No.1998.
051
Heavy Viscous Oil Conditioning Processes
V. Valer Popp, SNP PETROM SA, Institute for Research and Technology,
Câmpina, Romania
Abstract
Waxy and asphaltic, heavy crude oils, are water-in-oil emul-
sions, creating serious difficulties in their production and
pipelining, especially during the cold season. Creation of W/O
emulsions by treatment with surfactant flow improvers in the
wells and/or pipelines, has substantially diminished these dif-
ficulties. The effect of surfactants on the oil reservoir water
interface tension was studied and rheological characteristics
of emulsions were determined by laboratory investigations.
The optimal mixture of surfactants (flow improvers) together
with the technology for continuous injection into the wells are
developed. The application of this technology on the Roma-
nian oil fields led to the increasing of oil productivity, as well
as to the diminishing of production and pipelining difficulties.
The aqueous solutions of some complex surfactant mixtures
are successfully used for avoiding and/or removing the solid
organic deposits (paraffines) from wells and from onshore and
offshore pipelines, as well as for pipelining waxy oils as W/O
emulsions at temperatures lower than the oil pour point tem-
perature.
Solid flow improvers with controlled solubility have led to
the extended use of O/W emulsions to a great number of
pumping wells in Romania. The heavy viscous oils from the
West Bakr Field — Egypt (up to 11°API) and Marinza Field
Albania (up to 8.5°API) were produced and pipelined without
difficulties, as O/W emulsion obtained by continuous injection
of aqueous flow improver solutions at bottom-hole. A complex
technological process for dehydrating and desalting the O/W
or/and W/O emulsions formed bt heavy viscous oils was
applied in 2 commercial plant in Romania. The process
includes a thermo-chemical treatment step followed by a gas-
stripping step.
Introduction
The share of heavy viscous oils and waxy oils in the world oil
production is permanently increasing. In Romania, the share
of these oils represents more than 25%. The low recovery fac-
tor calls for using enhanced recovery methods (dry or wet in
situ combustion, steam injection, hot water injection, mining
methods, etc.). Production, pipe transport (gathering), dehy-
dration — desalting of these oils show great difficulties due to
their physical and chemical characteristics. The produced
crude oil looks generally like a stable, mineralized water in
1
heavy oil emulsion. The emulsion stability is enhanced by the
high content of natural emulsifiers (resins asphaltenes, naph-
tenic acids, finely dispersed, solid particles, etc.). This emulsi-
fier concentration, as well as the water dispersion degree,
increases as a result of applying the enhanced recovery meth-
ods (particularly thermal methods) increasing the emulsion
stability.
The W/O emulsion viscosity is higher than the viscosity of
net oil, at the same temperature and it increases in the same
time with the content of dispersed water and its dispersion
degree. The formation of wax crystal lattices resulting in solid
deposits on the extraction equipment and in the pipelines
increases also the hydraulic resistance. The difficulties experi-
enced during the production and pipelining are due to the
increase of hydraulic resistance and they manifest as follows:
• Low volumetric efficiency of bottom-hole pumps.
• High pressure drops in pipelines.
• High consumption of electric and thermal energy.
During the cold season, these difficulties have often caused
the stopping of bottom-hole and transport pumps. These diffi-
culties can be reduced in some extent either by modifying the
equipment according to the crude oil characteristics or pipe-
line heating by steam1,2 or electricity,3 crude oil heating,4 mix-
ing with light oils or light ends,5 introducing miscible gas into
the crudes6 and emulsions treatment at the bottom-hole, in
order to obtain oil in water emulsions7 The treatment of crude
