tracers were released on each ensemble member; their locations at each instant provided reference positions of water volumes where the signature of water released from the plant could be found. For the Deep Water Horizon oil spill case each ensemble member was coupled with a diffusion-advection solution to estimate possible scenarios of oil concentrations using perturbed estimates of the released amounts as the source terms at the surface. Stochastic plumes were then defined using a Risk Assessment Code (RAC) analysis that associates a number from 1 to 5 to each grid point, determined by the likelihood of having tracer particle within short ranges (for the Fukushima case), hence defining the high risk areas and those recommended for monitoring. For the Oil Spill case the RAC codes were determined by the likelihood of reaching oil concentrations as defined in the Bonn Agreement

Applying CFD in the analysis of heavy oil - water two-phase flow in joints by using core annular flow technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T Andrade

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the oil industry the multiphase flow occur throughout the production chain, from reservoir rock until separation units through the production column, risers and pipelines. During the whole process the fluid flows through the horizontal pipes, curves, connections and T joints. Today, technological and economic challenges facing the oil industry is related to heavy oil transportation due to its unfavourable characteristics such as high viscosity and high density that provokes high pressure drop along the flow. The coreflow technique consists in the injection of small amounts of water into the pipe to form a ring of water between the oil and the wall of the pipe which provides the reduction of friction pressure drop along the flow. This paper aim to model and simulate the transient two-phase flow (water-heavy oil in a horizontal pipe and T joint by numerical simulation using the software ANSYS CFX® Release 12.0. Results of pressure and volumetric fraction distribution inside the horizontal pipe and T joint are presented and analysed.

Fish gill responses to pollutants from oil sands mining-associated waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, L.E.J.; Willfang, S.; Lamb, M.P.; Nero, V.; Farwell, A.J.; Dixon, D.G.

2002-01-01

The processing of Athabasca Deposit oil sands results in large amounts of liquid wastes associated with oil sand tailings. In addition to containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), these waste waters are high in salinity and naphthenic acids which may be toxic to aquatic biota and their effects must be clarified. This study presents a suite of tests for in-depth and quick analysis of tailings water toxicity and contributes to the assessment of environmental risk. Yellow perch, fathead minnows, and rainbow trout were exposed to reclamation ponds where both in vivo and in vitro evaluation of crude and individual naphthenic acids and salts were conducted to examine their effect on fish gills which are very susceptible to contaminants. The fish exposed to the reclamation ponds showed higher incidence of gill pathological changes than control fish in Mildred Lake, a reservoir lake whose waters are diverted for use in oil sands extraction. Notable gill histopathological changes were observed when fish were exposed in vivo to sulfate/chloride salts and to abietic acid. Changes in membrane integrity, lysosomal activity and general morphology were observed when fished were exposed in vitro to salts, commercial napthenic acids or crude naphthenic extracts from the reclamation ponds

Interfacial behaviour of sodium stearoyllactylate (SSL) as an oil-in-water pickering emulsion stabiliser.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurukji, D; Pichot, R; Spyropoulos, F; Norton, I T

2013-11-01

The ability of a food ingredient, sodium stearoyllactylate (SSL), to stabilise oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions against coalescence was investigated, and closely linked to its capacity to act as a Pickering stabiliser. Results showed that emulsion stability could be achieved with a relatively low SSL concentration (≥0.1 wt%), and cryogenic-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) visualisation of emulsion structure revealed the presence of colloidal SSL aggregates adsorbed at the oil-water interface. Surface properties of SSL could be modified by altering the size of these aggregates in water; a faster decrease in surface tension was observed when SSL dispersions were subjected to high pressure homogenisation (HPH). The rate of SSL adsorption at the sunflower oil-water interface also increased after HPH, and a higher interfacial tension (IFT) was observed with increasing SSL concentration. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) enabled a comparison of the thermal behaviour of SSL in aqueous dispersions with SSL-stabilised O/W emulsions. SSL melting enthalpy depended on emulsion interfacial area and the corresponding DSC data was used to determine the amount of SSL adsorbed at the oil-water interface. An idealised theoretical interfacial coverage calculation based on Pickering emulsion theory was in general agreement with the mass of SSL adsorbed as predicted by DSC. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploration of process parameters for continuous hydrolysis of canola oil, camelina oil and algal oil

KAUST Repository

Wang, Weicheng

2012-07-01

Thermal hydrolysis of triglycerides to form free fatty acid (FFA) is a well-established industry practice. Recently, this process has been employed as a first step in the production of biofuels from lipids. To that end, batch and continuous hydrolysis of various feedstocks has been examined at the laboratory scale. Canola, the primary feedstock in this paper, camelina and algal oils were converted to high quality FFA. For the different reaction temperatures, the continuous hydrolysis system was found to provide better yields than the laboratory batch system. In addition, CFD simulation with ANSYS-CFX was used to model the performance and reactant/product separation in the continuous, counter-flow reactor. The effects of reaction temperature, water-to-oil ratio (ratio of water and oil volumetric inflow rate), and preheating of the reactants were examined experimentally. Optimization of these parameters has resulted in an improved, continuous process with high mass yields (89-93%, for reactor temperature of 260°C and water-to-oil ratio of 4:1) and energy efficiency (76%, for reactor temperature of 250°C and water-to-oil ratio of 2:1). Based on the product quality and energy efficiency considerations, the reactor temperature of 260°C and water-to-oil ratio of 4:1 have provided the optimal condition for the lab scale continuous hydrolysis reaction. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Exploration of process parameters for continuous hydrolysis of canola oil, camelina oil and algal oil

KAUST Repository

Wang, Weicheng; Turner, Timothy L.; Stikeleather, Larry F.; Roberts, William L.

2012-01-01

Thermal hydrolysis of triglycerides to form free fatty acid (FFA) is a well-established industry practice. Recently, this process has been employed as a first step in the production of biofuels from lipids. To that end, batch and continuous hydrolysis of various feedstocks has been examined at the laboratory scale. Canola, the primary feedstock in this paper, camelina and algal oils were converted to high quality FFA. For the different reaction temperatures, the continuous hydrolysis system was found to provide better yields than the laboratory batch system. In addition, CFD simulation with ANSYS-CFX was used to model the performance and reactant/product separation in the continuous, counter-flow reactor. The effects of reaction temperature, water-to-oil ratio (ratio of water and oil volumetric inflow rate), and preheating of the reactants were examined experimentally. Optimization of these parameters has resulted in an improved, continuous process with high mass yields (89-93%, for reactor temperature of 260°C and water-to-oil ratio of 4:1) and energy efficiency (76%, for reactor temperature of 250°C and water-to-oil ratio of 2:1). Based on the product quality and energy efficiency considerations, the reactor temperature of 260°C and water-to-oil ratio of 4:1 have provided the optimal condition for the lab scale continuous hydrolysis reaction. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Studies of water-in-oil emulsions : energy and work threshold as a function of temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fingas, M.; Fieldhouse, B.; Lerouge, L.

2001-01-01

A study was conducted in which the effect of temperature on the kinetics and stability of water-in-oil formation was examined. Previous studies have shown that viscosity influences the formation and stability of water in oil emulsions, therefore a viscosity window has been postulated as necessary for the formation of stable emulsions. The temperature dependence of this physical property is examined through a study of 3 oils, Green Canyon, Arabian Light and Point Arguello. The oils were subjected to mixing at 5, 15 and 25 degrees C. Both Arabian Light and Point Arguello formed meso-stable emulsions at 15 degrees C and were examined further. Arabian Light had a relatively high viscosity, while Point Arguello had a low viscosity. The objective was to examine the effects of changing viscosity resulting from changes in temperature on oil at either end of the observed viscosity window. The total energy applied to the oil/water in the emulsion formation apparatus was varied from about 50 to 600,000 ergs. Work was varied from 1 to 5123 Joules per second. It was determined that a minimum energy threshold is needed for most emulsion formation, but only work correlates with the stability value. The emulsions formed at lower temperatures exhibited higher stability than would be expected from the increase in viscosity. This is most likely because the increase was insufficient, in the case of Green Canyon oil, to result in the formation of emulsions. It was concluded that the stability of an emulsion formed from a given oil increases with decreasing formation temperature. The apparent viscosity is higher at the lower temperature. The work was found to correlate most closely with the stability of the emulsion or water-in-oil state. 7 refs., 4 tabs., 6 figs

Oil Spill Adsorption Capacity of Activated Carbon Tablets from Corncobs in Simulated Oil-Water Mixture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rhonalyn V. Maulion

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Oil spill in bodies of water is one of severe environmental problems that is facing all over the country and in the world. Since oil is an integral part of the economy, increasing trend for its demand and transport of has led to a great treat in the surface water. One of the promising techniques in the removal of the oil spills in water bodies is adsorption using activated carbon form waste material such as corn cobs. The purpose of this study is to determine the adsorption capacity of activated carbon tablets derived from corncobs in the removal of oil. The properties of activated carbon produced have a pH of 7.0, bulk density of 0.26 g//cm3 , average pore size of 45nm, particle size of 18% at 60 mesh and 39% at 80 mesh, iodine number of 1370 mg/g and surface area of 1205 g/m2. The amount of bentonite clay as binder (15%,20%,30%, number of ACT (1,2,3 and time of contact(30,60,90 mins has been varied to determine the optimum condition where the activated carbon will have the best adsorption capacity in the removal of oil. Results showed that at 15% binder, 60 mins contact time and 3 tablets of activated carbon is the optimum condition which give a percentage adsorption of 22.82% of oil. Experimental data also showed that a Langmuir isotherm was the best fit isotherm for adsorption of ACT.

Effect of Water Cut on Pressure Drop of Oil (D130) -Water Flow in 4″Horizontal Pipe

Science.gov (United States)

Basha, Mehaboob; Shaahid, S. M.; Al-Hems, Luai M.

2018-03-01

The oil-water flow in pipes is a challenging subject that is rich in physics and practical applications. It is often encountered in many oil and chemical industries. The pressure gradient of two phase flow is still subject of immense research. The present study reports pressure measurements of oil (D130)-water flow in a horizontal 4″ diameter stainless steel pipe at different flow conditions. Experiments were carried out for different water cuts (WC); 0-100%. Inlet oil-water flow rates were varied from 4000 to 8000 barrels-per-day in steps of 2000. It has been found that the frictional pressure drop decreases for WC = 0 - 40 %. With further increase in WC, friction pressure drop increases, this could be due to phase inversion.

