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SpecialtyOil and Gas Wells

SpecialtyOil and G

Specialty chemicals are of immense importance for the operational aspect of oil and gas wells. The Machinist takes a look at the current developments

The optimal performance and efficiency of well-site operations depends majorly on maximising the recovery of oil and gas reserves in a cost-effective manner, while minimising its operational impact on the environment. Achieving this, however, greatly depends on specialty chemicals that provide for the operational capabilities demanded by operations such as well drilling, oil well completion and intervention services. The Role of Specialty Chemicals Specialty chemicals have a varied range of applications in the oil and gas industry. For example, well drilling, completion, treatment and work over fluids perform optimally only if they are added with specialty chemicals which impart several functional characteristics to them. Oil-field chemicals used in various operations during completion of an oil well can be classified into a number of categories. These include drilling fluid/mud chemicals and mud additives, cement and cement additives, production chemicals, water injection chemicals, well stimulation chemicals and process chemicals, all of which have different roles in oil well operations. For example, drilling fluid is a fluid used to drill boreholes. Drilling fluids are commonly used while drilling oil and natural gas wells, and on exploration drilling rigs. The three major sub-categories of drilling fluids include water-based muds, non-aqueous or oilbased muds, and gaseous drilling fluid. Drilling fluids provide hydrostatic pressure to prevent formation fluids from entering into the well bore. Their role also extends to maintaining the coolness of drill bit, cleaning while drilling, flushing out drill cuttings, and suspending the drill cuttings when drilling is halted. Drilling fluids or liquids perform a variety of functions that influence the drilling rate, cost, efficiency and safety of drilling operations. Drilling mud additives include viscosifying agents, fluid loss control agents, drilling fluid dispersants and corrosion inhibitors.

Cement and cement additives are also critical for oil and gas well operations. The growing demand for cement and cement additives has led to the establishment of API codes by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Additionally, nine classes of cements have also been classified for the oil industry. Two of the nine classes of cements, the classes G and H, are called basic oil well cements. Production chemicals are used to maintain the mobility of oil, which might be affected, post a shutdown or under cold conditions. These chemicals are also used to remove emulsified water, thereby preventing corrosion of the pipeline. A stimulation fluid is used to improve the flow of hydrocarbons, which is a treatment fluid specifically prepared for stimulation purposes. Stimulation fluids are acid or solvent-based, wherein hydrochloric acid is the most commonly-used base, due to its reaction characteristics and its relative controllability. Water injection chemicals are used to maintain pressure of the reservoir to enable higher oil recovery. The process involves injection of water back into the reservoir to increase pressure, and thus, enhance production. During the process, water is injected to sustain reservoir pressure and displace oil from the reservoir, thus thrusting it towards the well. Process chemicals are required for the production of LPG and sulphur recovery from hydrogen sulphide. Specialty chemicals, if designed and manufactured according to proper physical and performance standards, can be used invaluably and indispensably to resolve issues that plague oil and gas wells through their lifecycles. However, if these chemicals are manufactured, stored, mixed or pumped inappropriately, they can result in disastrous outcomes, like plugging or precipitation, which is caused due to the presence of inferior materials. Such issues ultimately result in excessive formation damage or a fracturing fluid that leaves flow-restricting polymer residue, in turn, resulting in increased costs, reduced efficiency and eroding bottom lines. Although a large number of chemicals are used as oil field chemicals, and their requirement varies from oil-field to oil-field, the most important oil-field chemicals and their applications are highlighted in the table. Chemicals and their Application

Oil Field Chemical Chrome lignite Chrome lignosulphonate Diaseal M or equivalent Drilling detergent Polyanionic cellulose

Resinated lignite Guar gum

Application High temperature drilling fluid conditioning agent Drilling fluid dispersant/thinner Mud loss controlling agent Drilling fluid surfactant Fluid loss controlling agent High temperature fluid loss reducing agent/shale stabilising agent Viscosifying agent