oil at the bottom-hole results in the following advantages:
• Reducing of flow difficulties during production and pipe-
lining.
• The use of geothermal and residual mechanical energies
from the production equipment, in order to obtain oil in
water emulsion.
• Oil in water emulsion apparent viscosity increases insig-
nificantly with temperature drop in production pipelining
systems.
Laboratory Investigations
The preliminary investigations carried out with rotational vis-
cosimeter shave showed the Non-Newtonian character of vis-
cous and waxy crude oils, having a “yield value'”, conferring
them a character of Bingham fluids. Taking into account the
diversity of the parameters, occurring during oil production
and pipelining in field conditions, a rotational viscosimeter
thermostatically controlled was used. Since tixotropic behav-
ior was met with some oils at pipeline temperature, an
improved hydrodynamic pattern was made, necessary for
maximum pressure determination, when resuming to pumping
in the pipeline after various stop periods.
In order to determine in laboratory the chemical agent effi-
ciency to obtain oil in water emulsion, we used pendant drop
tensiometer for measuring oil/formation water interfacial ten-
sion at bottom-hole temperature in accordance with the chem-
ical agent type and dose. The efficiency of this technology and
chemical agent was also checked out in laboratory through
microscopic methods. The investigation carried out for surfac-
tants synthesis took into account both counteracting the unfa-
vorable effect of natural emulsifiers and modifying their
structure. They were materialized by producing water soluble
flow improvers having also the effect of scale control and cor-
rosion inhibitors. The flow improvers and the working out of
the investigation methods made it possible to select in winter
1972, the Balaria field for testing oil flow improving at the
bottom-hole for comparing the efficiency of the technology
and flow improvers with the oil affected or non-affected by in
situ combustion. The characteristics of the oil are shown in
Table 1. Oil/formation water, interfacial tension variation in
accordance with the flow improver type and dose, at Well
1602 bottom-hole temperature (45°C) are shown in Figure 1.
By measuring oil/formation water interfacial tension varia-
tion, the F8 flow improver was selected, with which the emul-
sion inversion at the bottom-hole temperature was tested in the
laboratory (Table 2). The remarcable decreasing in the viscos-
ity of emulsions treated with F8 flow improver, was also
checked up through microscopic methods. The results are
shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5.
In Figures 3, 4, and 5 it is shown the formation of emulsion
of crude oil in water, which confirm the strong decrease of vis-
cosity. Also, one might notice that fine dispersed water parti-
cles into the oil particles, exist, the emulsion having a multiple
character. The rheological determinations, using the hydrodi-
namic model and rotational viscosimeter, decided experimen-
tation of the technology and F8 flow improver in the field.
Tests in Romanian Fields
Fluidization of Asphaltic Oils with
Flow Improvers Solutions
The first test was carried out in Balaria Field, under unfavor-
able climatic conditions, by continuous injection of F8 aque-
ous solution in 1313 Well and 1602 Well, using an injection
facility, as shown in the sketch in Figure 6. The efficiency of
test may be readily seen by comparing the initial technologi-
cal parameters (W/O emulsion) with those obtained during the
test (O/W emulsion), shown in Table 3 and Table 4. Due to the
results of the test, the application of technology and flow
2
improvers solutions was extended, obtaining the following
effects:
• Crude oil production increasing by 35%.
• Electric consumption decreasing by 30%.
• Thermal consumption decreasing by 40%.
The Use of Solid Flow Improvers with
Controlled Solubility
The extension of continuous injection of flow improvers solu-
