Enhanced Nanofiltration Process of Thin Film Composite Membrane Using Dodecyl Phenol Ethoxylate and Oleic Acid Ethoxylate for Oilfield Calcite Scale Control.

Saedah R Al-Mhyawi,Manal Amine,Mahmoud F Mubarak,Rasha Hosny,Omnia H Abdelraheem,Abeer El Shahawy,Ahmed H Ragab,M A Zayed

doi:10.3390/membranes11110855

Abstract

This research studied the enhancing effect on the nanofiltration composite (TFCNF) membrane of two non-ionic surfactants on a thin-film composite nanofiltration membrane (TFCNF) for calcite scale (CaCO3) inhibition in oilfield application to develop a multifunctional filtration system: nanofiltration, antiscalant, and scale inhibitors. The effectiveness of dodecyl phenol ethoxylate (DPE) and oleic acid ethoxylate (OAE) as novel scale inhibitors were studied using the dynamic method. Scaling tests on the membrane were performed to measure the scaling of the inhibited membrane with and without scale inhibitors for salt rejection, permeability, and flux decline. The results revealed that the TFCNF membrane flux decline was improved in the presence of scale inhibitors from 22% to about 15%. The rejection of the membrane scales increases from 72% for blank membranes, reaching 97.2% and 88% for both DPE and OAE, respectively. These confirmed that scale inhibitor DPE had superior anti-scaling properties against calcite deposits on TFCNF membranes. Inhibited scaled TFCNF membrane was characterized using environmental scanning electron (ESEM), FTIR, and XRD techniques. The results of the prepared TFCNF membrane extensively scaled by the calcite deposits were correlated to its morphology.

Highlights

Scale formation of produced water [1,2] generated during oil or natural gas exploitation may occur due to the incompatibility between the formation water and the injected seawater [3]
The permeability and salt rejection of scaled inhibited behaviour of this membrane Membranes 2021, 11, x FOR PEER REVwIEiWthout and with scale inhibitors were measured by thin-film composite nanofiltration membrane (TFCNF) membrane anti-scali6ngof e1x8
This paper aims to reduce the calcium carbonate scales from PW precipitated in oilfield production pipelines to enhance oil production

Summary

Introduction

Scale formation of produced water [1,2] generated during oil or natural gas exploitation may occur due to the incompatibility between the formation water and the injected seawater [3]. The result deposits adhere near the surfaces of the well-producing tubing, perforations, tubing, sub-sea equipment, which accumulates over time and causes problems in reservoirs, topside facilities, and impairs oil production [4]. “calcite”, are scale-formed in the oil and gas industry, causing high costs and significantly reducing production rates and equipment damages [5]. Membrane separation is categorized as advanced wastewater treatment technology and has the advantages of high operating efficiency, easy scale-up, and less space demand [6,7,8]. The scale inhibitors holdup the crystal formation through slowing induction time, leading to a delay of crystal growth [16]

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