Production chemistry and chemical systems engineering are two functions synergistically linked to deliver chemical solutions. These solutions can prevent or mitigate flow assurance, asset integrity, and other fluids processing issues both on and offshore.  The proper selection, design, deployment, and management of chemicals and chemical injection systems are key success factors to asset development strategies that balance capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expense in today’s challenging oil and gas production environment.  Since these chemicals and systems often serve as process safety barriers and support fluids processing, production system performance can be degraded if the chemical systems are not properly integrated into the overall oil and gas production and processing designs.

Reservoir hydrocarbon and water stream compositions are frequently not well-established before initial production, and compositions change over field life. Oilfield chemistry is fairly complex, and requires a multitude of expertise to unite and work in tandem to resolve pertinent issues and provide the required benefit. Some of these fields include fluid testing and characterization, chemical lab support and testing, modeling, injection system design, umbilical design, commissioning and fluid displacement, monitoring, and steady state operations.

Reservoir fluid compositions, both hydrocarbon and water, frequently are not well-established before initial production.  Often, these compositions change over field life in ways unanticipated by the project teams.  In the offshore and deepwater environments, in particular, new fields can bring potentially incompatible fluids to the host via tiebacks, creating new fluid processing and integrity risks to the operation.  Oilfield chemistry can be complex, and requires a range of skills and expertise to successfully address and resolve issues in a manner beneficial to the producer and processor.  Some of the areas of expertise required in developing, delivering, and operating chemical systems include produced fluids testing and characterization; chemical selection and testing; chemical injection pump and systems design; modeling and construction; umbilical systems design, construction and commissioning; chemical systems monitoring and maintenance; and chemical systems steady state performance management (surveillance).

Chemical injection system designs are frequently inadequate. Uncertainties in the composition of produced hydrocarbons and water make it difficult to design effective chemical programs and chemical injection systems before initial production. A lack of understanding of chemical injection needs by detailed design engineers, and poor interaction between production chemists, chemical company personnel and design engineers also contributes to inadequate system designs.

Whether simple or complex, chemicals and chemical system designs are frequently incapable of meeting actual versus expected fluid compositions, and production conditions, and to serve as effective solutions to unexpected changes in fluids as fields mature.  In subsea systems, there is a complex interface between engineering and other disciplines across the chemical injection pathway. This interface requires an understanding of the interaction of chemical properties, pressures, temperatures, and rates between the chemical tank, injection and process equipment, and into the umbilical, and the subsea hardware and into the well. A lack of understanding can impact the delivery of required chemical volumes reliably, effectively, and verifiably.  The incomplete understanding of chemical injection requirements by topsides process engineers, during detailed design engineering, is often due to poor interfaces with other disciplines such as production chemistry, flow assurance, subsea engineering, completions engineering, and chemical supplier personnel.

KEY ISSUES

Selection, testing and application of specialty and some commodity chemicals

Design of chemical injection systems including equipment selection and flow measurement and control

Chemical side effects

Systems design – chemical programs should be considered a part of the process design, not an add-on or after-thought after the design is completed

Chemical supply chain management and logistics

Interfaces between production chemists, chemical suppliers, equipment suppliers, design engineers, operations and maintenance

Fluid sampling and analysis

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

The workshop will bring together subject matter experts in the area of production chemistry and chemical systems, as well as industry professionals interested in learning about the subject. It will provide a learning experience for professionals new to these areas, along with an opportunity for subject matter experts to consult with each other on particular problems.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Production chemists
Chemical suppliers
Chemical injection equipment suppliers
Process and facilities engineers
Flow assurance engineers
Material and corrosion engineers
Operations staff