Spectrophotometric method for quantitative measuring essential oil in aromatic water and distillate with rose smell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semenova, E; Moiseeva, I; Presnyakova, V; Goncharov, D; Goncharov, M; Presnyakova, E; Presnyakov, S; Kolesnikova, S

2017-01-01

In this connection, we improved the express methods of determining the mixture of volatile aromatic substances by the spectrophotometry of aromatic water and steam distillate of essential oil raw materials (traditional or biotechnological with rose smell). Direct spectrophotometry of distillation water is impossible because it is a colloid of liquid oil and law is not observed. Therefore, it is necessary to dissolve 1 ml of distillate in ethanol in the ratio 1:4, in this case we take real solution with no lipophilic fall-out on the walls of cuvette, also the light absorption law is observed. There are stable maximums in spectrums of studied oils. Optical density of these maximums is a result of summary absorption of terpenoid components (aromatic and monoterpene alcohols, its ethers). Optical density of tested and standard solutions is measured in appropriate wavelengths. Spectrophotometric method of determination of essential oil quantity in aromatic water with rose smell differs with high sensitivity (10 -5 -10 -6 gmol/l) and allows to determine oil concentration from 0,900 to 0,008 mg with an error less than 1%. At that, 1 ml is enough for analysis. It’s expedient to apply this method while operating with small quantity of water distillate in biochemical and biotechnological researches and also as express control for extraction and hydrodistillation of essential oil raw material (rose petals and flowers from different origin, eremothecium cultural liquid etc.). (paper)

Performance of photocatalyst based carbon nanodots from waste frying oil in water purification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aji, Mahardika Prasetya; Wiguna, Pradita Ajeng; Susanto,; Rosita, Nita; Suciningtyas, Siti Aisyah; Sulhadi

2016-01-01

Carbon Nanodots (C-Dots) from waste frying oil could be used as a photocatalyst in water purification with solar light irradiation. Performance of C-Dots as a photocatalyst was tested in the process of water purification with a given synthetic sewage methylene blue. The tested was also conducted by comparing the performance C-Dots made from frying oil, waste fryng oil as a photocatalyst and solution of methylene blue without photocatalyst C-Dots. Performance of C-Dots from waste frying oil were estimated by the results of absorbance spectrum. The results of measurement absorbance spectrum from the process of water purification with photocatalyst C-Dots showed that the highest intensity at a wavelength 664 nm of methylene blue decreased. The test results showed that the performance of photocatalyst C-Dots from waste frying oil was better in water purification. This estimated that number of particles C-dots is more in waste frying oil because have experieced repeated the heating process so that the higher particles concentration make the photocatalyst process more effective. The observation of the performance C-Dots from waste frying oil as a photocatalyst in the water purification processes become important invention for solving the problems of waste and water purification.

Performance of photocatalyst based carbon nanodots from waste frying oil in water purification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aji, Mahardika Prasetya, E-mail: mahardika190@gmail.com; Wiguna, Pradita Ajeng; Susanto,; Rosita, Nita; Suciningtyas, Siti Aisyah; Sulhadi [Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science Universitas Negeri Semarang, Jalan Raya Sekaran Gunungpati 50229 Indonesia (Indonesia)

2016-04-19

Carbon Nanodots (C-Dots) from waste frying oil could be used as a photocatalyst in water purification with solar light irradiation. Performance of C-Dots as a photocatalyst was tested in the process of water purification with a given synthetic sewage methylene blue. The tested was also conducted by comparing the performance C-Dots made from frying oil, waste fryng oil as a photocatalyst and solution of methylene blue without photocatalyst C-Dots. Performance of C-Dots from waste frying oil were estimated by the results of absorbance spectrum. The results of measurement absorbance spectrum from the process of water purification with photocatalyst C-Dots showed that the highest intensity at a wavelength 664 nm of methylene blue decreased. The test results showed that the performance of photocatalyst C-Dots from waste frying oil was better in water purification. This estimated that number of particles C-dots is more in waste frying oil because have experieced repeated the heating process so that the higher particles concentration make the photocatalyst process more effective. The observation of the performance C-Dots from waste frying oil as a photocatalyst in the water purification processes become important invention for solving the problems of waste and water purification.

An adaptive robust optimization scheme for water-flooding optimization in oil reservoirs using residual analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siraj, M.M.; Van den Hof, P.M.J.; Jansen, J.D.

2017-01-01

Model-based dynamic optimization of the water-flooding process in oil reservoirs is a computationally complex problem and suffers from high levels of uncertainty. A traditional way of quantifying uncertainty in robust water-flooding optimization is by considering an ensemble of uncertain model

Study of the effect of injecting cold or hot water on the operation of an oil field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gusein-Zade, M A; Kolosovskaya, A K; Lebedev, V V; Chicherov, L G

1968-11-01

Several Soviet reservoirs contain either highly paraffinic or viscous crude oils, where recovery by an ordinary waterflood is poor. Under such circumstances, hot water injection appears to be advantageous. Hot water injection is advisable when: (1) the reservoir is heterogeneous and contains low-permeability sections; (2) the oil is saturated with paraffin at reservoir temperature; and (3) reservoir pressure is only slightly higher than static pressure. In Uzen field, hot water injection should recover 1.5 times more oil than would be recovered with cold water. Various problems involved with hot water injection such as equipment and methods of heating the water, transportation of the water of the wellhead, heat losses in transport of hot water, and well equipment for handling hot water are discussed. Calculations indicate that it should be possible to transport 100/sup 0/C water through a 5 km pipeline with a 4/sup 0/ to 6/sup 0/C temperature drop; then deliver to the well bottom at a temperature of 90/sup 0/ to 92/sup 0/C.

Experimental Study on Characteristics of Oil Particle Distribution in Water-Gelled Crude Oil Two-Phase Flow System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Xiaoyan

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The conventional gathering and transportation mode of heating the produced fluid of oil wells with hot water or steam may result in excessive energy consumption. In order to perform the unheated transportation, the idea of hydraulic suspension transport of the gelled crude oil is proposed based on the actual production of Daqing Oilfield, and the experimental system is established to test characteristics of oil particle distribution which have an important effect on the hydraulic suspension transportation. In the experiment, the image of gelled crude oil particle distribution was obtained in a horizontal pipe with inner diameter of 0.053 m, and then the law of particle distribution was investigated by the theoretical model. The results showed that the gelled crude oil hydraulic suspension transport could be achieved without any chemical reagent when the gelled crude oil was transformed into particles and dispersedly suspended in water. The results also showed that the gelled oil particles of 0–4 mm in size accounted for 92% or more of all particles, and the percentage of gelled crude oil particles of a size of 4 mm gradually increased with the increasing mixed flow rate.

Method of and device for detecting oil pollutions on water surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Belov, Michael Leonidovich [Moscow, RU; Gorodnichev, Victor Aleksandrovich [Moscow, RU; Kozintsev, Valentin Ivanovich [Moscow, RU; Smimova, Olga Alekseevna [Moscow, RU; Fedotov, Yurii Victorovich [Moscow, RU; Khroustaleva, Anastasiva Michailovnan [Moscow, RU

2008-08-26

Detection of oil pollution on water surfaces includes providing echo signals obtained from optical radiation of a clean water area at two wavelengths, optically radiating an investigated water area at two wavelengths and obtaining echo signals from the optical radiation of the investigated water area at the two wavelengths, comparing the echo signals obtained from the radiation of the investigated area at two wavelengths with the echo signals obtained from the radiation of the clean water area, and based on the comparison, determining presence or absence of oil pollution in the investigated water area.

Bitumen extraction from oil sands ore-water slurry using CaO (lime) and or ozone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Babadagli, T. [Society of Petroleum Engineers, Canadian Section, Calgary, AB (Canada)]|[Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada); Burkus, Z.; Moschopedis, S.E.; Ozum, B. [Apex Engineering Inc., Calvert City, KY (United States)

2008-10-15

Reductions in the surface and interfacial tensions in oil sands ore-water slurry systems improve bitumen extraction processes from oil sands ore structures and promote the attachment of air bubbles to liberated bitumen droplets. This study provided details of a non-caustic bitumen extraction process where oil sands slurries were conditioned by bitumen asphaltenes modified to act as surfactants. Oil sands ore-water slurry extraction processes were optimized by adding lime (CaO) and oxidizing bitumen asphaltenes with ozone (O{sub 3}). Experiments were conducted using oil sands ore and process water samples from Alberta. Extraction tests were performed to investigate the effects of various CaO and O{sub 3} dosages and treatment retention times on bitumen extraction efficiency on operating temperatures of 20, 35 and 50 degrees C. A Dean-Stark extraction apparatus was used to determine the amount of bitumen contained in the ore, froth, and in left-over tailings. Process water and release water chemistry were also monitored. Bitumen extraction efficiency was defined as the percentage of bitumen recovered in the resulting froth. Use of the slurries allowed high extraction efficiencies at a temperature of 35 degrees C. Energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions were also reduced. The study showed that both additions resulted in significant improvements in bitumen extraction efficiency. Use of the technique also eliminated the accumulation of Na{sup +} ions in produced water. It was concluded that further tests are needed in order to commercialize the CaO and O{sub 3} based techniques. 14 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

Nano-sized water-in-oil-in-water emulsion enhances intestinal absorption of calcein, a high solubility and low permeability compound.

Science.gov (United States)

Koga, Kenjiro; Takarada, Nobuo; Takada, Kanji

2010-02-01

Our goal was to develop safe and stable multilayer emulsions capable of enhancing intestinal absorption of biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class III drugs. First, w/o emulsions were prepared using calcein as a model BCS class III compound and condensed ricinoleic acid tetraglycerin ester as a hydrophobic emulsifier. Then water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsions were prepared with shirasu porous glass (SPG) membranes. Particle size analyses and calcein leakage from oil droplets in w/o/w emulsions led us to select stearic acid hexaglycerin esters (HS-11) and Gelucire 44/14 as hydrophilic emulsifiers. Analyses of the absorption-enhancing effects of w/o/w emulsions on intestinal calcein absorption in rats showed that calcein bioavailability after intraduodenal (i.d.) administration of HS-11 or Gelucire 44/14+polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) w/o/w emulsions prepared with 0.1-microm pore-sized SPGs was significantly higher than that of the calcein control. However, serum calcein concentration vs. time profiles after i.d. administration of w/o/w emulsions prepared with 1.1-microm and 30-microm pore-sized SPGs and an emulsion prepared with a calcein-containing outer water phase were comparable to control profiles. These results suggested that HS-11 or Gelucire 44/14+PVA are safe outer water phase additives and that 0.1-microm pore-sized SPGs are important for preparing w/o/w emulsions that enhanced intestinal calcein absorption. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Centrifugal Pump Effect on Average Particle Diameter of Oil-Water Emulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Morozova, A.; Eskin, A.

