Technology & Services

Epcon CFU The Alternative to Traditional Produced Water Treatment Systems

a report by

Epcon Offshore

Epcon Offshore has developed its own treatment technology especially suitable for removing hydrocarbons, hydrophobic substances, aromatic compounds and small particles from produced water. The technology has been developed and tested jointly with oil companies in the North Sea. Today, it is a proven technology in treating produced water and one of the preferred choices of oil operators.
The Company

Epcon Offshore AS has been fully operational since 2001, and had a turnover of US$10 million in 2004. The company has 25 employees and is expanding rapidly. Its budget for 2005 is US$20 million. The head office is located in Porsgrunn, Norway, with additional offices in London and Aberdeen. The companys major stakeholders are private investors (65%), the venture capital company 3i (25%) and Norsk Hydro (10%).
Epcon Compact Flotation Unit Technology

systems, Epcons CFU provides an alternative technology with: low weight; small footprint; robustness; high operational range; simple to operate; performance down to <10 mg/l; minimum maintenance; no small bore openings; and no rotating parts.

The Epcon compact flotation unit (CFU) is a multiphase (oil/water/gas) separator with no moving parts. It requires no external energy and is reliable and highly efficient in the separation of water, oil and gas to achieve a high standard of treated water. The CFU also has a smaller volume and shorter retention time than traditional flotation units currently in use offshore. Several combined processes, including gas flotation and induced centrifugal inertia forces, act on the fluid components of different specific gravities. The small oil droplets are made to agglomerate and coalesce, facilitating separation from the water. The separation process is aided by internal devices in the chamber and a gas flotation effect caused by the release of residual gas from the water. Process optimisation can also be achieved by the introduction of external gas and/or flocculants. The separated oil and gas is removed in a continual process via an outlet pipe. Compared to traditional produced water treatment

These attributes combine to give the CFU user higher capacity and better performance at a lower cost. The single CFU separation step has been proven to reduce the oil-in-water content to below 20mg/l, while simultaneously degassing the water. Two CFUs in series have been proven to reduce the oil-in-water content to below 10mg/l. A retention time down to below 30 seconds will achieve a sufficient performance. A vessel with an operation volume of only 2m3 will be able to treat a water flow of up to 250m3/h. Epcon CFUs can be designed to fit all pipe size capacities, and they can easily be adapted to local conditions and requirements.

BUSINESS BRIEFING: EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION: THE OIL & GAS REVIEW 2005

Technology & Services

Produced Water and the Environment

Figure 1: Brage

Produced water is a natural constituent of any oil and gas reservoir. The volume of produced water is increasing worldwide, mainly due to maturing fields, and today is approximately three times that of oil production. The volume of produced water is also increasing steadily in the North Sea. For the oil companies, the water handling costs are increasing. This is not only due to increased water volumes, but also because of the regulatory development by recommending a zero discharge goal with regards to the maximum allowable hydrocarbon concentration in discharged water. Epcons technology is a possible solution for both increasing the oil production and meeting the zero discharge goals.
Tests and Experiences
Site Brage

Since 1999, Epcon has embarked upon a dedicated and focused effort to adapt its technology to meet the needs of the offshore industry, in a costeffective and flexible manner. Our technology has been tested and developed in co-operation with oil companies, and the test results have been verified by the independent water research institute Aquateam. Detailed reports and more documentation can be obtained by contacting Epcons head office.
Brage

Configuration Design Capacity Operation Size (L x W x H) m Weight, kg (dry/wet) Material OiW inlet OiW after treatment

1 x CFU 150 150m3/ h 250m3/ h 1.5 x 1.5 x 3 2,000/4,500 SS316L ~150ppm <20ppm

Troll C (Norsk Hydro)

The tests and installation at the Brage platform in the North Sea that started in 2001 were an important step in the development of the Epcon CFU-technology. The increasing water production from the process resulted in a requirement to increase the capacity of the existing water treatment system. This resulted in a pilot test of the Epcon CFU in parallel with the existing hydrocyclones and degassing drum. This test took place during JuneAugust 2001.The CFU utilised during the test was designed to handle a flow of 150m3/h. Following the test, the operation of the test unit continued to run at full capacity from June 2001 until January 2003, when it was modified into a permanent part of the existing produced water system with an actual capacity of 250m3/h. The performance of the Epcon system has shown an average result below 20mg/l of oil in water (OiW) for the whole period (20012005) with a one-stage Epcon CFU placed downstream of the first-stage separator with its discharge directly to sea.

