Waxy Crude Oil Demulsification Study

Upstream petroleum production is one of the most critical phase in a petroleum lifecycle activities where the stage require performance consistency to ensure maximum profit can be made upon huge investment that was made during field
development stage. As one of the most critical challenges in flow assurance, emulsion formation lead to inconsistency in production performance in means of crude unloading from well to surface, crude transportation through flowlines and crude
separation process at the topside facilities. References on previous academic studies and researches towards emulsion treatment or demulsification have proven various methods to encounter the problem which include through heating method and chemical demulsifier injection method. However, these methods are observed to be experimented individually. As provided by one of the academic journal, the best demulsification solution is involving two or more combination of solution available. In this study, combinations of demulsification solution approaches are tested simultaneously by using a specified laboratory device. The combinations cover the approaches of mechanical heating, chemical demulsifier injection and gas aeration.
The effects of the combinations are studied and analyzed before the best demulsification solution approaches are identified through optimization analysis. The combination of demulsification approaches, experimental analysis and optimization analysis are performed using Design Expert 6 software while supporting data input obtained through market survey and Aspen Hysys for cost analysis purpose. Seven
approaches are presented as results for optimization analysis and the best solution with highest desirability is selected to be the primary operating conditions to
encounter emulsion problem for particular crude. Technical insights on in-progress emulsion treatment for two additional crudes are also provided as a way forward to
the research.