Flow assurance for uninterrupted, maximized productivity

Flow assurance is a multidisciplinary process designed to prevent pipe blockage and help ensure uninterrupted and maximized productivity in oil and gas streams. The studies involve sampling, specialized lab testing, and production and facilities engineering.

Specific services include hydrate testing to determine the temperature and pressure conditions of hydrate formations in reservoir fluids, testing to evaluate the effectiveness of chemical inhibitors, and reservoir flow testing to detect and characterize precipitated solids that inhibit flow, such as waxes and asphaltenes.

Mercury-free hydrate testing

We use a mercury-free sapphire cell to study hydrate formations at pressures to 3,000 psi [21 MPa] and the visual PVT cell at pressures to 15,000 psi [103 MPa]. We can measure hydrate formation conditions in fluids containing natural gas; CO2; H2S; gas condensate; or conventional oil in the presence of water, synthetically prepared brines, or formation water or brine. The hydrate formation conditions can be measured in both the single- and two-phase regions.

Additional services include

• evaluation of the effectiveness of various hydrate inhibitors (e.g., methanol, glycol, and electrolyte solutions)
• inhibitor optimization
• inhibitor solubility
• customized research projects related to hydrate formation conditions and hydrate kinetics.

RealView live-fluid organic solids deposition analysis

Bypass the limitations of conventional deposition measurement techniques. RealView analysis mimics the process of wax and asphaltene deposition from live reservoir fluids under realistic production and transportation conditions, enabling independent variation of test parameters to quantify the effects of pressure, temperature, composition, surface type, flow regime, and shear on the deposition behavior of waxes and asphaltenes.

Unlike conventional flow loops, RealView analysis measures live oil deposition in turbulent flow, with temperature control from 39 to 302 degF [4 to 150 degC] and high-pressure adaptability to 15,000 psi [103 MPa]. The cell is suitable for testing sour fluids and requires a sample volume of only 150 cm3 per test run.