tions into the production wells was hampered by the amount
of field facilities for each well, that is, the necessary equip-
ment, and by the operation costs involved. Many pumping
wells in Romania produce crude oil with over 30% by volume
and oil production lower than 15 t/d with bottom-hole temper-
ature below 50°C and with approximate workover frequency
of about 3 months. For these reasons, solid flow improvers
with controlled solubility, containing anhidrous surfactants,
solid organic binders with reduced solubility in oil, an solide;
anionic active, weighting materials were developed. They
appear as dark gray irregular balls, with a diameter of around
4 cm, with a minimum specific weight of 1.2 g/cu.cm and a
melting temperature of at least 70°C. They are placed by free
fall below the production pump, during workover procedure
for that pump. After well completion, an aqueous solution of
the flow improver is injected into the pay bed, in order to
break the water in oil emulsion around the well hole.
Solid flow improvers are also used for wells in the
“unheated zone” of the reservoirs in which in situ combustion
is applied. Figures 7 and 8 summarized the results of solid
flow improvers utilization on 2 oil fields in Romania. The pro-
nounced increasing during the first month is also due to the
effect of the flow improver solution injected in the pay bed.
This effect vanished in the first 2 weeks after solution injec-
tion. In the wells within the “unheated zone” affected by in
situ combustion, hot oil arrived within around 3 months from
the treatment, at a temperature about of 70°C.8,9
Production and Pipeline Transportation
of Waxy Oils as Oil In-Water Emulsions
Some complex surfactant mixtures (quaternary amines, polyg-
lycols, alcohols, etoxylated nonilphenols) for obtaining O/W
emulsions at the bottom-hole and/or in the pipelines, which
significantly diminished the solid deposits on the extraction
equipments and in the pipelines, and facilitated pipelining of
waxy oils at temperature lower than the oil pour point were
used.
This technology with flow improver solution is applied in
Dudesti oil field for pipelining the waxy crude oil along 28
km.11 Solid organic deposits (parrafines) have a content of
around 40% by weight water and minerals and around 60% by
weight organic mass, of which 50% paraffines, 17% resins
and asphaltanes, the reminder being liquid hydrocarbons
incorporated in the lattice. The melting temperature of these
deposits ranges between 50–75°C. Their mechanical removal
and/or with organic solvents at short time intervals, in some
instances in the order of days, involves great difficulties and
high costs. Organic solvents cannot be used for the dewaxing
of wells with rotary pumps and offshore pipelines connected
to the buoys by rubber hoses, since organic solvents contain-
ing aromatic hydrocarbons will damage the rubber. Aqueous
solutions of complex surfactant mixtures were applied with
adequate technologies for the dewaxing the wells and pipe-
lines onshire and offshore, with following results:
• avoidance of organic solvents consumption:
• intervals between 2 mechanical dewaxing of wells
increase from days to months.
• dewaxing treatments costs decrease by 40%.8,9
Tests in West Bakr Field (Egypt)
To fluidize the heavy asphaltic oils from the Wells EPH IX,
EPH 2X and EPG IX, a mixture of up to 25% solar oil by vol-
ume was unsuccessfully tested. The production of the EPH IX
and EPH 2X Wells was transported by tank trucks (about 25
km) to the oil dehydration plant, while Well EPG IX couldn't
be put in production for a period of 5 years. The use of solid
flow improvers was ruled out due to a bottom-hole tempera-
ture of around 100°C. After fluidization of the crude oil from
Wells EPH IX and EPH 2X through continuous injection of an
aqueous solution flow improver, production (about 200 cu.m/
d) was transported through a 4 in pipeline, with a length of 14
km, and no difficulties were encountered.
