Efeito da incorporação de diatomita na estabilidade e permeabilidade de compósitos cimentíceos espumados aplicados a poços de petróleo

Lightweight oilwell cement slurries have been recently studied as a mean to improve zonal isolation and sheath-porous formation adherence. Foamed slurries consisting of Portland cement and air-entraining admixtures have become an interesting option for this application. The loss in hydrostatic pressure as a consequence of cement hydration results in the expansion of the air bubbles entrapped in the cement matrix, thus improving the sheath-porous formation contact. Consequently, slurries are able to better retain their water to complete the hydration process. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of an air-entraining admixture on the density, stability and permeability of composite slurries containing Portland cement and diatomite as light mineral load. Successful formulations are potential cementing materials for low fracture gradient oilwells. The experimental procedures used for slurry preparation and characterization were based on the American Petroleum Institute and ABNT guidelines Slurries containing a pre-established concentration of the air-entraining admixture and different contents of diatomite were prepared aiming at final densities of 13 to 15 lb/gal. The results revealed that the reduction of 15 to 25% of the density of the slurries did not significantly affect their strength. The addition of both diatomite and the air-entraining admixture increased the viscosity of the slurry providing better air-bubble retention in the volume of the slurry. Stable slurries depicted bottom to top density variation of less than 1.0 lb/gal and length reduction of the stability sample of 5.86 mm. Finally, permeability coefficient values between 0.617 and 0.406 mD were obtained. Therefore, lightweight oilwell cement slurries depicting a satisfactory set of physicochemical and mechanical properties can be formulated using a combination of diatomite and air-entraining admixtures for low fracture gradient oilwells

Adição de resíduo cerâmico em pastas geopoliméricas para cimentação de poços de petróleo

The development of activities the of oil and gas sector have promoted the search for suitable materials for cementing oil wells. In the state of the Rio Grande do Norte, the integrity of the cement sheath tends to be impaired during steam injection, a procedure necessary to increase oil recovery in reservoirs with low-viscosity oil. The geopolymer is a material that can be used as alternative cement, since it has been used in the production of fire-resistant components, building structures, and for the control of toxic or radioactive residues. Geopolymers result from condensation polymer alkali aluminosilicates and silicates resulting three-dimensional polymeric structures. They are produced in a manner different from that of Portland cement, which is made an activating solution that is mixed with geopolymer precursor. Among the few works studied allowed us to conclude that the pastes prepared with metakaolin as precursor showed better performance of its properties. Several studies show the addition of waste clay as a means of reducing cost and improving end of the folder properties. On this basis, the goal is to study the influence of the addition of ceramic waste in geopolymer paste. To develop the study of rheology tests were carried out, filtered, thickening time, compressive strength, free water, specific gravity and permeability, according to the American Pretoleum Institute (API). The results for all formulations studied show that the folders have high mechanical strength to a light paste; low filtrate volume, absence of free water, very low permeability, slurry, consistent with a light paste, and thickening time low that can be corrected with the use of a retardant handle. For morphological characterization, microstructural, physical, chemical and thermal tests were carried out by XRD, MEV, DTA, TG, FTIR. In the trial of XRD, it was found that geopolymer is an amorphous material, with a peak of crystalline kaolinite. In tests of TG / DTA, revealed the presence of a significant event, which represents the mass loss related to water, and also observed the reduction of weight loss by increasing the concentration of ceramic waste. In the trial of MEV, we found a uniform matrix without the presence of other phases. In the trial of FT-IR, we observed the presence of the band related to water. From all results it was determined that the optimum concentration range of use is between 2.5 and 5% of waste ceramic

Influência da adição do NaCl e KCl em sistemas de pastas contendo sílica para poços de petróleo em zonas evaporíticas e carbonáticas

