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GLR Solutions Ltd In Association with

The Petroleum Technology Alliance


Canada Presents :

How a Micro-bubble Flotation

System Can Enhance Oil


Separation and Recovery from
Produced Water while Reducing
Chemical and Filter Usage

Table of Contents
1. Introductions
2. Company Background
3. Common Separation Technologies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

API/Gravity Separators
Corrugated Plate Interceptors
Induced Gas Floatation (IGF)
Induced Static Floatation (ISF)
Hydrocyclone
Centrifuge

4. Gas Liquid Reactor/Micro-bubble Floatation


5. Conclusion/Questions
2

GLR Personnel

Douglas Lee, President & CEO

Martyn Lutz, Vice President, Sales &


Marketing

GLR Company Background

Calgary Based Corporate Office and Manufacturing

GLRs Products are Manufactured, Sold and Serviced


in Alberta by GLR

Customers Include Producers and Oil Field Services


Companies

Producers: Husky Energy, Encana


Service Companies: Schlumberger, BJ Services

API/Gravity Separators
Usually a tank or series of tanks where oil collects on the
waters surface and can be skimmed off
Built according to the API 421 code, based on Stokes Law
Performance of these vessels varies greatly depending on
parameters such as:
Retention time, tank internals, oil properties, physical conditions,
and inlet stream characteristics
To alter the oil properties and improve performance chemicals are
often used

API/Gravity Separators
Pros
Simple Design, No moving
parts, Relatively Inexpensive,
Retrofit Capability, Added Surge
Capacity, some solids removal

Cons
Ineffective with small oil
droplets or emulsified oil,
Require long retention time to
achieve efficient separation

Costs
Capital Costs: $30,000$150,000 +
Operating Costs: Occasional
shutdowns for Cleaning

Corrugated Plate Interceptor (CPI)


Corrugated plates are used to enhance the performance of gravity
separation tanks
They amplify the difference in densities by providing longer path
for the fluid to travel
The plates minimize the distance an
oil droplet needs to travel to find
another oil droplet
As the oil droplets collect they
coalesce with other droplets and the
larger droplets rise more rapidly to
the waters surface

Corrugated Plate Interceptor (CPI)


Pros

Reduces size of API/Gravity Separators, Relatively simple design and


operation, No moving parts

Cons

Limited to removal of oil of 50 microns droplets and larger, Higher removal


efficiencies require abundant chemical usage
Copes poorly with surges in flow or heavy oils
High inlet solids loads can form blockages

Costs

Capital Costs: $50,000-$180,000 +


Operating Costs: occasional shutdowns for cleaning of tank and media

Induced Gas Flotation (IGF)

Gas is induced into the oil/water


mixture using eductors, sparging
tubes, or paddles

Gas is used to more rapidly float the


oil out of the water

Bubbles are created through


Mechanical Means

System performance is also


dependant upon the size of the
bubbles produced by the particular
technology used

Various flow patterns are used inside


IGF vessels to aid the separation
process

IGF bubbles are typically in


the range of 200 microns in
diameter

Induced Gas Flotation (IGF)


Pros

High oil removal efficiency


Can handle 50% change of production rate with little change in
outlet ppm
Large range of inlet concentrations

Cons

Unable to remove oil droplets below 25 microns


Requires a gas supply
Extensive chemical treatments required to remove smaller droplets
No retrofit capability

Costs

Capital Costs: $60,000-$1,000,000 +


Operating Costs: At least one pump, but it depends on the system
each can have various rotors which need motors, or simply one
recirculation pump
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Induced Static Flotation (ISF)

Gas is induced into a recycled water stream and then into the produced
water at the bottom of the vessel

Bubbles are created through Hydraulic Methods

The vessel is typically divided in to several cells and in each cell the
gasified water is introduced

ISF Vessels often have the capability to run in a pressurized state

Gas bubbles adhere to oil droplets and help float them to the top of the
water

The difference between an ISF and an IGF is method of bubble


generation, bubble size & ability for pressurized operation

11

Induced Static Flotation (ISF)

Pros

Cons

Able to remove oil particles to 5


microns
High removal efficiency
Low skim volume

Requires a gas supply


Not well suited for oil concentrations
above 300 ppm
Copes poorly with fluctuations in
flow rate
No retrofit capability

Costs

Capital Cost: $250,000


$1,000,000 +
Operating Costs: one recirculation
pump

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Hydrocyclones
Conical tubes with the fluid stream feed tangentially
into the top of the cone so it swirls around the cone
The spinning motion of the fluid is accelerated by the
tapered shape of the cone
Spinning creates a centrifugal force which pushes the
heavier water out and the lighter oil into the middle of
the cone
The oil is forced out the larger end and the water
continues down the cone and leaves out the tapered
end
The smaller the cone radius the smaller the target
outlet oil concentration in water
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Hydrocyclones
Pros

High rate of separation


Insensitive to motion good for ocean platforms
No moving parts
Small footprint
Easily accessible for maintenance
Can deal with high oil concentrations

Cons

Large pressure drop across these devices


Performance dependant upon turn down ratio
Separate system required to remove solids
Susceptible to wear resulting in maintenance costs
Susceptible to fouling or blockages from solid buildup
Control intensive to cope with fluctuations in flow rate

Costs
Capital Costs: $75,000-$450,000 +
Operating Costs: Pump to provide necessary pressure and maintenance
costs for regular installation of replacement liners
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Centrifuge