During the test (3 months), the maximum pumping pres-
sures were of 1.5 MPa, upon pumping resumption after a dis-
continuation of about 6 hours. Fluidization of crude oil from
well EPG IX caused a great deal of difficulties due to the char-
acteristics of oil and gas dissolved in oil.
• Oil density: (11.7° API).
• Oil viscosity at 20°C: (55,000 cSt).
• Water cut less than 1% by volume.
• The gas dissolved in oil had a content of 34,2% vol. CO2
and 21.8% vol. H2S.
The well had to be equipped with a special packer, in order to
allow continuous flow improver solution injection (Figure 9).
For creation of O/W emulsion, a solution of flow improver
diluted in seawater (Suez Gulf) was injected, with a flow
improver dose of 3,000 ppm in respect with net oil (Figure
10). A 4” pipeline with a length of 15 km was installed on the
ground (sand) and pipelining tests were performed during
daytime when the temperature in the shade was of 52°C. After
pumping break for about 1 hour, pumping could not be
resumed, even at 15 MPa.
After cutting the pipeline it was found, that due to the high
temperature of the pipeline exposed to the sunshine, part of
the O/W emulsion was broke and foam built up and adhered to
the pipe walls, blocking the flow. The pipeline was divided in
3
3 sections of equal length, which were individually pigged at
pressure of around 10 MPa with anionic active agent solution.
The pipeline was reassembled and buried in sand. After
continuous pumping of O/W emulsion, the pipeline volume
was displaced with seawater containing active anionic agent
(100 ppm), following which pumping was stopped for 2 days.
No further difficulties were encountered when the pumping
was resumed, the pressure increasing being of 1.2 MPa. The
pumping rates were 15 cu.m/h, at a pressure of 0.6 MPa dur-
ing 2 months of tests.9,10
Tests in Marinza Field (Albania)
The oil produced in Marinza Field has a density ranging
between 9.6 and 8.5°API and a viscosity ranging 30,000–
120,000 cSt at 20°C. To reduce the production and gathering
difficulties, solar oil as diluant is continuously injected at the
bottom-hole, the dose ranging between 12–16% vol. in respect
with net oil.
In November 1989 laboratory tests were performed on
location to evaluate Romanian chemicals as flow improver, to
obtain O/W emulsion. The pilot field test was performed
between April, the 30th and May, the 11th, 1992, at 10 wells,
using the existing facilities in Marinza Field, for solar oil
injection. Good results were scored only in te wells producing
more than 30% vol. water in crude oil, as follows:
• Production increased by 30%.
• Electric power consumption decreased by 10%.
• Solar oil consumption avoidance.
• The flow improver dose was 2,000 ppm in respect of net
oil.11
Dehydration and Desalting of
O/W Emulsions
Dehydration and desalting of O/W emulsion, obtained by
treatment of in situ combustion production wells by thermal-
chemical processes, were inefficient, yielding a BS&W of
over 4% vol. The research work carried on led to the improve-
ment of thermal-chemical treatment by separation of free
water in 2 stages, to the change of the heating system involv-
ing use of metal heaters, and to the final desalting with a
diluted solution of an anionic — active agent, in fresh water.
In order to remove colloidal non-settling water, the thermal-
chemical treatment was condensing cooling compartment.12
A stripping stage with natural gas at a pressure of 0.3 MPa,
using horizontal heaters, was installed as an extension to exist-
ing thermo-chemical plant, at Suplacu de Barcau in 1976. A
thermo-chemical and the flue gas stripping plant, at atmo-
spheric pressure, for dehydration and desalting of oil pro-
duced by in situ combustion, in Balaria oil field, using vertical
heaters, with and without blown-in air was put in production
at Anghelesti in 1990. The typical block diagram is shown in
Figure 11 and the main technological parameters in Table 5.13
Conclusions
1. Waxy and asphaltic, heavy crude oils, are water-in-oil
