Opus has recently completed an in-depth solids characterisation project for leading energy services company, Wood Group, on behalf of Hess Limited.
The contract – which was worth around £30,000 – involved Opus assessing the quality of fluids within the water treatment system onboard the Hess-operated Triton FPSO vessel, located in the UK sector of the North Sea.
The primary aim of the project was to characterise the solids going through the entire plant. A focus of the study was to identify the levels, source and distribution of any solids in the system as it was thought that very fine solids were having a detrimental effect on the separation performance.
A secondary element of the study was to investigate if a primary flocculent would aid in the reduction of oil covered solids being discharged as part of the produced water stream. Opus discovered complexities in chemical reactions between the fluids and produced chemicals, which can result in varying types of solids being produced within the process system.
The resulting effects of these solids on the performance of the system required detailed interpretation. The operator has taken the resultant data to provide baseline criteria for design of future solids handling equipment on the platform and to evaluate if any changes can be made to improve the current process system.
Glen McLellan, Opus’ engineering manager, commented on the completion of the project: “For in-depth projects such as these, companies recognise it’s essential to work with experienced providers who specialise in this discipline.”
“In recent times, we have been involved in a number of highly specialised water characterisation studies, further enhancing our expertise and experience in the area, and we are extremely pleased to have completed this latest project, which further cements Opus’ position as market leaders in the produced water industry.”