2017-11-01

In this paper we review the process of oil-water emulsion particles fragmentation in a turbulent flow created by a centrifugal pump. We examined the influence of time necessary for oil-water emulsion preparation on the particle size of oil products and the dependence of a centrifugal pump emulsifying capacity on the initial emulsion dispersion. The investigated emulsion contained the brand fuel oil M-100 and tap water; it was sprayed with a nozzle in a gas-water flare. After preparation of the emulsion, the centrifugal pump was turned on and the emulsion samples were taken before and after the pump passing in 15, 30 and 45 minutes of spraying. To determine the effect the centrifugal pump has on the dispersion of the oil-water emulsion, the mean particle diameter of the emulsion particles was determined by the optical and microscopic method before and after the pump passing. A dispersion analysis of the particles contained in the emulsion was carried out by a laser diffraction analyzer. By analyzing the pictures of the emulsion samples, it was determined that after the centrifugal pump operation a particle size of oil products decreases. This result is also confirmed by the distribution of the obtained analyzer where the content of fine particles with a diameter less than 10 μm increased from 12% to 23%. In case of increasing emulsion preparation time, a particle size of petroleum products also decreases.

Novel fabrication of a robust superhydrophobic PU@ZnO@Fe3O4@SA sponge and its application in oil-water separations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Viet-Ha Thi; Lee, Byeong-Kyu

2017-12-13

We report a novel superhydrophobic material based on commercially available polyurethane (PU) sponge with high porosity, low density and good elasticity. The fabrication of a superhydrophobic sponge capable of efficiently separating oil from water was achieved by imitating or mimicking nature's designs. The original PU sponge was coated with zinc oxide (ZnO), stearic acid (SA) and iron oxide particles (Fe 3 O 4 ) via a facile and environmentally friendly method. After each treatment, the properties of the modified sponge were characterized, and the changes in wettability were examined. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements confirmed the excellent superhydrophobicity of the material withhigh static WCA of 161° andlow dynamic WCA (sliding WCA of 7° and shedding WCA of 8°). The fabricated sponge showed high efficiency in separation (over 99%) of different oils from water. Additionally, the fabricated PU@ZnO@Fe 3 O 4 @SA sponge could be magnetically guided to quickly absorb oil floating on the water surface. Moreover, the fabricated sponge showed excellent stability and reusability in terms of superhydrophobicity and oil absorption capacity. The durable, magnetic and superhydrophobic properties of the fabricated sponge render it applicable to the cleanup of marine oil spills and other oil-water separation issues, with eco-friendly recovery of the oil by simple squeezing process.

Facile way in fabricating a cotton fabric membrane for switchable oil/water separation and water purification

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yubin; Feng, Ziliang; He, Yi; Fan, Yi; Ma, Jing; Yin, Xiangying

2018-05-01

With dopamine and NiFe2O4 particles, a novel modified cotton fabric (PDA-NiFe2O4@CF) was prepared by one-pot method. Surface morphology, composition of the PDA-NiFe2O4@CF were investigated with SEM, EDX, XRD and FT-IR, respectively. According to the results, the cotton fiber surface was well coated with NiFe2O4 particles. Subsequently, wetting behavior of the modified cotton fabric was determined. The PDA-NiFe2O4@CF is superamphiphilic in air, and a dual lyophobic behavior was indicated with an oil contact angle (OCA) of 153° under water and a water contact angle (WCA) of 145° under oil. The rough micro-nano scale surface structure and high-surface-energy compositions of the PDA-NiFe2O4@CF makes the surface to be easily covered by one medium and enables it to repel other unmixable medium simultaneously. Therefore, water-oil mixtures can be separated on demand. Besides, with the unusual dual lyophobic surface of PDA-NiFe2O4@CF, both two types of emulsions were separated by gravity driven. On the other hand, it was also found that the as-prepared PDA-NiFe2O4@CF had good adsorption performance for methylene blue.

Water Pollution, and Treatments Part III: Biodegradation of Oil in Refineries Waste Water and Oils Adsorbed in Agricultural Wastes by Selected Strains of Cyanobacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Emary, M.M.; Ali, N.A.; Naguib, M.M.

2011-01-01

The main objective of this study is to determine the biological degradation of oil hydrocarbons and sulfur compounds of Marine Balayim crude oil and its refined products by selected indigenous Cyanobacteria strains. The oils used were Marine Balayim crude oil, skimmed oil and some refined products such as gasoline, kerosene, gas oil, fuel oil and petroleum coke. The selected organisms in the current study are the Blue-Green Algae Cyanobacteria, Oscillatoria limentica. This organism was collected from the hyper saline environment of the solar lake in Taba, Sinai, Egypt. The results obtained revealed that the utilization of such strains can be used for the bioremediation of oily waste water.

Superoleophillic electrospun polystrene/exofoliated graphite fibre for selective removal of crude oil from water

Science.gov (United States)

Alayande, S. Oluwagbemiga; Dare, Enock O.; Olorundare, F. O. Grace; Nkosi, D.; Msagati, Titus A. M.; Mamba, B. B.

2016-04-01

During oil spills, the aquatic environment is greatly endangered because oil floats on water making the penetration of sunlight difficult therefore primary productivity is compromised, birds and aquatic organisms are totally eliminated within a short period. It is therefore essential to remove the oil from the water bodies after the spillage. This work reports on the fabrication of oil loving electrospun polystyrene-exofoliated graphite fibre with hydrophobic and oleophillic surface properties. The fibre was applied for the selective adsorption of crude oil from simulated crude oil spillage on water. The maximum oil adsorption capacity of the EPS/EG was 1.15 kg/g in 20 min while the lowest oil adsorption capacity was 0.81 kg/g in 10 min. Cheap oil adsorbent was developed with superoleophillic and superhydrophobic properties.

Viscosity of 'live' water-in-crude-oil emulsions. Experimental work and validation of correlations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnsen, Einar Eng [Statoil Research and Technology, R and D Center, Production Systems, Arkitekt Ebbellsvei 10, Rotvoll, N-7005 Trondheim (Norway); Roenningsen, Hans Petter [Statoil, Multiphase and Flow Assurance Department, N-4035 Stavanger (Norway)

2003-05-01

A method for measuring emulsion viscosity under pressurized (1-100 bar) and temperature-controlled flow conditions is described. It makes use of a flow simulator shaped as a hollow wheel. As the wheel is rotating, the liquid inside will have a relative motion in the opposite direction of the rotation. The torque acting on the wheel shaft is measured and transformed, via a calibration model, into the viscosity of the fluid. The method has been applied to water-in-oil emulsions with several live North Sea crude oils with saturation pressures up to 100 bar and water cuts in the range 0-90%. The method is shown to be a useful way of obtaining estimates of emulsion viscosity for live oil systems in a relatively small scale apparatus. Even though the crude oils studied were rather different and had very different viscosities, the relative viscosities as a function of water cut up to at least 60% showed small variation and might be represented by a general 'master curve'. The relative viscosities obtained experimentally have been compared to a temperature-dependent Richardson-type correlation [Roenningsen, H.P., 1995. Correlations for predicting viscosity of W/O-emulsions based on North Sea crude oils. Proc. SPE Int. Symp. Oil Field Chem., Houston, TX, USA, SPE 28968], and three other correlations proposed by Mooney [J. Colloid Sci. 6 (1951) 162], Pal and Rhodes [J. Rheol. 337 (1989) 1021] (P and R) and Pal [J. Colloid Interface Sci. 231 (2000) 168], respectively. Overall, when being tuned to measured data, the P and R correlation gives the best match, closely followed by the Mooney correlation, but for low and medium water cuts, the Roenningsen correlation is comparable. This correlation does not require any measurements for tuning. Although it may be slightly conservative at low to medium water cuts, and somewhat optimistic at very high water cuts, for practical purposes in design of flow lines, it provides a reasonably accurate first estimate of the effective

Gelation of Oil upon Contact with Water: A Bioinspired Scheme for the Self-Repair of Oil Leaks from Underwater Tubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Hyuntaek; Yaraghi, Nicholas; Raghavan, Srinivasa R

2015-05-19

Molecular organogelators convert oils into gels by forming self-assembled fibrous networks. Here, we demonstrate that such gelation can be activated by contacting the oil with an immiscible solvent (water). Our gelator is dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS), which forms a low-viscosity sol when added to toluene containing a small amount of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Upon contact with water, DMSO partitions into the water, activating gelation of DBS in the toluene. The gel grows from the oil/water interface and slowly envelops the oil phase. We have exploited this effect for the self-repair of oil leaks from underwater tubes. When a DBS/toluene/DMSO solution flows through the tube, it forms a gel selectively at the leak point, thereby plugging the leak and restoring flow. Our approach is reminiscent of wound-sealing via blood-clotting: there also, inactive gelators in blood are activated at the wound site into a fibrous network, thereby plugging the wound and restoring blood flow.

Environmental considerations in a high desert, crude oil pipeline spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowe, M.A.; Mancini, E.R.; Chamberlain, D.W.; Albright, G.R.