emulsions, creating serious difficulties during their pro-
duction and pipelining, especially during the cold season.
2. Creation of W/O emulsions by treatment with surfactant
flow improvers in the wells and/or pipelines, has substan-
tially diminished these difficulties.
3. The effect of surfactants on the oil reservoir water inter-
face tension was studied and rheological characteristics
of emulsions were determined by laboratory investiga-
tions.
4. The optimal mixture of surfactants (flow improvers)
together with the technology for continuous injection into
the wells are developed.
5. The application of this technology on the Romanian oil
fields led to the increasing of oil productivity, as well as
to the diminishing of production and pipelining difficul-
ties.
6. The aqueous solutions of some complex surfactant mix-
tures are successfully used for avoiding and/or removing
the solid organic deposits (paraffines) from wells and
from onshore and offshore pipelines, as well as for pipe-
lining waxy oils as W/O emulsions at temperatures below
the oil pour point temperature.
7. Solid flow improvers with controlled solubility have led
to the extended use of O/W emulsions to a great number
of pumping wells in Romania.
8. The heavy viscous oils from the West Bakr Field —
Egypt (up to 11°API) and Marinza Field — Albania (up
to 8.5°API) were produced and pipelined without difficul-
ties, as O/W emulsion obtained by continuous injection
of aqueous flow improver solutions at bottom-hole.
9. A complex technological process for dehydrating and
desalting the O/W emulsions formed by heavy viscous
oils was applied in 2 commercial plant in Romania. The
process includes a thermo-chemical treatment step fol-
lowed by a gas-stripping step.
4
References
1. G. Mametelicev, Ossobenosti termicescogo regima gori-
acih truboptovodov pri transporte nefti. Transport i hrane-
nie neftÓ i nefteproductov, Nr. 3, 1969.
2. V.E. Gubin, Transport viscoviaskih neftei i neftproductov
po magistraluam truboprovodam — Transport i hrumenie
nefti i nefteproductov, Nr. 11, 1970.
3. Masao Ando and D.F. Othmer, Heating Pipeline with
Electrical Skin Current — Chemical Engineering
5.03.1970.
4. P.Q. Scott and Q.F. Schenerman, U.S. Patent 3474596/
1968.
5. A.G. Harvey, Pipeling Oils Below their Pour Point
O.G.J., Nr. 35, 1971.
6. I. Non Chew, A Viscosity Correlation for Gas–Saturated
Crude Oils Trans, AIME, 1959.
7. R. Simon and W.G. Poynter, Emulsification in the Bore-
hole in view of Increasing Production of Vicons Crudes
— AIME Congress, Houston, Texas, Oct. 1968.
8. V.V. Popp and V. Diaconu, Improving Production and
Pipelining of Crude Oils in Romania by using Oil in
Water Emulsions. 2nd World Congress on Emulsion Bor-
deaux, France, Sept. 1997. Paper 4.3.163
9. V.V. Popp, Roumanian Technology and Chemicals solve
Heavy and Viscous Oil Production and Fluid Processing
Problems in some Roumanian and Egyptian Fields. The
Eight Production Seminar, Cairo, Egypt, March 1985.
10. E.L.S. Chattas and Ali A. Sattar, Laboratory and Field
Evaluation for Production of Heavy Oil. The Eight Pro-
duction Seminar, Ciro, Egypt, March 1985.
11. M.I. Cucuiat, VV. Popp, and T. Kerenxhi (Albania), Vis-
cons Bituminous and High Pour Point Oils Extraction,
Gathering and Transport with Oil in Water Flow Improver
Emulsifiers. 1st World Congress on Emulsion, Paris, Oct.
1993, Paper 3.30.096
12. V.V. Popp, P. Neagu, and D. Tarboiu, Process for Desalt-
ing and Dehydration of Crude Oil including Hot Water
Washing and Gas Stripping, U.S. Patent 4, 180, 457/1979.
13. V.V. Popp and V. Dinulescu, Dehydration and Desalting
of Heavy and Viscons Crude Oil Produced by In Situ
Combustion, S.P.E. 28539 — S.P.E. Production & Facili-
ties, May 1997.
 No. Characteristics M.U. 1313 Well 1602 Well
Emulsion Net Oil Emulsion Net Oil
1. Water content % vol. 60 - 90
3
2. Density kg/m 978 939.2 985.4 943.4
3
3. Water density kg/m 1,017 1,005
0
4. Pour point C -7 -6
5. Asphaltenes and resins content % by 25,4 30,2
weight
6. Molecular weight - 540 548

