Wastes from production, storage and refining activities take many forms; such as separation vessel blowdowns, flotation unit rejects, filter back-flushes, well-testing fluids, tank bottom sediments, oil spills, etc. The common factor with all these wastes is that they are difficult to treat and present a significant environmental headache to the facility operators.

Oily wastes are often dumped into pits or tanks where aging and weathering convert them into viscous sludges, further complicating the treatment solution. Untreated oily sludge creates environmental liability and often is a source of unrealized revenue.

Our knowledge, experience and worldwide presence give you the assurance you want.

M-I SWACO understands the complexities of dealing with production wastes. We can recommend a total solution that focuses on the maximum possible recovery from neglected assets, and we will provide solutions for treatment or disposal of the solids and water that remain.

Our understanding of complex oily sludges and emulsions is broad, and our knowledge of the variation of chemical compositions and physical characteristics that can be encountered is second to none. Our solutions are often unique and always reliable.

M-I SWACO has operations in every oil-producing country in the world and holds an extensive portfolio of production waste management solutions. In fact, we are the only company with the global resources and experience to address the often complex problem of remediating oilfield wastes that can vary significantly in composition and characteristics. With a tremendous range of products and services, M-I SWACO can provide you with a single process or a combination of solutions to efficiently and effectively manage even the most complex production waste problems.

Our experienced specialists can mobilize laboratory analysis and test equipment to any location to evaluate specific problems.

Success stories:

Colombia: CRUDE OIL SEPARATION PROCESS PAYS FOR ITSELF AND RECOVERS MORE THAN 3,000 BBL OF OIL FOR EXPORT

A Colombian operator’s production site has to deal with the daily generation of oily emulsions that could not be separated or treated using conventional crude-oil separation methods. The company was also concerned that tank volume capacity was being taken up by untreated emulsions.

The M-I SWACO solution: heat the oil to more than 190°F (90°C), then process it with a 518 CENTRIFUGE* to remove larger solids particles. Next, the emulsion and fines were fed to a powerful high-speed three-phase separator where the oil, water and solids were separated out.

• More than 3,300 bbl of crude oil were recovered in a 40-day period
• Oil was returned to the production line for export with <1% BS&W
• Separated water went to the plant’s API separation system
• Discarded solids could be disposed of via bioremediation
• Treatment freed 8,000 bbl of tank volume capacity
• The treatment process paid for itself via the sale of recovered hydrocarbons

Indonesia: PRODUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT NETS $500,000 FOR OPERATOR

A major operator in Indonesia owned a terminal sludge pit containing more than 300,000 bbl of viscous oily sludge from offshore platforms that required treatment and disposal.

M-I SWACO production and management specialists sampled and analyzed the sludge, then designed a mechanical system to work with specific surfactants and demulsifiers to clean the sludge. Oil recovery produced enough revenue to generate a substantial profit after paying for the treatment process.

• This unique treatment process handled up to 2,000 bbl of sludge daily
• The cleaning process returned water with an oil content of less than 1,000 ppm, which was within the specification at the inlet of the onsite water-treatment plant
• The solids resulting from the cleaning process were <5% TPH, allowing bioremediation and eliminating the need for hazardous waste disposal

In the course of the project, the cleanup process recovered over 50,000 bbl of oil, which not only covered the entire cost of the project, but generated more than $500,000 in profit for the operator.