One of the major challenges faced nowadays by oil companies is the exploration of pre-salt basins. Thick salt layers were formed in remote ages as a consequence of the evaporation of sea water containing high concentrations of NaCl and KCl. Deep reservoirs can be found below salt formations that prevent the outflow of oil, thus improving the success in oil prospection. The slurries used in the cement operations of salt layers must be adequate to the properties of those specific formations. At the same time, their resulting properties are highly affected by the contamination of salt in the fresh state. It is t herefore important to address the effects of the presence of salt in the cement slurries in order to assure that the well sheath is able to fulfill its main role to provide zonal isolation and mechanical stability. In this scenario, the objective of the present thesis work was to evaluate the effect of the presence of NaCl and KCl premixed with cement and 40% silica flour on the behavior of cement slurries. Their effect in the presence of CO2 was also investigated. The rheological behavior of slurries containing NaCl and KCl was evaluated along with their mechanical strength. Thermal and microstructural tests were also carried out. The results revealed that the presence of NaCl and KCl affected the pozzolanic activity of silica flour, reducing the strength of the hardened slurries containing salt. Friedel´s salt was formed as a result of the bonding between free Cl- and tricalcium aluminate. The presence of CO2 also contributed to the degradation of the slurries as a result of a process of carbonation/bicarbonataion

Comportamento reológico de materiais cimentícios para poços de petróleo contendo naftaleno condensado ou policarboxilato

Pastas a base de cimento Portland são utilizadas na cimentação de poços de petróleo. Elas consistem de uma mistura de partículas sólidas de cimento dispersas em água e aditivos. Atualmente, diversos materiais alternativos são utilizados como aditivos, objetivando a modificação e a melhoria das propriedades das pastas de cimento, especialmente no aumento da fluidez. Novos aditivos plastificantes são capazes de suportar as diversas condições de poços, promovendo propriedades no estado fluido compatíveis às condições exigidas para cimentação.Dispersantes são os componentes da pasta que garantem fluidez, além de proporcionar controle na água perdida por filtração na formação porosa, garantindo o sucesso da operação de bombeio. Em deter minados campos, além do efeito da profundidade, as condições geológicas das formações promovemvariações do gradiente de pressão e temperatura ao longo da profundidade vertical do poço. Recentemente, diversos aditivos químicos da indústria da construção civil tem sido estudados em condições de cimentação de poços de petróleo. Vários produtos testados tem apresentado desempenho superior aos produtos normalmente empregados pela indústria de petróleo com boa relação custo/benefício em função do volume de mercado da construção civil. Resultados promissores na seleção de aditivos com função dispersante da construção civil para operações de cimentação de poços de petróleo onshore foram obtidos para temperaturas até 80°C. O potencial de uso desses aditivos permite estabelecer novas soluções para problemas encontrados na cimentação de poços de petróleo HPHT, poços sujeitos à injeção de vapor, poços depletados e poços produtores de gás. Na construção civil, os superplastificantes permitem reduzir o fator água/cimento das argamassas proporcionando melhoria de propriedades como resistência mecânica e fluidez. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi o estudo e a caracterização reológica de pastas constituídas de cimento Portland, água e aditivos do tipo plastificante, com função dispersante a base de naftaleno condensado e policarboxilato, na faixa de temperaturas de 58°C e 70ºC. As condições utilizadas para a avaliação dos aditivos alternativos foram baseadas em uma cimentação primária para um poço hipotético de 2200 m de profundidade e gradientes geotérmicos de 1,7°F/100 pés e 2,1°F/100 pés. Os resultados demonstraram a grande eficiência e o poder dispersivo do policarboxilato para as temperaturas estudadas. O aditivo promoveu alta fluidez, sem efeitos de sedimentação da pasta. O dispersante à base de naftaleno reduziutant o a viscosidade plástica como o limite de escoamento acimada concentração a partir de 0,13%. O modelo de Bingham descreveu bem o comportamento reológico das pastas com policarboxilato para todas as concentrações

