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Crude-Oil Sludge Volume Reduction (SVR) Technology
Crude-Oil Sludge Volume Reduction (SVR) Technology
Produced crude oil is stored in tanks placed inside a production site and then, sequentially transported by tankers to the market. During storage, deposits composed of oil, asphaltene, wax, water, sand, and iron-rust may occasionally accumulate at the bottom of the tank. This deposit is called “crude-oil sludge”. Crude-oil sludge decreases the storing capacity of the tank and corrode the bottom board (due to the moisture in the sludge). Therefore, it is necessary to periodically discharge crude-oil sludge.
To discharge crude-oil sludge, a crude-oil washing (COW) method is used that involves washing away the sludge by jetting crude oil from a syringe. The sludge discharged via this method is disposed as industrial waste; however, the costs associated with disposal are high, and the sludge may contain useful oil content. Therefore, Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) is developing a novel method for recovering the oil content from crude-oil sludge via a centrifuge technique and re-mixing the recovered oil with the crude oil; this project, initiated in 2016, is being conducted in collaboration with Cosmo Oil and Abu Dhabi Oil.
In 2016-2017, JOGMEC conducted a laboratory experiment and a pilot test using a small centrifuge device with a treatment capacity of 3cubic meters/hour and developed a sludge volume reduction (SVR) technology for reducing more than 50 % of the crude-oil sludge via oil extraction (which is marketable crude oil). From 2018, JOGMEC began designing and manufacturing two demonstration-test devices with a treatment capacity of 10cubic meters/hour(individually) for a demonstration test at an overseas field conducted in 2022. The test results showed that SVR technology reduce the crude-oil sludge by 57%, and the recovered crude oil had the same specifications as those of produced crude oil; notably, the recovered crude oil did not produce sludge. At present, JOGMEC is assisting this technology for commercial use.
To discharge crude-oil sludge, a crude-oil washing (COW) method is used that involves washing away the sludge by jetting crude oil from a syringe. The sludge discharged via this method is disposed as industrial waste; however, the costs associated with disposal are high, and the sludge may contain useful oil content. Therefore, Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) is developing a novel method for recovering the oil content from crude-oil sludge via a centrifuge technique and re-mixing the recovered oil with the crude oil; this project, initiated in 2016, is being conducted in collaboration with Cosmo Oil and Abu Dhabi Oil.
In 2016-2017, JOGMEC conducted a laboratory experiment and a pilot test using a small centrifuge device with a treatment capacity of 3cubic meters/hour and developed a sludge volume reduction (SVR) technology for reducing more than 50 % of the crude-oil sludge via oil extraction (which is marketable crude oil). From 2018, JOGMEC began designing and manufacturing two demonstration-test devices with a treatment capacity of 10cubic meters/hour(individually) for a demonstration test at an overseas field conducted in 2022. The test results showed that SVR technology reduce the crude-oil sludge by 57%, and the recovered crude oil had the same specifications as those of produced crude oil; notably, the recovered crude oil did not produce sludge. At present, JOGMEC is assisting this technology for commercial use.
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