SPE Production & Operations
Volume 24, Number 4, November 2009, 556-561

Summary

In recent years, a number of refineries in western Canada and the United States have discovered the formation of scale or sludge in their distillation towers. The buildup of large amounts of sludge lowers the efficiency of refineries to the point where it must be removed. The process of removing sludge requires that the refinery shut down at a cost of USD millions in lost production to the refinery operators. Analysis of the sludge has revealed that it has an extraordinarily high phosphorus content (8 to 12%). Further investigation into the origin of the phosphorus in the sludge raised concerns that chemicals used in hydrocarbon-fracturing fluids, specifically volatile-phosphorus-containing hydrocarbon gellants, are responsible for the refinery fouling. This paper will discuss how the origin of the volatile-phosphorus in the hydrocarbon gellants has been determined and how a viable, ultralow volatile phosphorus solution for hydrocarbon gelling has been developed.

Introduction

Hydrocarbon-based fracturing fluids are used in water-sensitive formations, such as those with high clay content, to prevent any loss of permeability because of clay swelling or fines migration. These gels are simple to use from an operational perspective and exhibit consistent viscosity and excellent thermal stability. Problems with hydrocarbon-gelling chemicals in the downstream oil and gas industry, however, are putting pressure on the use of this technology. It is, therefore, necessary that the chemisty of gelled-hydrocarbon fluids be better understood so solutions to any potential problems with this chemistry can be found.

© 2009. Society of Petroleum Engineers

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History

• Original manuscript received: 7 July 2008
• Meeting paper published: 21 September 2008
• Revised manuscript received: 24 October 2008
• Manuscript approved: 22 November 2008
• Published online: 20 August 2009
• Version of record: 25 November 2009