Compósitos Portland-biopolímeros para cimentação de poços de petróleo

The oil production in mature areas can be improved by advanced recovery techniques. In special, steam injection reduces the viscosity of heavy oils, thus improving its flow to surrounding wells. On the other hand, the usually high temperatures and pressures involved in the process may lead to cement cracking, negatively affecting both the mechanical stability and zonal isolation provided by the cement sheath of the well. The addition of plastic materials to the cement is an alternative to prevent this scenario. Composite slurries consisting of Portland cement and a natural biopolymer were studied. Samples containing different contents of biopolymer dispersed in a Portland cement matrix were prepared and evaluated by mechanical and rheological tests in order to assess their behavior according to API (American Petroleum Institute) guidelines. FEM was also applied to map the stress distribution encountered by the cement at bottom bole. The slurries were prepared according to a factorial experiment plan by varying three parameters, i.e., cement age, contents of biopolymer and water-to-cement ratio. The results revealed that the addition of the biopolymer reduced the volume of free water and the setting time of the slurry. In addition, tensile strength, compressive strength and toughness improved by 30% comparing hardened composites to plain Portland slurries. FEM results suggested that the stresses developed at bottomhole may be 10 to 100 times higher than the strength of the cement as evaluated in the lab by unconfined mechanical testing. An alternative approach is proposed to adapt the testing methodology used to evaluate the mechanical behavior of oilwell cement slurries by simulating the confined conditions encountered at bottornhole

Avaliação do comportamento reológico de pastas de cimento para poços de petróleo com adição de plastificantes

The isolation of adjacent zones encountered during oilwell drilling is carried out by Portland-based cement slurries. The slurries are pumped into the annular positions between the well and the casing. Their rheological behavior is a very important component for the cementing process. Nowadays, several alternative materials are used in oilwell cementing, with goal the modification and the improvement of their properties, mainly the increase of the fluidity. And this can be reached by using plasticizers additives able to account for different oilwell conditions, yielding compatible cement slurries and allowing enough time for the complete cementing operation. If the rheological properties of the slurry are properly characterized, the load loss and flow regime can be correctly predicted. However, this experimental characterization is difficult. Rheological models capable of describing the cement slurry behavior must be capable of predicting the slurry cement deformation within reasonable accuracy. The aim of this study was to characterize rheologically the slurries prepared with a especial class of Portland cement, water and plasticizers based on lignosulfonate, melamine and polycarboxylate at temperatures varying from 27°C to 72°C. The tests were carried out according to the practical recommendations of the API RP 10B guidelines. The results revealed a great efficiency and the dispersive power of the polycarboxylate, for all temperatures tested. This additive promoted high fluidity of the slurries, with no sedimentation. High lignosulfonate and melamine concentrations did not reduce the rheological parameters (plastic viscosity and yield stress) of the slurries. It was verified that these additives were not compatible with the type of cement used. The evaluated rheological models were capable of describing the behavior of the slurries only within concentration and temperature ranges specific for each type of additive

Desenvolvimento de filtros cerâmicos impregnados com nanopartículas de prata para desinfecção de água potável

Brazil has vast amounts of hydric resources, whose quality has been deteriorating due to pollutant dumping. Household waste disposal is one of the main sources of water pollution, stimulating bacteria proliferation and introducing microorganisms, including those from fecal matter. Conventional water disinfection methods are a solution, but on the downside, they lead to the formation byproducts hazardous to human health. In this study, aiming to develop bactericidal filters for the disinfection of drinking water; silver nanoparticles were deposited on alumina foams through three routes: sputtering DC, dip coating and in situ chemical reduction of silver nitrate. The depositions were characterized through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and EDS element mapping. The influence of the depositions on permeability and mechanical properties of the ceramic foams was assessed and, in sequence, a preliminary antibacterial efficiency analysis was carried out. Characterization results indicate that the chemical reduction routes were efficient in depositing homogeneously distributed silver particles and that the concentration of the metallic precursor salt affects size and morphology of the particles. The antibacterial efficiency analysis indicates that the chemical reduction filters have potential for water disinfection

Avaliação da incorporação combinada dos resíduos de cascalho de perfuração de poço de petróleo e de polimento do porcelanato em cerâmica vermelha