7. Engler distillation
- initial boiling point 0
C 248 231
- up to 3000C % vol. 10 4
- up to 3600C % vol. 16 14
8. Viscosity at 200C m2/s 10-6 2,020 680 7,115 895
Viscosity at 300C m2/s 10-6 968 317 3,365 538
Viscosity at 400C m2/s 10-6 544 162 1,487 296
Viscosity at 500C m2/s 10-6 338 90 769 144
0 2 -6
Viscosity at 60 C m /s 10 216 56 431 95
0 -1
9. Yield value at 30 C Pa 10 95 54 350 86

Table 1: Characteristics of Oil Produced by Well 1313 (Unaffected by In Situ Combustion) and Well 1602 (Affected by In Situ Combustion)

No. Characteristics M.U. Dose of F8 Flow improver p.p.m.

0 200 300 400 500 60
1. Temperature 0
C 45 45 45 45 45 0
2. Stirring time minute 1 1 1 1 1 45
3. Rate of stirring minute -1 25 25 25 25 25 1
4. Emulsion viscosity m2sec 10- 6 25

- Well 1313 475 202 164 68 40 35

- Well 1602 1,207 1,100 350 120 20 15

Table 2: Laboratory Inversion of Emulsions from Wells 1313 and 1602

5
No Characteristics M.U. Well 1602 (pumping) Well 1313 (pumping)
initial F8 initial F8
1 Flow improver dose ppm - 600 - 500
2 Casing pressure MPa 0.6 0.55 0.6 0.55
3 Tubing pressure MPa 1.8 0.25 1.0 0.15
4 Liquid flow rate m /d
3
12 20 34.5 56
5 BS & W % vol. 50 50 60 60
6 Net oil flow rate 3
m /d 6 10 13.1 21.3
7 Flow line - diameter inch - 4 - 4
- length m - 1,600 - 1,800
8 Tubing temperature °C 25 37 27 38
9 Entrance temperature °C 16 30 13 29
10 Electric power requirements at the kW/h 8,6 5 10 54
pumping unit

Table 3: Efficiency of Treatments with F8 Flow Improver - Balaria Field

No Characteristics M.U. Initial After bottom-hole

treatment

1 Flow improver dose injected in wells ppm - 530

2 Emulsion temperature °C 65 35
3 Free water temperature °C 70 14
4 Water content of produced fluid % vol. 60 60
5 Water content of separated emulsion % vol. 40 8
6 Pressure at pump start-up MPa 6.5 3
7 Pressure at 5 minutes after pump start-up MPa 6 29
8 Pressure at 4 hours after pump start-up MPa 4 2.8
3
9 Flow rate m /h 24 36
10 Length of pipeline m 8,200 ,
8,200
11 Diameter of pipeline inch 6 6

Table 4: Results of Gathering Center - Dehydration Plant Pipeline Experiment

6
 Technological parameters Thermochemical stage Stripping stage
Crude oil feeding temperature 0C 5 to 15 60-70
0
Treatment temperature C 85 125
Demulsifier dose (in respect of net oil) p.p.m. 300 -
Active anionic agent (in respect of net oil) p.p.m. 1000 -
B.S. & W 85 to 95 5 to 8
Emulsion chlorides content p.p.m. 720 to 950 160 to 280
Net oil bbl/h 288
3
Stripping flue gas stdm /h 5200
0 3
Net oil density (at 20 C) kg/m 950
B.S. & W 0.2 to 0.4
Net oil chlorides content p.p.m. 15 to 30

Table 5: Main Technological Parameters of Anghelesti Plant

Figure 1: Interfacial Tension Variation with Type and Dose of Flow Improver

7
 Figure 2: Water in Oil Emulsion (x 350)

Figure 3: Partially Inversed Emulsion (x 700)

Figure 4: Oil in Water Emulsion Well 1313 (x 700)

8
Figure 5: Oil in Water Emulsion Well 1602 (x 700)

Figure 6: Flow Improver Injection Field Facility

9
Figure 7: The Effect of Solid Flow Improver Treatment (Crude Oil Unaffected by Combustion)

Figure 8: The Effect of Solid Flow Improver Treatment (Crude Oil Affected by Combustion)

10
 Figure 10: Sketch of Field Test Facilities E.P.G - IX Well

Figure 9: EPG - IX Well Completion

11
Figure 11: Block Diagram of Anghelesti Plant

12