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This publication was developed as partial fulfillment of a Preferred
Upstream Management Practices (PUMP) contract award to the South
Midcontinent Region of the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC).
PTTC makes no claims and shall not be held responsible for any of the
information herein. No specific application of products or services is
endorsed or recommended by PTTC. Reasonable steps are taken to ensure
the reliability of sources for information that PTTC disseminates;
individuals, companies, and organizations are solely responsible for the
consequences of its use.
PTTC acknowledges funding support for this PUMP
effort from the U. S. Department of Energy’s National Energy
Technology Laboratory through the National Petroleum Technology Office
in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and matching funds provided by the Oklahoma
Geological Survey in Norman, Oklahoma.
PREFACE
The largest volume waste stream associated with oil
and gas production is produced water. Operators in the South
Midcontinent Region of the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC)
identified produced water as a major constraint in the production of
hydrocarbons. The costs of lifting, separating, handling, treating, and
disposing of this water are substantial. In addition to the economic
burden it imposes, water can also directly reduce hydrocarbon
production.
With these thoughts in mind and as partial
fulfillment of a PUMP (Preferred Upstream Management Practices) contract
award, the South Midcontinent Region developed this manual as a
reference source to assist independent operators in dealing with
produced water. Many
workshops conducted by PTTC have dealt with topics related to this
subject. Much of the information in this manual was compiled from these
workshop materials.
The manual is divided into eight sections to better
address the different technologies used for different water production
issues operators face throughout the life of a well. Not all
technologies discussed
are applicable to all situations, but they have led in certain
situations to improved return on investment and increased economically
recoverable reserves.
Note: The
material presented in this manual focuses on operations in the South
Midcontinent Region. Although many of the practices and technologies
discussed have general applicability, conditions can vary greatly from
region to region. For dealing with specific produced water problems in
your area, it is best to contact your region’s PTTC Resource Center or
local experts familiar with your area for help.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors, PTTC, and particularly the South
Midcontinent Region acknowledge the industry speakers, both operators
and vendor/service company personnel as well as consultants, who have,
through the years, shared their experience-based insights in regional
workshops. Much of the information presented in this manual was gleaned
from their presentations.
Rodney Reynolds would like to acknowledge his
business associates, both colleagues and clients, who over the years
have provided him the knowledge and experience that led to much of the
information included in this manual. He would like to acknowledge his
family for their continued support and allowing the time sacrifices
necessary for him to complete this manual. He would also like to thank
PTTC, the South Midcontinent Region staff and especially Lance Cole for
providing him the opportunity and encouragement to write this manual.
Bob Kiker acknowledges the companies listed below,
who provided insights for his development of Section 7 (Corrosion and
Mechanical Wear on Equipment Used in Handling Produced Water). Their
contributions were valuable in acquiring the most recent successful
practices, which in many cases supported published technology. There
were some practices revealed that are new. He would also like to
acknowledge Texas Tech’s Petroleum Engineering Department, host for
the annual Southwestern Petroleum Short Course, as being a significant
contributor to the body of knowledge on this topic. Additional
information sources Bob reviewed include Society of Petroleum Engineers
literature, U. S. Department of Energy research and development project
results, and the Internet through topical searches in Google.com. Formal
searches were supplemented by personal networking on selected topics.
Kevin
Butler Associates (Operating)
Conoco,
Inc (Operating)
DJAX
Corporation (Technology Vendor)
Echometer
(Technology Vendor)
Henry
Petroleum (Operating)
Omega
Technologies (Technology Vendor)
OXY
USA-OXY Permian Basin Ltd (Operating)
Performance
(Technology Vendor)
Permian
Production Equipment (Technology Vendor)
Schlumberger
IPM (Contract Operator)
Weatherford
(Service Technology)
Western
Falcon (Technology Vendor)
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