Among the industries, those that produce ceramic porcelain for use in construction industry and oil, during the exploration and production period, play an important role in the production of waste. Much research has been carried out both by academia and the productive sector, sometimes reintroducing them in the same production line that generated them, sometimes in areas unrelated to their generation, as in the production of concrete and mortar for the construction, for example, but each one in an isolated way. In this research, the aim is to study the combined incorporation of the waste drill cuttings of oil well and the residue of the polishing of porcelain, generated in the final stage of finishing of this product in a clay matrix, for the production of red pottery, specifically bricks, ceramic blocks and tiles. The clay comes from the municipality of São Gonçalo, RN, the drilling waste is from the Natal basin, in Rio Grande do Norte, and the residue of the polishing proceeds from a ceramic porcelain of the State of Paraíba. For this purpose, we used a mixture of a plastic clay with a non-plastic, in a ratio of 50% each, settling formulations with the addition of these two residues in this clay matrix. In the formulations, both residues were incorporated with a minimum percentage of 2.5% and maximum of 12.5%, varying from 2.5% each, in each formulation, which the sum of the waste be no more than 15%. It should be noted that the residue of the polishing of ceramic porcelain is a IIa class (not inert). The materials were characterized by XRF, XRD, TG, DTA, laser granulometry and the plasticity index. The technological properties of water absorption, apparent porosity, linear shrinkage of burning, flexural tensile strength and bulk density were evaluated after the sintering of the pieces to 850 °C, 950 °C and 1050 °C, with a burning time of 3 hr, 3 hr and 30 minutes, and 3 hr and 50 minutes, respectively, with a heating rate of 10 °C/minute, for all formulations and landing of 30 minutes. To better understand the influence of each residue and temperature on the evaluated properties, we used the factorial planning and its surfaces of response for the interpretation of the results. It was found that the temperature has no statistical significance at a 95% of reliability level in flexural tensile strength and that it decreases the water absorption and the porosity, but increases the shrinkage and the bulk density. The results showed the feasibility of the desired incorporation, but adjusting the temperature to each product and formulation, and that the temperatures of 850 °C and 950 °C were the one that responded to the largest number of formulations

Aditivação de pastas geopoliméricas com tetraborato de sódio e látex não iônico para cimentação de Poços de Petróleo

The development of activities in the oil and gas sector has been promoting the search for materials more adequate to oilwell cementing operation. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the cement sheath integrity tend to fail during steam injection operation which is necessary to increase oil recovery in reservoir with heavy oil. Geopolymer is a material that can be used as alternative cement. It has been used in manufacturing of fireproof compounds, construction of structures and for controlling of toxic or radioactive waste. Latex is widely used in Portland cement slurries and its characteristic is the increase of compressive strength of cement slurries. Sodium Tetraborate is used in dental cement as a retarder. The addition of this additive aim to improve the geopolymeric slurries properties for oilwell cementing operation. The slurries studied are constituted of metakaolinite, potassium silicate, potassium hydroxide, non-ionic latex and sodium tetraborate. The properties evaluated were: viscosity, compressive strength, thickening time, density, fluid loss control, at ambient temperature (27 ºC) and at cement specification temperature. The tests were carried out in accordance to the practical recommendations of the norm API RP 10B. The slurries with sodium tetraborate did not change either their rheological properties or their mechanical properties or their density in relation the slurry with no additive. The increase of the concentration of sodium tetraborate increased the water loss at both temperatures studied. The best result obtained with the addition of sodium tetraborate was thickening time, which was tripled. The addition of latex in the slurries studied diminished their rheological properties and their density, however, at ambient temperature, it increased their compressive strength and it functioned as an accelerator. The increase of latex concentration increased the presence of water and then diminished the density of the slurries and increased the water loss. From the results obtained, it was concluded that sodium tetraborate and non-ionic latex are promising additives for geopolymer slurries to be used in oilwell cementing operation

Uso de argilominerais e diatomita como adsorvente de fenóis em águas produzidas na indústria de petróleo