1993-01-01

A road grader punctured a high-pressure crude oil pipeline in the California high desert resulting in the release of approximately 4,200 barrels of Alaska North Slope crude oil. Oil sprayed over a steeply sloped hillside and flowed into an adjacent, densely vegetated ephemeral stream channel which carried secondary treatment sewage discharge. Three underflow dams were constructed in the channel within 2.8 km of the site. To ensure containment at the first dam, the sewage discharge was diverted from the channel, eventually to an upland impulse sprinkler irrigation system. Channel water and phase-separated ANS crude oil, impounded behind the first dam, percolated through alluvial sands/gravels to a depth of about five meters. The oil percolated through the soils on the receding surface of the water, affecting soils to an equivalent depth and saturating a horizontally narrow band of stream-bank soils as much as two to four meters into the bank. Stream channel undergrowth and a small number of mature trees were cleared to provide access for cleanup and/or to remove oiled plants. A large number of trees experienced partial leaf-drop within 25 days of the spill while two heavily oiled trees died. New vegetative growth was evident within five weeks of the spill. Site restoration included planting cuttings of five riparian tree species and hydroseeding exposed banks. Total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations ranged from not detectable to 203,000 parts per million and averaged approximately 25,000 ppm in affected soils as sampled in place and in stockpiles. Approximately 30,000 tons of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil was excavated from the length of the stream channel (3,600 tons) as well as the area behind the first dam and spill site (26,400 tons). All soils were staged on site for waste profiling and final disposition. After treatment, the contaminated soil was beneficially reused as daily cover at a southern California landfill at a turnkey cost of approximately $57/ton

Dynamic Oil-in-Water Concentration Acquisition on a Pilot-Scaled Offshore Water-Oil Separation Facility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petar Durdevic

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article is a feasibility study on using fluorescence-based oil-in-water (OiW monitors for on-line dynamic efficiency measurement of a deoiling hydrocyclone. Dynamic measurements are crucial in the design and validation of dynamic models of the hydrocyclones, and to our knowledge, no dynamic OiW analysis of hydrocyclones has been carried out. Previous studies have extensively studied the steady state efficiency perspective of hydrocyclones, and have related them to different key parameters, such as the pressure drop ratio (PDR, inlet flow rate, and the flow-spilt. Through our study, we were able to measure the dynamics of the hydrocyclone’s efficiency ( ϵ response to step changes in the inlet flow rate with high accuracy. This is a breakthrough in the modelling, control, and monitoring of hydrocyclones.

Ceramic pore channels with inducted carbon nanotubes for removing oil from water.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xinwei; Hong, Liang; Xu, Yanfang; Ong, Zheng Wei

2012-04-01

Water contaminated with tiny oil emulsions is costly and difficult to treat because of the colloidal stability and deformable nature of emulsified oil. This work utilizes carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in macro/mesopore channels of ceramic membrane to remove tiny oil droplets from water. The CNTs were implanted into the porous ceramic channels by means of chemical vapor deposition. Being hydrophobic in nature and possessing an interfacial curvature at nanoscale, CNTs enabled tiny oil emulsion in submicrometer and nano scales to be entrapped while permeating through the CNTs implanted pore channels. Optimizing the growth condition of the CNTs resulted in a uniform distribution of CNT grids, which allowed the development of lipophilic layers during filtration. These lipo-layers drastically enhanced the separation performance. The filtration capability of CNT-ceramic membrane was assessed by the purification of a dilute oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion containing ca. 210 ppm mineral oil 1600 ppm emulsifier, and a trace amount of dye, a proxy polluted water source. The best CNT-tailored ceramic membrane, prepared under the optimized CNT growth condition, claimed 100% oil rejection rate and a permeation flux of 0.6 L m(-2) min(-1), driven by a pressure drop of ca. 1 bar for 3 days on the basis of UV measurement. The CNT-sustained adsorption complements the size-exclusion mechanism in removing soluble oil.

Low cost and conformal microwave water-cut sensor for optimizing oil production process

KAUST Repository

Karimi, Muhammad Akram

2015-08-01

Efficient oil production and refining processes require the precise measurement of water content in oil (i.e., water-cut) which is extracted out of a production well as a byproduct. Traditional water-cut (WC) laboratory measurements are precise, but are incapable of providing real-time information, while recently reported in-line WC sensors (both in research and industry) are usually incapable of sensing the full WC range (0 – 100 %), are bulky, expensive and non-scalable for the variety of pipe sizes used in the oil industry. This work presents a novel implementation of a planar microwave T-resonator for fully non-intrusive in situ WC sensing over the full range of operation, i.e., 0 – 100 %. As opposed to non-planar resonators, the choice of a planar resonator has enabled its direct implementation on the pipe surface using low cost fabrication methods. WC sensors make use of series resonance introduced by a λ/4 open shunt stub placed in the middle of a microstrip line. The detection mechanism is based on the measurement of the T-resonator’s resonance frequency, which varies with the relative percentage of oil and water (due to the difference in their dielectric properties). In order to implement the planar T-resonator based sensor on the curved surface of the pipe, a novel approach of utilizing two ground planes is proposed in this work. The innovative use of dual ground planes makes this sensor scalable to a wide range of pipe sizes present in the oil industry. The design and optimization of this sensor was performed in an electromagnetic Finite Element Method (FEM) solver, i.e., High Frequency Structural Simulator (HFSS) and the dielectric properties of oil, water and their emulsions of different WCs used in the simulation model were measured using a SPEAG-dielectric assessment kit (DAK-12). The simulation results were validated through characterization of fabricated prototypes. Initial rapid prototyping was completed using copper tape, after which a

Multivariate recurrence network analysis for characterizing horizontal oil-water two-phase flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Zhong-Ke; Zhang, Xin-Wang; Jin, Ning-De; Marwan, Norbert; Kurths, Jürgen

2013-09-01

Characterizing complex patterns arising from horizontal oil-water two-phase flows is a contemporary and challenging problem of paramount importance. We design a new multisector conductance sensor and systematically carry out horizontal oil-water two-phase flow experiments for measuring multivariate signals of different flow patterns. We then infer multivariate recurrence networks from these experimental data and investigate local cross-network properties for each constructed network. Our results demonstrate that a cross-clustering coefficient from a multivariate recurrence network is very sensitive to transitions among different flow patterns and recovers quantitative insights into the flow behavior underlying horizontal oil-water flows. These properties render multivariate recurrence networks particularly powerful for investigating a horizontal oil-water two-phase flow system and its complex interacting components from a network perspective.

Essentials of water systems design in the oil, gas, and chemical processing industries

CERN Document Server

Bahadori, Alireza; Boyd, Bill

2013-01-01

Essentials of Water Systems Design in the Oil, Gas and Chemical Processing Industries provides valuable insight for decision makers by outlining key technical considerations and requirements of four critical systems in industrial processing plants—water treatment systems, raw water and plant water systems, cooling water distribution and return systems, and fire water distribution and storage facilities. The authors identify the key technical issues and minimum requirements related to the process design and selection of various water supply systems used in the oil, gas, and chemical processing industries. This book is an ideal, multidisciplinary work for mechanical engineers, environmental scientists, and oil and gas process engineers.

Spreading of oil from protein stabilised emulsions at air/water interfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schokker, E.P.; Bos, M.A.; Kuijpers, A.J.; Wijnen, M.E.; Walstra, P.

2002-01-01

Spreading of a drop of an emulsion made with milk proteins on air/water interfaces was studied. From an unheated emulsion, all oil molecules could spread onto the air/water interface, indicating that the protein layers around the oil globules in the emulsion droplet were not coherent enough to

Water Pollution and Treatments Part II: Utilization of Agricultural Wastes to Remove Petroleum Oils From Refineries Pollutants Present in Waste Water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, N.A.; El-Emary, M.M.

2011-01-01

Several natural agricultural wastes, of lignocellulose nature, such as Nile flower plant (ward El-Nil), milled green leaves, sugar cane wastes, palm tree leaves (carina), milled cotton stems, milled linseed stems, fine sawdust, coarse sawdust and palm tree cover were dried and then crushed to suitable size to be evaluated and utilized as adsorbents to remove oils floating or suspended in the waste water effluents from refineries and petroleum installations. The parameters investigated include effect of adsorbent type (adsorptive efficiency), adsorbate (type and concentration), mixing time, salinity of the water, adsorbent ratio to treated water, temperature, ph and stirring. Two different Egyptian crude oils varying in their properties and several refined products such as gasoline, kerosene, gas oil, diesel oil, fuel oil and lubricating oil were employed in this work in addition to the skimmed oil from the skim basin separator. Most of the agricultural wastes proved to be very effective in adsorbing oils from waste water effluents.

Design and numerical simulation on an auto-cumulative flowmeter in horizontal oil-water two-phase flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Beibei; Kong, Lingfu; Kong, Deming; Kong, Weihang; Li, Lei; Liu, Xingbin; Chen, Jiliang

2017-11-01

In order to accurately measure the flow rate under the low yield horizontal well conditions, an auto-cumulative flowmeter (ACF) was proposed. Using the proposed flowmeter, the oil flow rate in horizontal oil-water two-phase segregated flow can be finely extracted. The computational fluid dynamics software Fluent was used to simulate the fluid of the ACF in oil-water two-phase flow. In order to calibrate the simulation measurement of the ACF, a novel oil flow rate measurement method was further proposed. The models of the ACF were simulated to obtain and calibrate the oil flow rate under different total flow rates and oil cuts. Using the finite-element method, the structure of the seven conductance probes in the ACF was simulated. The response values for the probes of the ACF under the conditions of oil-water segregated flow were obtained. The experiments for oil-water segregated flow under different heights of the oil accumulation in horizontal oil-water two-phase flow were carried out to calibrate the ACF. The validity of the oil flow rate measurement in horizontal oil-water two-phase flow was verified by simulation and experimental results.

Improving Oil Recovery (IOR) with Polymer Flooding in a Heavy-Oil River-Channel Sandstone Reservoir

OpenAIRE

Lu, Hongjiang

2009-01-01

Most of the old oil fields in China have reached high water cut stage, in order to meet the booming energy demanding, oil production rate must be kept in the near future with corresponding IOR (Improving Oil Recovery) methods. Z106 oilfield lies in Shengli Oilfields Area at the Yellow River delta. It was put into development in 1988. Since the oil belongs to heavy oil, the oil-water mobility ratio is so unfavourable that water cut increases very quickly. Especially for reservoir Ng21, the san...