Stuck pipe releasing agent Sulphonated asphalt Shale stabiliser Gilsonite Shale stabiliser XC-polymer Viscosifier Fluid loss controlling Carboxy methyl starch agent Weighting agents in Barite/Hematite drilling fluid Class G oil well For oil well cementation cement Turbulence inducer Cement slurry thinner For controlling fluid loss Fluid loss reducer property of cement slurry To retard thickening Retarder time of cement slurry Carboxy Methyl Hydroxy Ethyl Corrosion inhibitor Cellulose (CMHEC) Tri-ethylene glycol Dehydrator for oil Ethyl mercaptan Odouring agent in LPG Methyl diethanolamine/diExtraction of H2S ethanolamine Sulphur catalyst Sulphur accelerator Bentonite/calcium Cement accelerator chloride Gilsonite Lost circulation material Spotting fluids
The Indian Scenario During the past ten years, a major breakthrough in the production of oil field chemicals has taken place in India. The satisfactory field performance of some specialist chemicals developed as per international standards, has greatly reduced the nations dependency on imports. The availability of specialty chemicals, agro products and minerals for the oil industry has also brought in fresh export opportunities. This development has become possible due to both indigenous R&D efforts and technological collaboration with global manufacturers. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has established excellent research and development centres such as Institute of Drilling Technology (IDT), which is equipped with sophisticated equipment, facilities and machinery to identify, evaluate and develop oil field chemicals. IDT has developed chemicals such as ferrochrome lignosulphonate (FCLS), CFL, sulfomethylated lignite, organophilic lignite, slag cement, class G oil well cement, low temperature retarders, turbulence inducers, etc.

A few other indigenouslymanufactured oil field chemicals include chrome lignosulphonate, FCLS, polyanionic cellulose, sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, chrome lignite, sulphonated asphalt, resinated lignite, diaseal M equivalent, Extreme Pressure (EP) lubricant, spotting fluid, modified guar gum, cement additives, oil well detergents, deemulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA), pour point depressant, biocides, polyelectrolytes, scale inhibitors, etc. Despite ongoing developments, a few varieties of FCLS, Dextrin, polyanionic cellulose, etc. are still being imported. Some of the major manufacturers of oil field chemicals in India include Kalpana Chemicals Pvt. Ltd, Dai-Ichi Karkaria Pvt. Ltd, Hindustan Magcobar Chemicals Ltd, Baker Oil Treating India Ltd and Hindustan Gum and Chemicals Ltd. Dai-Ichi Karkaria, India has made significant developments in the field of Pour Point Dispersants (PPD). Besides PPD,Dai-Ichi Karkaria has also developed acid corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, etc. Kalpana Chemicals has the distinction of indigenously developing products such as sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, causticised lignite, chrome lignite, resinated lignite, sulphonated asphalt, EP lubricants, Diaseal M, spotting fluid, polyanionic cellulose, etc. Similarly, Hindustan Gum and Chemicals has developed hydroxy propyl guar gum, XC-polymer chemicals and gelling agents, which are yet to be approved by ONGC. Recommendations Although in recent years a large number of oil-field chemicals like lignosulphonates, lignites, pour point depressants, basic cements, corrosion inhibitors, bactericides, surfactants, scale inhibitors, deemulsifiers, de-oilers, etc. have been indigenised in the country, various oil field chemicals including Dextrin, Pipe lax, FCLS, CLS, EP lube, and spotting fluid are still being imported. Efforts need to be accelerated for indigenisation of these chemicals, which are being imported. India is rich in the production of starch, Kernel Tamarind Powder (KTP) and guar gum, yet the application of these materials in the oil industry is not

fully exploited. These products can be developed to produce valuable gelling agents, water loss reducing compounds, viscosifiers, etc. India has vast resources of minerals used in all water-based mud systems like Baryte and Bentonite. Thus, there is immense export potential for these oilfield chemicals, which should be exploited. Maintenance of the quality of the products being used in the petroleum industry is absolutely vital, as variation in the product quality, particularly in production and transportation chemicals, may seriously hamper crude production and crude availability to the refineries. Sometimes, indigenous products have been found to exhibit batch to batch variation in product quality and hence require extra efforts in analysis before they can be used. The procurement of various oil field chemicals is based on rigid and definite programmes of various oil field operations. Manufacturers should make extra efforts to deliver oilfield chemicals within the set time frames to avoid vital operations getting seriously affected. Manufacturers sometimes also have problems in development of oil field chemicals due to nonavailability of raw materials indigenously. To solve this issue, efforts should be made for development of various raw materials required for production of important oil-field chemicals. Courtesy: Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)

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