The oil production in Brazil has been increasing each year. Consequently, increasing volumes of water produced are generated with large quantities of contaminants, which brings many problems in disposing of these waters. The concern that the concentrations of contaminants in water produced meet existing laws for disposal of effluents, has been extremely important for the development of different techniques for treatment of water produced. The study of clay minerals as adsorbents of organic contaminants has grown considerably so in order to combine the low cost with the efficiency of environmental preservation and health issues. Thus, this study aims to understand the characteristics of vermiculite clay, sodium bentonite, calcium bentonite and diatomite and evaluate their performance as adsorbents for phenol in the water produced. Through adsorption isotherms it was possible to observe the behavior of these adsorptive clay and diatomite for adsorption of phenol, the main phenolic compound found in water produced. Different concentrations of synthetic solutions of phenol were put in touch with these adsorbents under same conditions of agitation and temperature. The adsorbents were composted adsorptive favorable, but the vermiculite and diatomite showed little capacity for absorption, being suggested for absorbs small concentrations of phenol in the balance isothermal

Estudo de reatores eletroquímicos para remoção de Cu2+ , Zn2+, Fenol e BTEX em água produzida

The production of water has become one of the most important wastes in the petroleum industry, specifically in the up stream segment. The treatment of this kind of effluents is complex and normally requires high costs. In this context, the electrochemical treatment emerges as an alternative methodology for treating the wastewaters. It employs electrochemical reactions to increase the capability and efficiency of the traditional chemical treatments for associated produced water. The use of electrochemical reactors can be effective with small changes in traditional treatments, generally not representing a significant additional surface area for new equipments (due to the high cost of square meter on offshore platforms) and also it can use almost the same equipments, in continuous or batch flow, without others high costs investments. Electrochemical treatment causes low environmental impact, because the process uses electrons as reagent and generates small amount of wastes. In this work, it was studied two types of electrochemical reactors: eletroflocculation and eletroflotation, with the aim of removing of Cu2+, Zn2+, phenol and BTEX mixture of produced water. In eletroflocculation, an electrical potential was applied to an aqueous solution containing NaCl. For this, it was used iron electrodes, which promote the dissolution of metal ions, generating Fe2+ and gases which, in appropriate pH, promote also clotting-flocculation reactions, removing Cu2+ and Zn2+. In eletroflotation, a carbon steel cathode and a DSA type anode (Ti/TiO2-RuO2-SnO2) were used in a NaCl solution. It was applied an electrical current, producing strong oxidant agents as Cl2 and HOCl, increasing the degradation rate of BTEX and phenol. Under different flow rates, the Zn2+ was removed by electrodeposition or by ZnOH formation, due the increasing of pH during the reaction. To better understand the electrochemical process, a statistical protocol factor (22) with central point was conducted to analyze the sensitivity of operating parameters on removing Zn2+ by eletroflotation, confirming that the current density affected the process negatively and the flow rate positively. For economical viability of these two electrochemical treatments, the energy consumption was calculated, taking in account the kWh given by ANEEL. The treatment cost obtained were quite attractive in comparison with the current treatments used in Rio Grande do Norte state. In addition, it could still be reduced for the case of using other alternative energy source such as solar, wind or gas generated directly from the Petrochemical Plant or offshore platforms

Otimização de vazão de poços injetores em projeto de injeção de água utilizando simulação por linhas de fluxo

Until the early 90s, the simulation of fluid flow in oil reservoir basically used the numerical technique of finite differences. Since then, there was a big development in simulation technology based on streamlines, so that nowadays it is being used in several cases and it can represent the physical mechanisms that influence the fluid flow, such as compressibility, capillarity and gravitational segregation. Streamline-based flow simulation is a tool that can help enough in waterflood project management, because it provides important information not available through traditional simulation of finite differences and shows, in a direct way, the influence between injector well and producer well. This work presents the application of a methodology published in literature for optimizing water injection projects in modeling of a Brazilian Potiguar Basin reservoir that has a large number of wells. This methodology considers changes of injection well rates over time, based on information available through streamline simulation. This methodology reduces injection rates in wells of lower efficiency and increases injection rates in more efficient wells. In the proposed model, the methodology was effective. The optimized alternatives presented higher oil recovery associated with a lower water injection volume. This shows better efficiency and, consequently, reduction in costs. Considering the wide use of the water injection in oil fields, the positive outcome of the modeling is important, because it shows a case study of increasing of oil recovery achieved simply through better distribution of water injection rates