Low cost and conformal microwave water-cut sensor for optimizing oil production process

KAUST Repository

Karimi, Muhammad Akram

2015-01-01

Efficient oil production and refining processes require the precise measurement of water content in oil (i.e., water-cut) which is extracted out of a production well as a byproduct. Traditional water-cut (WC) laboratory measurements are precise

Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Superhydrophobic Surfaces on Steel Substrate: Fabrication, Reversibly Extreme Wettability and Oil-Water Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Xiaojing; Li, Hongqiang; Lai, Xuejun; Zhang, Lin; Liang, Tao; Feng, Yuchun; Zeng, Xingrong

2017-01-25

Functional surfaces for reversibly switchable wettability and oil-water separation have attracted much interest with pushing forward an immense influence on fundamental research and industrial application in recent years. This article proposed a facile method to fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces on steel substrates via electroless replacement deposition of copper sulfate (CuSO 4 ) and UV curing of vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). PDMS-based superhydrophobic surfaces exhibited water contact angle (WCA) close to 160° and water sliding angle (WSA) lower than 5°, preserving outstanding chemical stability that maintained superhydrophobicity immersing in different aqueous solutions with pH values from 1 to 13 for 12 h. Interestingly, the superhydrophobic surface could dramatically switch to the superhydrophilic state under UV irradiation and then gradually recover to the highly hydrophobic state with WCA at 140° after dark storage. The underlying mechanism was also investigated by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Additionally, the PDMS-based steel mesh possessed high separation efficiency and excellent reusability in oil-water separation. Our studies provide a simple, fast, and economical fabrication method for wettability-transformable superhydrophobic surfaces and have the potential applications in microfluidics, the biomedical field, and oil spill cleanup.

Risk Associated With The Decompression Of High Pressure High Temperature Fluids - Study On Black Oil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Figueroa, D. C.; Fosbøl, P. L.; Thomsen, K.

2015-01-01

Fluids produced from deep underground reservoirs may result in exponential increase in temperature. It is a consequence of adiabatic fluid decompression from the inverse Joule Thomson Effect (JTE). The phenomenon requires analysis in order to avoid any operational risks. This study evaluates...... the JTE upon decompression of black oil in high pressure-high temperature reservoirs. Also the effect caused by the presence of water and brine on the black oil is studied. The final temperature is calculated from the corresponding energy balance at isenthalpic and non-isenthalpic conditions. It is found...... that the final temperature of black oil increases upon adiabatic decompression. In the case of the isenthalpic process at initial conditions of the reservoir, e.g. 150°C and 1000 bars, it is found that the final temperature can increase to 173.7°C. At non-isenthalpic conditions the final temperature increases...

Monitoring, characterization and comparison. Operation-project of oil and oil water systems in platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

P Junior, Oswaldo A.; Louvisse, Ana M.T.; Ramalho, Joao B.V.S.; Miragaya, Jose C.G.

2000-01-01

During the process of petroleum production, water are also commonly produced. Usually, a standard oil-water separation process will not lead to water phase ready to be discharged - the present legislation requires oily contents (oil and/or greases) bellow 20 mg/L concentration level value. Thus, secondary treatment is required to bring such oily concentration to the allowed level or lower, prior to the water discard in the environment. This paper describes the adopted systematic work in the Campos Basin Petroleum Production Platforms, which has allowed to evaluate and optimize the water treatment performed in there. Such description includes the typical water treatment systems installed, the typical physical-chemistry of the effluents and also presents comparisons between the basic designs that guided such systems construction and their present operational conditions and set-ups. The analysis of such results has allowed the introduction of minor modifications leading to the process optimization. The common use of Pilot Plants in such optimization process is also described and their contribution reported. (author)

An Experimental Study of Oil / Water Flow in Horizontal Pipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elseth, Geir

2001-07-01

The purpose of this thesis is to study the behaviour of the simultaneous flow of oil and water in horizontal pipes. In this connection, two test facilities are used. Both facilities have horizontal test sections with inner pipe diameters equal to 2 inches. The largest facility, called the model oil facility, has reservoirs of 1 m{sub 3} of each medium enabling flow rates as high as 30 m{sub 3}/h, which corresponds to mixture velocities as high as 3.35 m/s. The flow rates of oil and water can be varied individually producing different flow patterns according to variations in mixture velocity and input water cut. Two main classes of flows are seen, stratified and dispersed. In this facility, the main focus has been on stratified flows. Pressure drops and local phase fractions are measured for a large number of flow conditions. Among the instruments used are differential pressure transmitters and a traversing gamma densitometer, respectively. The flow patterns that appear are classified in flow pattern maps as functions of either mixture velocity and water cut or superficial velocities. From these experiments a smaller number of stratified flows are selected for studies of velocity and turbulence. A laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) is applied for these measurements in a transparent part of the test section. To be able to produce accurate measurements a partial refractive index matching procedure is used. The other facility, called the matched refractive index facility, has a 0.2 m{sub 3} reservoir enabling mainly dispersed flows. Mixture velocities range from 0.75 m/s to 3 m/s. The fluids in this facility are carefully selected to match the refractive index of the transparent part of the test section. A full refractive index matching procedure is carried out producing excellent optical conditions for velocity and turbulence studies by LDA. In addition, pressure drops and local phase fractions are measured. (author)

GIS-and Web-based Water Resource Geospatial Infrastructure for Oil Shale Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Wei [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Minnick, Matthew [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Geza, Mengistu [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Murray, Kyle [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Mattson, Earl [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

2012-09-30

The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) was awarded a grant by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a research project en- titled GIS- and Web-based Water Resource Geospatial Infrastructure for Oil Shale Development in October of 2008. The ultimate goal of this research project is to develop a water resource geo-spatial infrastructure that serves as “baseline data” for creating solutions on water resource management and for supporting decisions making on oil shale resource development. The project came to the end on September 30, 2012. This final project report will report the key findings from the project activity, major accomplishments, and expected impacts of the research. At meantime, the gamma version (also known as Version 4.0) of the geodatabase as well as other various deliverables stored on digital storage media will be send to the program manager at NETL, DOE via express mail. The key findings from the project activity include the quantitative spatial and temporal distribution of the water resource throughout the Piceance Basin, water consumption with respect to oil shale production, and data gaps identified. Major accomplishments of this project include the creation of a relational geodatabase, automated data processing scripts (Matlab) for database link with surface water and geological model, ArcGIS Model for hydrogeologic data processing for groundwater model input, a 3D geological model, surface water/groundwater models, energy resource development systems model, as well as a web-based geo-spatial infrastructure for data exploration, visualization and dissemination. This research will have broad impacts of the devel- opment of the oil shale resources in the US. The geodatabase provides a “baseline” data for fur- ther study of the oil shale development and identification of further data collection needs. The 3D geological model provides better understanding through data interpolation and

Smart candle soot coated membranes for on-demand immiscible oil/water mixture and emulsion switchable separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jian; Zhao, Zhihong; Li, Dianming; Tian, Haifeng; Zha, Fei; Feng, Hua; Guo, Lin

2017-09-21

Oil/water separation is of great importance for the treatment of oily wastewater, including immiscible light/heavy oil-water mixtures, oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsions. Smart surfaces with responsive wettability have received extensive attention especially for controllable oil/water separation. However, traditional smart membranes with a switchable wettability between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity are limited to certain responsive materials and continuous external stimuli, such as pH, electrical field or light irradiation. Herein, a candle soot coated mesh (CSM) with a larger pore size and a candle soot coated PVDF membrane (CSP) with a smaller pore size with underwater superoleophobicity and underoil superhydrophobicity were successfully fabricated, which can be used for on-demand immiscible oil/water mixtures and surfactants-stabilized oil/water emulsion separation, respectively. Without any continuous external stimulus, the wettability of our membranes could be reversibly switched between underwater superoleophobicity and underoil superhydrophobicity simply by drying and washing alternately, thus achieving effective and switchable oil/water separation with excellent separation efficiency. We believe that such smart materials will be promising candidates for use in the removal of oil pollutants in the future.

Histograms showing variations in oil yield, water yield, and specific gravity of oil from Fischer assay analyses of oil-shale drill cores and cuttings from the Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Dietrich, John D.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Johnson, Ronald C.; Mercier, Tracey J.

2014-01-01

Recent studies indicate that the Piceance Basin in northwestern Colorado contains over 1.5 trillion barrels of oil in place, making the basin the largest known oil-shale deposit in the world. Previously published histograms display oil-yield variations with depth and widely correlate rich and lean oil-shale beds and zones throughout the basin. Histograms in this report display oil-yield data plotted alongside either water-yield or oil specific-gravity data. Fischer assay analyses of core and cutting samples collected from exploration drill holes penetrating the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin can aid in determining the origins of those deposits, as well as estimating the amount of organic matter, halite, nahcolite, and water-bearing minerals. This report focuses only on the oil yield plotted against water yield and oil specific gravity.

Reception and treatment facilities for waste oils and oil-polluted waters from marine and industrial activities in Gothenburg, Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, K.; Lexen, S.I.; Hell, M.

1992-01-01

At the beginning of the 1980s, comprehensive solutions were found to problems associated with the handling of oil-polluted water from marine and industrial sources in the Gothenburg area. The treatment plant in the oil harbour has permission to treat 700,000 m 3 /yr of sludge, ballast, slops and other oil-contaminated waters. Following treatment by chemical flocculation, flotation and dual-media filtration, the treated water must not contain more than 5 ppm of oil. Work to improve treatment results has been carried out from the start, in close co-operation with environmental authorities and with the waste generators themselves. Through increased consciousness, improvements in control, and greater source separation, it will be possible to bring about a significantly lower concentration of pollutants in the incoming waste streams. Recent plans include separate treatment of waste streams containing aromatic compounds and heavily polluted waters. Complementary treatment methods, such as activated carbon and air stripping, are under evaluation. (author). 10 figs

Application of naturally occurring isotopes and artificial radioactive tracer for monitoring water flooding in oil field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M.; Khan, I.H.; Farooq, M.; Tasneem, M.A.; Rafiq, M.; Din, U.G.; Gul, S.