Operate under the same physical principles as


hydrocyclones. Spinning causes the two phases
of the fluid to separate from each other

Centrifuges use moving parts to spin the liquid to


create the spinning motion

Centrifuges are used for removing oil from water


but more commonly removing water from oil

Centrifuges are also quite effective in the


removal of solids from oil or water.
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Centrifuge
Pros
High removal rate
Removes solid particles as small
as 2 micron

Cons
Low flow rates
Susceptible to wear resulting in
maintenance costs

Costs
Capital Cost: $150,000
$800,000 +
Operating Cost: motor to spin
the fluid

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GLR Microbubble Floatation System (MBF)

The MBF takes a stream of produced water from


the outlet of a separation tank and gas is
introduced through an eductor or a pressurized
gas stream

Microbubbles occur as this water entrained with


gas is passed through the patented Gas Liquid
Reactor (GLR) where it experiences shear,
impact and pressure resulting in bubbles 5-50
m in diameter

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GLR Microbubble Floatation System (MBF)

This stream is then introduced at the inlet into a separation


tank where the bubbles adhere to the oil and carry it to the
waters surface

On the surface a frothy layer of oil and gas is formed that


is then skimmed off

Smaller bubbles more effectively separate the oil from the


water which results in a drier froth and a very low skim
volume

The water leaving the skim tank can have as little as 5


ppm oil. This outlet concentration typically correlates to a
separation efficiency of 95% +.

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MBF Process Flow

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Typical MBF Skid


4

3
P-1
Circulation pump
600 usgpm
480V, 3P, 60 Hz, 1800 rpm
70 psi
Eagle Horizontal ANSI, 6X4, 60 HP

1
E-1

Compressed gas supply


6.0 SCFM Median
1.00 NPT Gas Connection
75 psi Supply Pressure

GLR Vessel
Capacity: 1.73m^3
Design Pressure: 1000 kPa
Size: 813mm Dia. X 3556mm H.

PI
FM

To relief tank

Gas

PI
PI

Sample
pt.
C
4

To skim tank
E-1

F
M

B
1

Water from skim tank


P-1

GLR skid

Package limits
XYZ Corp - Generic Location

A
GLR Skid Process and Instrumentation Diagram

20
Drawn by: N.S.
Approved by: DWL

SIZE

Project #

DWG NO

Tab.

03-269

03-269-01

SCALE

Not to scale

SHEET

REV

A
1 OF 1

Patented Gas Liquid Reactor

21

Microbubbles Saturate Tank

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Microbubbles vs. Gravity Separation

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MBF150 System Accommodating Other Equipment

24

MBF600 Skid With Cladding

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GLR Microbubble Floatation System (MBF)


Pros

Retro fit to existing skim tank


Removal of oil down to 3
microns
Handles a large range of oil
concentrations and densities
Excellent Capacity for Upsets
Very low skim volumes
Good solids removal

Cons

Requires a gas supply


Sometimes requires
modifications to skim tank

Costs

Capital Costs: $60,000$600,000


Operating Costs: pump to
provide flow through GLR
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Close UP: Micro-bubbles Adhere To Oil Droplets And Float


To The Surface Where They Coalesce

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Performance
Maximum Removal Efficiencies

28

G
LR
-M
B
F

on
es
H
yd
ro
cy
cl

IS
F

IG
F

ty

100
98
96
94
92
90
88
86
G
ra
vi

% oil removed

(>90% = High Efficiency)

Performance
Droplet Size Removal

29

BF
-M
G
LR

Hy
dr
oc
yc
lo
ne
s

IS
F

IG
F

CP
I

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
G
ra
vit
y

Particle Size (um)

(<10um High Efficiency)

Performance
Inlet Oil Concentration Range

yd
ro
cy GL
G
cl R
ra
on -M
C
vi P IG IS e B
ty I F F s F

(>2000 = High Capacity)

2000

4000

6000

Inlet Oil ppm

30

8000

10000

Performance
Average Cost Comparison
$900,000.00
$600,000.00
$300,000.00

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BF
-M
G
LR

Hy
dr
oc
yc
lo
ne
s

IS
F

IG
F

CP
I

G
ra
vit
y

$0.00

Conventional Oil Benefits


Increase Revenues due to additional oil
recovery
Reduce the need for remedial treatment of
the well.
Allow for easier injection in tight formations
Reduced erosion damage to injection pumps,
Reduce the need for filters and chemicals
Leveling off of the outlet oil even in upsets
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SAGD Benefits
Increase in oil recovered/increased revenue
Reduced need for chemicals to enhance
separation
Increased ability to deal with upset conditions
Reduce the likelihood of contamination of the
water treatment facility and the need for
remedial treatment
Increase in water recycle rate
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MBF Skid With Enclosure

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Questions?
Contact us:
Martyn Lutz

Douglas Lee

Vice President, Sales & Marketing

President & CEO

Phone: (403) 219-1270

Phone: (403) 219-1257

Fax: (403) 219-2211

Fax: (403) 219-2211

Email: mlutz@glrsolutions.com

Email: doug@glrsolutions.com

Micro-bubbles Entrained In Flow of Bitumen

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Micro-bubbles Adhere and Float Bitumen

37

Micro-bubbles Adhere To Oil Droplets And Float To The


Surface Where They Coalesce

38

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