Rejeito de xisto como adsorvente para remoção de fenol em águas produzidas na indústria de petróleo

Produced water is the main effluent linked to the activity of extraction of oil and their caring management is necessary due to the large volume involved, to ensure to minimize the negative impacts of discharges of these waters in the environment. This study aimed to analyze the use of retorted shale, which is a reject from the pyrolysis of pirobituminous shale, as adsorbent for the removal of phenols in produced water. The material was characterized by different techniques (grain sized analysis, thermal analysis, BET, FRX, FT-IR, XRD and SEM), showing the heterogeneity in their composition, showing its potential for the removal of varied compounds, as well as the phenols and their derivatives. For the analysis of the efficiency of the oil shale for the adsorption process, assays of adsorption balance were carried through, and also kinetic studies and dynamics adsorption, in the ETE of the UTPF of Petrobras, in Guamaré-RN. The balance assays shown a bigger conformity with the model of Langmuir and the kinetic model more adjusted to describe the adsorption of phenols in retorted shale was of pseudo-second order. The retorted shale presented a low capacity of adsorption of phenols (1,3mg/g), when related to others conventional adsorbents, however it is enough to the removal of these composites in concentrations presented in the produced water of the UTPF of Guamaré. The assays of dynamics adsorption in field had shown that the concentration of phenol in the effluent was null until reaching its rupture (58 hours). The results showed the possibility of use of the reject for removal of phenols in the final operations of the treatment process, removing as well, satisfactorily, the color and turbidity of the produced water, with more than 90% of removal

Estudo paramétrico da recuperação de petróleo pesado por aquecimento eletromagnético resistivo

Electrical resistive heating (ERH) is a thermal method used to improve oil recovery. It can increase oil rate and oil recovery due to temperature increase caused by electrical current passage through oil zone. ERH has some advantage compared with well-known thermal methods such as continuous steam flood, presenting low-water production. This method can be applied to reservoirs with different characteristics and initial reservoir conditions. Commercial software was used to test several cases using a semi-synthetic homogeneous reservoir with some characteristics as found in northeast Brazilian basins. It was realized a sensitivity analysis of some reservoir parameters, such as: oil zone, aquifer presence, gas cap presence and oil saturation on oil recovery and energy consumption. Then it was tested several cases studying the electrical variables considered more important in the process, such as: voltage, electrical configurations and electrodes positions. Energy optimization by electrodes voltage levels changes and electrical settings modify the intensity and the electrical current distribution in oil zone and, consequently, their influences in reservoir temperature reached at some regions. Results show which reservoir parameters were significant in order to improve oil recovery and energy requirement in for each reservoir. Most significant parameters on oil recovery and electrical energy delivered were oil thickness, presence of aquifer, presence of gas cap, voltage, electrical configuration and electrodes positions. Factors such as: connate water, water salinity and relative permeability to water at irreducible oil saturation had low influence on oil recovery but had some influence in energy requirements. It was possible to optimize energy consumption and oil recovery by electrical variables. Energy requirements can decrease by changing electrodes voltages during the process. This application can be extended to heavy oil reservoirs of high depth, such as offshore fields, where nowadays it is not applicable any conventional thermal process such as steam flooding

Detecção de interface em tanques de petróleo usando transmissores de nível e controladores Fuzzy

This work presents a proposal to detect interface in atmospheric oil tanks by installing a differential pressure level transmitter to infer the oil-water interface. The main goal of this project is to maximize the quantity of free water that is delivered to the drainage line by controlling the interface. A Fuzzy Controller has been implemented by using the interface transmitter as the Process Variable. Two ladder routine was generated to perform the control. One routine was developed to calculate the error and error variation. The other was generate to develop the fuzzy controller itself. By using rules, the fuzzy controller uses these variables to set the output. The output is the position variation of the drainage valve. Although the ladder routine was implemented into an Allen Bradley PLC, Control Logix family it can be implemented into any brand of PLCs