2002-03-01

Water flooding is an important operation to enhance oil recovery. Water is injected in the oil formation under high pressure through an injection well. Movement of the injected water is needed to be traced to test the performance of water flood, investigate unexpected anomalies in flow and verify suspected geological barriers or flow channels, etc. In the present study environmental isotopes and artificial radiotracer (tritium) were used at Fimkassar Oil Field of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) where water flooding was started in March 1996 in Sakessar formation to maintain its pressure and enhance the oil recovery. Environmental isotopes: /sup 18/O, /sup 2/H and /sup 3/H, and chloride contents were used to determine the breakthrough/transit time and contribution of fresh injected water. Water samples were collected from the injection well, production well and some other fields for reference indices of Sakessar Formation during June 1998 to August 1999. These samples were analyzed for the /sup 18/O, /sup 2/H and /sup 3/H, and chloride contents. Results show that the water of production well is mixture of fresh water and formation water. The fresh water contribution varied from 67% to 80%, while remaining component was the old recharged formation water. This percentage did not change significantly from the time of break-through till the last sampling which indicates good mixing in the reservoir and absence of any quick channel. The initial breakthrough time was 27 months as the fresh water contributed significantly in the first appearance of water in the production well in June 1998. Tritium tracer, which was injected in November 1998, appeared in the production well after 8 months. It show that breakthrough time decreased with the passage of time. /sup 14/C of inorganic carbon in the water in Chorgali and Sakessar Formations was also analyzed which indicates that the water is at least few thousand years old. (author)

The Janus effect on superhydrophilic Cu mesh decorated with Ni-NiO/Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanoparticles for oil/water separation

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Zhi-Yong; Lyu, Shu-Shen; Fu, Yuan-Xiang; Heng, Yi; Mo, Dong-Chuan

2017-07-01

Janus effect has been studied for emerging materials like Janus membranes, Janus nanoparticles, etc., and the applications including fog collection, oil/water separation, CO2 removal and stabilization of multiphasic mixtures. However, the Janus effect on oil/water separation is still unclear. Herein, Janus Cu mesh decorated with Ni-NiO/Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanoparticles is synthesized via selective electrodeposition, in which we keep one side of Cu mesh (Janus A) to be superhydrophilic, while manipulate the wettability of another side (Janus B) from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic. Experimental results indicate that Cu mesh with both-side superhydrophilic shows the superior oil/water separation performance (separation efficiency >99.5%), which is mainly due to its higher water capture percentage as well as larger oil intrusion pressure. Further, we demonstrate the orientation of Janus membranes for oil/water separation, and summarize that the wettability of the upper surface plays a more important role than the lower surface to achieve remarkable performance. Our work provides a clear insight of Janus effect on oil/water separation, it is significative to design high-performance membranes for oil/water separation and many other applications.

Preliminary Study of Water Repellent Properties of Red Pepper Seed Oil

Science.gov (United States)

Kurniawan, F.; Madurani, K. A.; Wahyulis, N. C.

2017-03-01

The water-repellent properties of red pepper seed oil (capsicol) have been studied. The oil was coated on the glass surface by spray technique. Water repellent properties were performed by measuring the contact angle of water droplets. The measurement was conducted by varying the drying time of the oil coating at room temperature. The optimum contact angle of the droplets on the glass with capsicol coating is 46.77°, which can be achieved in 30 min of drying time. It also obtained the smallest diameter of the droplets (0.47 cm). The longer drying time decrease the contact angles and increases the diameter. The results were compared with the bare glass and commercial water repellent. The contact angle of the droplets on the glass surface with capsicol coating is higher than bare glass, but lower than glass with commercial water repellent coating. It means that capsicol has the water-repellent properties.

Porous ceramic membrane with superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surface for reclaiming oil from oily water

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Changhong; Xu, Youqian; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Yang; Li, Jun

2012-01-01

A porous ceramic tube with superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surface was fabricated by sol-gel and then surface modification with polyurethane-polydimethysiloxane, and an oil-water separator based on the porous ceramic tube was erected to characterize superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surface's separation efficiency and velocity when being used to reclaim oil from oily water and complex oily water containing clay particle. The separator is fit for reclaiming oil from oily water.

Fluid diversion in oil recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nimir, Hassan B.

1999-01-01

In any oil recovery process, large scale heterogeneities, such as fractures, channels, or high-permeability streaks, can cause early break through of injected fluid which will reduce oil recovery efficiency. In waterflooding, enhanced oil recovery, and acidizing operations, this problem is particularly acute because of the cost of the injected fluid. On the other hand coping with excess water production is always a challenging task for field operators. The cost of handling and disposing produced water can significantly shorten the economic production life of an oil well. The hydrostatic pressure created by high fluid levels in a well (water coning) is also detrimental to oil production. In this paper, the concept of fluid diversion is explained. Different methods that are suggested to divert the fluid into the oil-bearing-zones are briefly discussed, to show their advantages and disadvantages. Methods of reducing water production in production well are also discussed. (Author)

Complex of spectral techniques for remote monitoring of oil spills on water surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patsayeva, S.; Yuzhakov, V.; Barbini, R.; Fantini, R.; Frassanito, C.; Palucci, A.; Varlamov, V.

1999-01-01

Spectral properties of oil films on water surfaces were studied under laboratory conditions. A laser fluorosensor was used to measure fluorescence response; fluorescence decay measurements were also performed. Differences in decay time were noted for different mineral oils (ranging from 1 ns to 3.5 ns) and for refined oils (which ranged from 3.5 ns to 8 ns). Film thickness was estimated by calculating the wavelength -dependent absorption of the mineral oil. This new approach is independent of many accidental factors, and does not demand the a priori measured signal from clean water which is required by the more conventional method of suppression of the water Raman integral signal. These experiments confirmed the suitability of fluorescent spectroscopy as a very sensitive tool for oil detection and mapping, however, when applied to quantitative measurement or oil recognition in remote sensing, care must be taken to account for the factors influencing fluorescence response of mineral oil. It was also shown that fluorescence decay time is a useful technique to characterize the type of mineral oil spilled on water surface in that it provides a means to distinguish between the various types, using time-resolved spectra. 12 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

Presentations of the CONRAD Research Symposium : oil sands water usage workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This symposium provided a forum to exchange ideas regarding water use by the oil sands industry in Canada. The topics of discussion addressed timely issues such as corrosion control in pipelines, cumulative discharge modelling in the oil sands area, waste management schemes, the effects of potential limits on water withdrawal for thermal recovery operations and plant operations, the feasibility of geological sequestration of salts, and the impact of process-affected water on bitumen recovery. Other topics of discussion included tailings ponds management, deoxygenation of water, nanofiltration for water management, water quality for wetlands, water reuse, and water supply security. The conference featured 25 presentations, of which 17 have been indexed separately for inclusion in this database. tabs., figs

Physicochemical properties of peanut oil-based diacylglycerol and their derived oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by sodium caseinate.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Zhao; Zhao, Mouming; Liu, Ning; Liu, Daolin; Sun-Waterhouse, Dongxiao; Zhao, Qiangzhong

2015-10-01

High purity peanut oil-based diacylglycerol (PO-DAG) (94.95 wt%) was prepared via enzymatic glycerolysis from peanut oil (PO). The resulting dominance of DAGs was proven to greatly influence the properties of corresponding fresh or frozen-thawed emulsions. Stable fresh oil-in-water emulsions were produced using either PO-DAG or PO, with stability enhanced by increased concentrations of Na-CN. The lower equilibrium interfacial tension along with greater negative ζ-potential of PO revealed that Na-CN was preferentially adsorbed to the PO interface. Adding 0.05 mol/L NaCl to the PO emulsions minimized depletion flocculation caused by the unadsorbed Na-CN, but further NaCl addition increased oil droplet size and concomitant coalescence. For the PO-DAG emulsions, adding 0.2 mol/L NaCl did not significantly (p>0.05) affect their ζ-potential but adding 0.05 or 0.1 mol/L NaCl lowered ζ-potential, although NaCl at these concentrations increased oil droplet size and coalescence. Freezing-thawing process considerably weakened the stability of PO-DAG emulsions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic bias in the measurement of water in oils by tubular oven evaporation and azeotropic distillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Margolis, S A; Mele, T

2001-10-15

Water in oil has been measured by tubular oven evaporation and by azeotropic distillation into a coulometric moisture analyzer. The results of these measurements were compared to the results obtained by volumetric titration of water in oil. The volumetric measurements were consistently higher than the measurements made by tubular oven evaporation or azeotropic distillation. A mass balance study was performed by volumetric Karl Fischer titration of the water in the oil that remained in the tubular oven and in the distillation apparatus. This study indicated that measurable amounts of water were not removed after exhaustive evaporation or distillation. The sum of the water removed by distillation from toluene and that remaining in the distillation chamber was equal to the amount of water measured in the oil by the volumetric method. The data are consistent with the existence of an oil-water azeotrope that does not release water upon evaporation at 160 degrees C or upon dissolution in toluene and distillation of the water-toluene azeotrope. These results were obtained for oils varying in viscosity from 8 to 850 m2/s, and the amount of water remaining associated with the oil appears to be dependent upon the composition of the oil and the method of analysis.

Influence of Oil Viscosity on Alkaline Flooding for Enhanced Heavy Oil Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Du

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Oil viscosity was studied as an important factor for alkaline flooding based on the mechanism of “water drops” flow. Alkaline flooding for two oil samples with different viscosities but similar acid numbers was compared. Besides, series flooding tests for the same oil sample were conducted at different temperatures and permeabilities. The results of flooding tests indicated that a high tertiary oil recovery could be achieved only in the low-permeability (approximately 500 mD sandpacks for the low-viscosity heavy oil (Zhuangxi, 390 mPa·s; however, the high-viscosity heavy oil (Chenzhuang, 3450 mPa·s performed well in both the low- and medium-permeability (approximately 1000 mD sandpacks. In addition, the results of flooding tests for the same oil at different temperatures also indicated that the oil viscosity put a similar effect on alkaline flooding. Therefore, oil with a high-viscosity is favorable for alkaline flooding. The microscopic flooding test indicated that the water drops produced during alkaline flooding for oils with different viscosities differed significantly in their sizes, which might influence the flow behaviors and therefore the sweep efficiencies of alkaline fluids. This study provides an evidence for the feasibility of the development of high-viscosity heavy oil using alkaline flooding.

System to take up oil suspended in water. System zur Aufnahme von Wasser schwimmendem Oel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skowronek, A; Hahnefeld, J

1981-03-19

This sytem for taking up oil suspended in water has the advantage that the material required can be jettisoned by aircraft in areas affected by an oil catastrophy. Two hoses about 100 metres distant from one another pull a plastic cover made of Perlon through the water. The upper edge of the cover widens into hose-like air containers, in order to keep the cover sufficiently above the water. The lower edge is loaded with quartz sand, in order to keep the cover vertical in the water. A connecting piece guides the oil into a connected plastic pontoon. There are two ships engines mounted in the front third of the connecting piece, which pump the oil into the first pontoon, which acts as storage container. Two dewatering valves are situated in it, which will separate the oil from the water. After passing through this pontoon, the oil reaches a second, much larger plastic pontoon, which acts as the collector for pure oil.

Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, consumptive water use and levelized costs of unconventional oil in North America

Science.gov (United States)

Mangmeechai, Aweewan

Conventional petroleum production in many countries that supply U.S. crude oil as well as domestic production has declined in recent years. Along with instability in the world oil market, this has stimulated the discussion of developing unconventional oil production, e.g., oil sands and oil shale. Expanding the U.S. energy mix to include oil sands and oil shale may be an important component in diversifying and securing the U.S. energy supply. At the same time, life cycle GHG emissions of these energy sources and consumptive water use are a concern. In this study, consumptive water use includes not only fresh water use but entire consumptive use including brackish water and seawater. The goal of this study is to determine the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and consumptive water use of synthetic crude oil (SCO) derived from Canadian oil sands and U.S. oil shale to be compared with U.S. domestic crude oil, U.S. imported crude oil, and coal-to-liquid (CTL). Levelized costs of SCO derived from Canadian oil sands and U.S. oil shale were also estimated. The results of this study suggest that CTL with no carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and current electricity grid mix is the worst while crude oil imported from United Kingdom is the best in GHG emissions. The life cycle GHG emissions of oil shale surface mining, oil shale in-situ process, oil sands surface mining, and oil sands in-situ process are 43% to 62%, 13% to 32%, 5% to 22%, and 11% to 13% higher than those of U.S. domestic crude oil. Oil shale in-situ process has the largest consumptive water use among alternative fuels, evaluated due to consumptive water use in electricity generation. Life cycle consumptive water use of oil sands in-situ process is the lowest. Specifically, fresh water consumption in the production processes is the most concern given its scarcity. However, disaggregated data on fresh water consumption in the total water consumption of each fuel production process is not available

Treatment of oil pollution on water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haywood, K.H.; Haywood, P.C.; Haywood, K.S.

1991-01-01

Oil or other polluting material on or near the surface of a body of water is treated by a device comprising a tube having a slot through which fluid within the tube emerges. A cover directs the emerging fluid over the curved outer surface of the tube. The fluid may be water or a mixture of water and a dispersant. The device may be provided with fins. Some or all of the treated water may be collected in a tank and some or all may be returned to the sea. The device may be rendered buoyant by a pair of floats or may be part of a larger sea-going vessel. (Author)

Process water treatment in Canada's oil sands industry : 1 : target pollutants and treatment objectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, E.W.

2008-01-01

The continuous recycling of tailings pond water in the oil sands industry has contributed to an overall decline in water quality used for bitumen recovery, general water consumption, and remedial activities. This paper reviewed process water quality and toxicity data from 2 long-term oil sands operations. The aim of the study was to determine potential roles for water treatment and provide benchmarks for the selection of candidate water treatment technologies in the oil sands region of Alberta. An overview of the oil sands industry was provided as well as details of bitumen recovery processes. The study examined target pollutants and exceedances identified in environmental and industrial water quality guidelines. The study demonstrated that the salinity of tailings pond water increased at a rate of 75 mg per litre per year between 1980 and 2001. Increases in hardness, chloride, ammonia, and sulphates were also noted. Naphthenic acids released during bitumen extraction activities were determined as the primary cause of tailings pond water toxicity. A summary of recent studies on experimental reclamation ponds and treatment wetlands in the oil sands region was included. 19 refs., 4 tabs., 11 figs

Applying CFD in the Analysis of Heavy Oil/Water Separation Process via Hydrocyclone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Angelim

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years most of the oil reserves discovered has been related to heavy oil reservoirs whose reserves are abundant but still show operational difficulties. This fact provoked great interest of the petroleum companies in developing new technologies for increasing the heavy oil production. Produced water generation, effluent recovered from the production wells together with oil and natural gas, is among the greatest potential factors for environmental degradation. Thus, a new scenario of the oil industry appears requiring improvement in treatment units for produced water. Among the technological improvements in the facilities, the use of hydrocyclones has been applied in the treatment of the oily water. In this sense, this study aims to investigate numerically the separation process of heavy oil from a water stream via hydrocyclone, using the computational fluid dynamics technique. In the mathematical modeling was considered a two-phase, three-dimensional, stationary, isothermal and turbulent flow. Results of streamlines, pressure and volume fraction fields of the involved phases (oil and water into the hydrocyclone, and mechanical efficiency and pumping power of the fluids are shown and analyzed. In conclusion, it seems that with increasing fluid input velocity in the device there is an increase in pressure drop, indicating a greater pumping energy consumption of the mixture, and greatly influences the separation process efficiency.

Results of experimental investigations on the heat conductivity of nanofluids based on diathermic oil for high temperature applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colangelo, Gianpiero; Favale, Ernani; Risi, Arturo de; Laforgia, Domenico

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► This work reports experimental results for nanofluids using diathermic oil as base fluid. ► Nanofluids with CuO, Al 2 O 3 , ZnO and Cu, with different shapes and concentrations have been tested. ► Thermal conductivity enhancement of nanofluids with diathermic oil is higher than those with demineralized water. ► Better results were obtained with ZnO, for nanofluids with metal oxide nanoparticles. -- Abstract: The work reported in this paper shows the experimental results from a study on diathermic oil based nanofluids. Diathermic oil finds application in renewable energy, cogeneration and cooling systems. For example, it is used in solar thermodynamic or biomass plants, where high efficiency, compact volumes and high energy fluxes are required. Besides diathermic oil is very important in those applications where high temperatures are reached or where the use of water or vapor is not suitable. Therefore an improvement of diathermic oil thermo-physical properties, by using of nanoparticles, can increase the performance of the systems. In literature there are not many experimental data on diathermic oil based nanofluids because many experimental campaigns are focused on water nanofluids. Samples of nanofluids, with nanoparticles of CuO, Al 2 O 3 , ZnO and Cu, having different shapes and concentrations varying from 0.0% up to 3.0%, have been produced and their thermal conductivity has been measured by means of hot-wire technique, according to the standard ASTM D 2717-95. Measurements were carried out to investigate the effects of volume fraction, particle size of nanoparticles on the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid. The effect of temperature has been also investigated in the range 20–60 °C. A dependence was observed on the measured parameters and the results showed that the heat transfer performance of diathermic oil enhances more than water with the same nanoparticles.

In situ generation of steam and alkaline surfactant for enhanced oil recovery using an exothermic water reactant (EWR)

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Eric P

2011-05-24

A method for oil recovery whereby an exothermic water reactant (EWR) encapsulated in a water soluble coating is placed in water and pumped into one or more oil wells in contact with an oil bearing formation. After the water carries the EWR to the bottom of the injection well, the water soluble coating dissolves and the EWR reacts with the water to produce heat, an alkali solution, and hydrogen. The heat from the EWR reaction generates steam, which is forced into the oil bearing formation where it condenses and transfers heat to the oil, elevating its temperature and decreasing the viscosity of the oil. The aqueous alkali solution mixes with the oil in the oil bearing formation and forms a surfactant that reduces the interfacial tension between the oil and water. The hydrogen may be used to react with the oil at these elevated temperatures to form lighter molecules, thus upgrading to a certain extent the oil in situ. As a result, the oil can flow more efficiently and easily through the oil bearing formation towards and into one or more production wells.

Exploratory study on pervaporation membranes for removal of water from water-crude oil emulsions: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-01-01

Study to explore the feasibility of removing water from oil/water (O/W) and water/oil (W/O) emulsions by means of pervaporation. Initial study involved preparation of simulated O/W and W/O emulsions prepared by mixing water and kerosene of various concentrations and stabilized by adding sodium lauryl sulfate. Preliminary experiments were conducted on 12 membranes fabricated from 2 different materials. One membrane of each type of material was chosen for further work based on the results of the preliminary tests. All experiments were carried out under 2 different downstream pressures and various temperatures.

Water-in-oil Pickering emulsions stabilized by stearoylated microcrystalline cellulose.

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Bo; Liu, Huan; Liu, Peiwen; Peng, Xinwen; Zhang, Kai

2018-03-01

Hydrophobic particles with static water contact angles larger than 90° are more like to stabilize W/O Pickering emulsions. In particular, high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPEs) are of great interest for diverse applications. However, W/O HIPEs have rarely been realized using sustainable biopolymers. Herein, we used stearoylated microcrystalline cellulose (SMCC) to stabilize W/O Pickering emulsions and especially, W/O HIPEs. Moreover, these W/O HIPEs can be further used as platforms for the preparation of porous materials, such as porous foams. Stearoylated microcrystalline cellulose (SMCC) was prepared by modifying MCC with stearoyl chloride under heterogeneous conditions. Using SMCC as emulsifiers, W/O medium and high internal phase Pickering emulsions (MIPEs and HIPEs) with various organic solvents as continuous phases were prepared using one-step and two-step methods, respectively. Polystyrene (PS) foams were prepared after polymerization of oil phase using HIPEs as templates and their oil/water separation capacity were studied. SMCC could efficiently stabilize W/O Pickering emulsions and HIPEs could only be prepared via the two-step method. The internal phase volume fraction of the SMCC-stabilized HIPEs reached as high as 89%. Diverse internal phase volume fractions led to distinct inner structures of foams with closed or open cells. These macroporous polystyrene (PS) foams demonstrated great potential for the effective absorption of organic solvents from underwater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for oil-water interfacial tension reduction in enhanced oil recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Soleimani, Hassan; Baig, Mirza Khurram; Yahya, Noorhana; Khodapanah, Leila; Sabet, Maziyar; Demiral, Birol M. R.; Burda, Marek

2018-02-01

Nanoparticles show potential use in applications associated with upstream oil and gas engineering to increase the performance of numerous methods such as wettability alteration, interfacial tension reduction, thermal conductivity and enhanced oil recovery operations. Surface tension optimization is an important parameter in enhanced oil recovery. Current work focuses on the new economical method of surface tension optimization of ZnO nanofluids for oil-water interfacial tension reduction in enhanced oil recovery. In this paper, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystallites were prepared using the chemical route and explored for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Adsorption of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on calcite (111) surface was investigated using the adsorption locator module of Materials Studio software. It was found that ZnO nanoparticles show maximum adsorption energy of - 253 kcal/mol. The adsorption of ZnO on the rock surface changes the wettability which results in capillary force reduction and consequently increasing EOR. The nanofluids have been prepared by varying the concentration of ZnO nanoparticles to find the optimum value for surface tension. The surface tension (ST) was calculated with different concentration of ZnO nanoparticles using the pendant drop method. The results show a maximum value of ST 35.57 mN/m at 0.3 wt% of ZnO NPs. It was found that the nanofluid with highest surface tension (0.3 wt%) resulted in higher recovery efficiency. The highest recovery factor of 11.82% at 0.3 wt% is due to the oil/water interfacial tension reduction and wettability alteration.