As a result of problems treating the water from the oily side of the degassing drum to meet the OiW discharge limit, and large maintenance costs of the centrifuges, a full-scale test CFU was installed on Troll C. The purpose of the test was to investigate the possibility of treating this water with the Epcon CFU and achieving the discharge limit. During the period May 2001 to June 2002, a series of full-scale tests using a two-stage CFU with a capacity of 120m3/h in series and 240m3/h in parallel was performed. Between June and September 2001 the two CFUs were operated both in series and in parallel. The gas dosage, flocculent dosage and flow were tested and optimised. There was no need for additional flocculants into the system. The test was also performed with the reject from the hydrocyclones to the oily side of the degassing drum instead of to the second-stage separator. Tests also included treatment of the open drain water system. In June 2002, the test unit was replaced with a permanent Epcon unit with a capacity of 240m3/h. The installation of the permanent Epcon CFU at the Troll C platform was the first permanent

BUSINESS BRIEFING: EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION: THE OIL & GAS REVIEW 2005

Epcon CFU The Alternative to Traditional Produced Water Treatment Systems

Figure 2: Troll C (Norsk Hydro) Figure 3: Heidrun 1

Site

Troll C

Site

Heidrun 1

Configuration Design Capacity Operation Size (L x W x H) m Weight, kg (dry/wet) Material OiW inlet OiW after treatment

2 x 2CFU 120 240m3/h 250m3/h 4.5 x 3.3 x 4.2 13,058/21,058 Duplex 3001,500ppm <10ppm

Configuration Design Capacity Operation Size (L x W x H) m Weight, kg (dry/wet) Material OiW inlet OiW after treatment Figure 4: Heidrun Extension

2 x CFU 150 150m3/h 200m3/h in series 2.4 x 1.6 x 5.1 5,300/10,000 Duplex 100ppm <2ppm

delivery and represented a breakthrough for the Epcon technology.

Heidrun 1

Epcon Offshores CFU for treatment of produced water was installed at the Heidrun field in March 2003. The Epcon CFU is placed for testing both upstream and downstream of the existing hydrocyclones installed at the field. The unit consists of two vessels in series or in parallel, with an actual capacity of 200/400m3/h. The Heidrun CFU is designed to treat the produced water to allow direct discharge to sea in accordance with Statoils contract process guarantee (maximum 30mg/l OiW); however, performance on Heidrun has shown values of OiW significantly lower than this value.
Heidrun Extension

Site

Heidrun 1

Based on the successful field test during the spring of 2002, and seven months of full-scale operation, Statoil purchased the first Epcon CFU system with a capacity of 400m3/h in 2003. The new additional Epcon CFU system will consist of up to six vessels with a total design capacity of 1620m3/h.

Configuration Design Capacity Operation Size (L x W x H) m Weight, kg (dry/wet) Material OiW inlet OiW after treatment

2 x CFU 150 150m3/ h 200m3/ h in series 2.4 x 1.6 x 5.1 5,300/10,000 Duplex 100ppm <20ppm

Initially, four units will be installed, each with a capacity of 270m3/h. The last two units will be installed at a later stage when needed.

