EDITOR ’ S CHOICE MAXIMUM OIL RECOVERY
NORTH RIDGE PUMPS
Low Shear Atex Pumps for Produced Water Improve Oily Water Separator Efficiency
Onshore production of Oil and Gas is used for the extraction of Oil and Gas from reserves deep below ground . Responsible for approximately 2 % of total UK supply , it is still a vital source of Oil , producing approximately 14000-15000 barrels per day .
To achieve maximum recovery of oil from wells , water is injected into underground wells , flooding the area , and as oil is less dense than the water , oil is brought to the surface and recovered using Oily water separators .
The water used to undertake this process is known as produced water , where after recovery it is recycled and reinjected back into wells . Often Saline or Brackish in nature , it can contain dissolved solids , silt and other particles present within a wells environment .
An Oil Extraction company contacted us who were looking for two pumps for their processing facility , to feed an Oily Water Separator , as well as inject produced water into a well .
They required a flow ranging from 50 to 200 Litres a minute with a constant pressure of 8 bar . They were unsure of the best technology to handle the emulsion , as viscosity could vary , solids were present and the pumps needed to be certified to ATEX Zone1 where gas was present .
Initially , when discussing their requirements , they were interested in utilising a high pressure Centrifugal pump , however on review of the project requirements , we felt another solution would not only
16 PECM Issue 56