Ecologically friendly ways to clean up oil spills in harbor water areas: crude oil and diesel sorption behavior of natural sorbents.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulauskiene, Tatjana

2018-04-01

This work aimed to evaluate the sorption capacity of natural sorbents (wool, moss, straw, peat) and their composites during the sorption of crude oil and of diesel overspread on the water surface. The work presents the research results of the maximum sorption capacity of the sorbents/their composites using crude oil/diesel; the sorption capacity of the sorbents/their composites when crude oil/diesel is spilled on the water surface; and the research results of the unrealized part of the crude oil/diesel in the sorbents. The results of the analysis showed that all the sorbents and their composites have their selectivity to crude oil less than 50%. Also the results showed that the distribution of diesel and water in the sorbents and their composites is very different compared with the distribution of crude oil during the sorption analyses. In total, the diesel in the liquid mass absorbed by the straw and the peat amounted to 17 and 20%, respectively. This shows that these sorbents are much more selective for water but not for diesel. A larger part of the diesel was in the liquid amount absorbed by the composites-up to 33%. Accordingly, the use of these composites in watery environments is much more effective than the use of individual sorbents. The composition of sorbents in the composite enhanced both the hydrophobic and the oleophilic properties; as a result, a more effective removal of the diesel and oil from the water surface was achieved.

Characterization of napthenic acids in oil sands process-affected waters using fluorescence technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, L.; Alostaz, M.; Ulrich, A.

2009-01-01

Process-affected water from oil sands production plants presents a major environmental challenge to oil sands operators due to its toxicity to different organisms as well as its corrosiveness in refinery units. This abstract investigated the use of fluorescence excitation-emission matrices to detect and characterize changes in naphthenic acid in oil sands process-affected waters. Samples from oil sands production plants and storage ponds were tested. The study showed that oil sands naphthenic acids show characteristic fluorescence signatures when excited by ultraviolet light in the range of 260 to 350 mm. The signal was a unique attribute of the naphthenic acid molecule. Changes in the fluorescence signature can be used to determine chemical changes such as degradation or aging. It was concluded that the technology can be used as a non-invasive continuous water quality monitoring tool to increase process control in oil sands processing plants

Earth's field NMR detection of oil under arctic ice-water suppression

Science.gov (United States)

Conradi, Mark S.; Altobelli, Stephen A.; Sowko, Nicholas J.; Conradi, Susan H.; Fukushima, Eiichi

2018-03-01

Earth's field NMR has been developed to detect oil trapped under or in Arctic sea-ice. A large challenge, addressed here, is the suppression of the water signal that dominates the oil signal. Selective suppression of water is based on relaxation time T1 because of the negligible chemical shifts in the weak earth's magnetic field, making all proton signals overlap spectroscopically. The first approach is inversion-null recovery, modified for use with pre-polarization. The requirements for efficient inversion over a wide range of B1 and subsequent adiabatic reorientation of the magnetization to align with the static field are stressed. The second method acquires FIDs at two durations of pre-polarization and cancels the water component of the signal after the data are acquired. While less elegant, this technique imposes no stringent requirements. Similar water suppression is found in simulations for the two methods. Oil detection in the presence of water is demonstrated experimentally with both techniques.

Disposal/recovery options for brine waters from oil and gas production in New York State. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumoto, M.R.; Atkinson, J.F.; Bunn, M.D.; Hodge, D.S.

1996-03-01

Produced water from oil and gas operations, or brine as it is typically referred, may be characterized as being highly saline, with total dissolved solids greater than 100 g/L. If these bribes are disposed improperly there may be severe adverse environmental effects. Thus, it is important that brine be disposed using environmentally sound methods. Unfortunately, costs for the disposal of brine water are a significant burden to oil and gas producers in New York State. These costs and the relatively low market price of oil and natural gas have contributed to the decline in gas and oil production in New York State during the past 10 years. The objectives of this study were to evaluate new and existing options for brine disposal in New York State, examine the technical and economic merits of these options, and assess environmental impacts associated with each option. Two new disposal options investigated for New York State oil and gas producers included construction of a regional brine treatment facility to treat brine prior to discharge into a receiving water and a salt production facility that utilizes produced water as a feed stock. Both options are technically feasible; however, their economic viability depends on facility size and volume of brine treated.

Disposal/recovery options for brine waters from oil and gas production in New York State. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, M.R.; Atkinson, J.F.; Bunn, M.D.; Hodge, D.S.

1996-03-01

Produced water from oil and gas operations, or brine as it is typically referred, may be characterized as being highly saline, with total dissolved solids greater than 100 g/L. If these bribes are disposed improperly there may be severe adverse environmental effects. Thus, it is important that brine be disposed using environmentally sound methods. Unfortunately, costs for the disposal of brine water are a significant burden to oil and gas producers in New York State. These costs and the relatively low market price of oil and natural gas have contributed to the decline in gas and oil production in New York State during the past 10 years. The objectives of this study were to evaluate new and existing options for brine disposal in New York State, examine the technical and economic merits of these options, and assess environmental impacts associated with each option. Two new disposal options investigated for New York State oil and gas producers included construction of a regional brine treatment facility to treat brine prior to discharge into a receiving water and a salt production facility that utilizes produced water as a feed stock. Both options are technically feasible; however, their economic viability depends on facility size and volume of brine treated

Sunlight creates oxygenated species in water-soluble fractions of Deepwater horizon oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ray, Phoebe Z. [Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 (United States); Chen, Huan [National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); Podgorski, David C. [National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); Future Fuels Institute, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); McKenna, Amy M. [National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, 1800 East Paul Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310-4005 (United States); Tarr, Matthew A., E-mail: mtarr@uno.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148 (United States)

2014-09-15

Graphical abstract: Sunlight oxygenates petroleum. - Highlights: • Oxidation seen in water-soluble oil fraction after exposure to simulated sunlight. • Oxygen addition occurred across a wide range of carbon number and DBE. • Oil compounds were susceptible to addition of multiple oxygens to each molecule. • Results provide understanding of fate of oil on water after exposure to sunlight. - Abstract: In order to assess the impact of sunlight on oil fate, Macondo well oil from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) rig was mixed with pure water and irradiated with simulated sunlight. After irradiation, the water-soluble organics (WSO) from the dark and irradiated samples were extracted and characterized by ultrahigh resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Liquid–liquid extraction yielded two fractions from dark and irradiated water/oil mixtures: acidic WSOs (negative-ion electrospray (ESI)), and base/neutral WSOs (positive-ion ESI) coupled to FT-ICR MS to catalog molecular-level transformations that occur to Macondo-derived WSOs after solar irradiation. Such direct measure of oil phototransformation has not been previously reported. The most abundant heteroatom class detected in the irradiated WSO acid fractions correspond to molecules that contain five oxygens (O{sub 5}), while the most abundant acids in the dark samples contain two oxygen atoms per molecule (O{sub 2}). Higher-order oxygen classes (O{sub 5}–O{sub 9}) were abundant in the irradiated samples, but <1.5% relative abundance in the dark sample. The increased abundance of higher-order oxygen classes in the irradiated samples relative to the dark samples indicates that photooxidized components of the Macondo crude oil become water-soluble after irradiation. The base/neutral fraction showed decreased abundance of pyridinic nitrogen (N{sub 1}) concurrent with an increased abundance of N{sub 1}O{sub x} classes after irradiation. The predominance of higher

Predicting for thermodynamic instabilities in water/oil/surfactant microemulsions: A mesoscopic modelling approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duvail, Magali, E-mail: magali.duvail@icsm.fr; Zemb, Thomas; Dufrêche, Jean-François [Institut de Chimie Séparative de Marcoule (ICSM), UMR 5257, CEA-CNRS-Université Montpellier 2-ENSCM, Site de Marcoule, Bâtiment 426, BP 17171, F-30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze Cedex (France); Arleth, Lise [Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C (Denmark)

2014-04-28

The thermodynamics and structural properties of flexible and rigid nonionic water/oil/surfactant microemulsions have been investigated using a two level-cut Gaussian random field method based on the Helfrich formalism. Ternary stability diagrams and scattering spectra have been calculated for different surfactant rigidities and spontaneous curvatures. A more important contribution of the Gaussian elastic constants compared to the bending one is observed on the ternary stability diagrams. Furthermore, influence of the spontaneous curvature of the surfactant points out a displacement of the instability domains which corresponds to the difference between the spontaneous and effective curvatures. We enlighten that a continuous transition from a connected water in oil droplets to a frustrated locally lamellar (oil in water in oil droplets) microstructure is found to occur when increasing the temperature for an oil-rich microemulsion. This continuous transition translated in a shift in the scattering functions, points out that the phase inversion phenomenon occurs by a coalescence of the water droplets.

Concentration of vanadium in crude oil and water using inductively-coupled plasma spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, Y.M.; Hassan, M.A.; Junkin, K.; Mahat, R.H.; Raphie, B.

1991-01-01

Vanadium is a trace element that is usually associated to crude oil and its products. In this study the concentration of vanadium in a few samples of local crude oil, sea and river water were determined using inductively-coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP). It is hoped that the concentration of vanadium in water can be used to indicate the possible extent of oil contamination

A Novel Approach for Analyzing Water Diffusion in Mineral and Vegetable Oil-Paper Insulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Du

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Water diffusion characteristics of mineral and vegetable oil-paper insulation systems are important for insulation condition evaluation of oil-filled transformers. In this paper, we describe a novel application method of in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR approach for analyzing the diffusion process of water molecules in oil-immersed insulating paper. Two-dimensional correlation was used to analyze the 3700 cm-1 to 3000 cm- 1 hydroxyl peak. The observed results indicated that water molecules form two types of hydroxyl (OH with oil-impregnated paper in the diffusion process are weak and strong hydrogen bonds, respectively. 2D infrared correlation analysis revealed that three OH stretching vibration spectra absorption peaks was existed in hygroscopic vegetable oil-immersed insulating paper. And there are four OH stretching vibration spectra absorption peaks in mineral oil-immersed insulation paper. Furthermore, mineral oil-impregnated paper and vegetable oil-impregnated paper diffusion coefficients were obtained by nonlinear fitting.