BUSINESS BRIEFING: EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION: THE OIL & GAS REVIEW 2005

Technology & Services

Figure 5: Snorre/Vigdis

Snorre/Vigdis

A produced water skid with an actual capacity of 450m3/h was commissioned in January 2003 on Snorre/Vigdis. The skid consists of two parallel lines each consisting of two CFUs in series, each line with a capacity of 225m3/h. In addition, a single CFU vessel with an actual capacity of 450m3/h was installed. The latter is the first scaled-up version of the CFU 150m3/h vessel. Test results from treating produced water from Vigdis have so far been very good. The larger-scale unit was also tested on Snorre/Vigdis with good results. In July 2003, Statoil placed an order with Epcon Offshore to deliver a new CFU system for the Vigdis field, on the Snorre tension leg platform (TLP). The ordered system will replace the temporary test-unit described in the paragraph above.
Site Snorre / Vigdis

Configuration Design Capacity Operation Size (L x W x H) m Weight, kg (dry/wet) Material OiW inlet OiW after treatment

2 x 2 CFU 150 + 1 x CFU 300 300 + 300m3/h 450m3/h in series (CFU 300 = 1 stage) 5.6 x 4.0 x 4.7 14,350/30,250 Duplex ~100ppm <20ppm

The new system will have a design capacity of 625m3/h and the water will be treated to a maximum limit of 30mg/l OiW, in accordance with the new regulations for discharged water. The system comprises six compact flotation units making up three parallel lines with two stages in each. Two lines have a design capacity of 156m3/h each, whilst the third has a design capacity of 312m3/h. The order also includes a potential future extension of the systems capacity by a further 156m3/h line. The new system will be the first permanent installation of Epcon technology in the Tampen area.

Table 1: Summary of Installations

Installed -under installation

Company
Norsk Hydro Statoil

Installation Brage Troll C

Performance OIW(mg/l) :1 stage < 15mg/l :2 stages < 10mg/l

Capacity
37,500 bpd (250m3/h) 45,000 bpd (300m3/h) 75,000 bpd (500m3/h) 150.000 bpd (1000m3/h) 33,200 bpd (220m3/h) 163,000 bpd (1080m3/h) 12,000 bpd (80m3/h) 33,200 bpd (220m3/h) 33,200 bpd (220m3/h)

Snorre/Vigdis: 2 stages < 20 mg/l Snorre A Ext : 2 stages (June 2005) Heidrun : 2 stages < 20 mg/l Heidrun Ext. : 1 stage (June 2005) Ekofisk J Garoupa :2 stage < 30mg/l :2 stage (December 2004)

ConocoPhillips Petrobras Chevron Texaco

Chevron Alba:2-stage (December 2004)

Total 617,720 bpd (4090m3/h)

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Epcon CFU The Alternative to Traditional Produced Water Treatment Systems

Table 2: Epcon CFU versus Trditional Produced Water Treatment Systems

When Tomorrow Comes

Future challenges for Epcon involve improving the removal of the most toxic and harmful aromatic compounds from produced water, including residual concentrations of low water soluble chemicals. Experiments performed by Statoil and Sintef prove that improving the oil removal to <10 mg/l has an important effect on the concentration of these aromatic compounds in overboard discharges of produced water. Epcon Offshore AS has developed a technology able to handle large volumes of water with treatment results for OiW below 10mg/l. According to latest studies, these results will also remove 60% to 80 % of the most toxic and aromatic compounds in the water, and thus significantly reduce the environmental impact of discharged produced water. Further activities include work to tailor the Epcon system for use on wellhead and subsea installations. Work is also being conducted for treatment of water/solids connected to drilling operations. Welcome to our website at: http://www.epconoffshore.com

Contact Information Head Office Epcon Offshore AS, PO Box 2595, N-3908 Porsgrunn, Norway Tel: +47 3592 4540 Fax: +47 3592 4541 e-mail: mail@epconoffshore.com website: www.epconoffshore.com London Office Epcon Offshore AS, Charlse House, 5 Regent Street (Lower) London SW1Y 4LR Tel: +44 (0) 207 389 8800 Aberdeen Office Tel: +44 (0) 1224 645167 Mobile: +44 (0) 7989 562622

BUSINESS BRIEFING: EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION: THE OIL & GAS REVIEW 2005