Geochemical Techniques to Detect Sources of Fluids in Highly Pressured Casing-Casing Annuli CCA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr. Peter Birkle ◽  
Hamdi A. AlRamadan
Keyword(s):  
Produced Water ◽  
Environmental Isotopes ◽  
Late Triassic ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Fluid Identification ◽  
Water Composition ◽  
Alkaline Conditions ◽  
Alteration Processes ◽  
Mud Filtrate ◽  
Supply Water

Abstract The buildup of high casing-casing annulus (CCA) pressure compromises the well integrity and can lead to serious incidents if left untreated. Potential sources of water causing the elevated CCA pressure are either trapped water in the cement column or water from a constant feeding source. This study utilizes inorganic geochemical techniques to determine the provenance of CCA produced water as trigger for high pressure in newly drilled wells. Affinities in the hydrochemical (major, minor and trace elements) and stable isotopic (δ2H, δ18O) composition are monitored to identify single fluid types, multi-component mixing and secondary fluid alteration processes. As a proof-of-concept, geochemical fingerprints of CCA produced water from three wells were correlated with potential source candidates, i.e., utilized drilling fluids (mud filtrate, supply water) from the target well site, Early - Late Cretaceous aquifers and Late Jurassic - Late Triassic formation waters from adjacent wells and fields. Geochemical affinities of CCA water with groundwater from an Early Cretaceous aquifer postulate the presence one single horizon for active water inflow. Non-reactive elements (Na, Cl) and environmental isotopes (δ2H, δ18O) were found to be most suited tools for fluid identification. 2H/1H and 18O/16O ratios of supply water and mud filtrate are close to global meteoric water composition, whereas formation waters are enriched in 18O. Elevated SO4 and K concentrations and extreme alkaline conditions for CCA water indicates the occurrence of minor secondary alteration processes, such the contact of inflowing groundwater with cement or fluid mixing with minor portions of KCl additives. The presented technology in this study enables the detection of high CCA pressure and fluid leakages sources, thereby allowing workover engineers to plan for potential remedial actions prior to moving the rig to the affected well; hence significantly reducing operational costs. Appropriate remedial solutions can be prompted for safe well abandonment as well as to resume operation at the earliest time.

Metagenomics Microbial Characterization of Production and Process Fluids in the Powder River Basin: Identification and Sources of Problematic Microorganisms Associated with SWD Facilities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Enzien ◽  
Sadie Starustka ◽  
Michael Gurecki ◽  
Trinity Fincher-Miller ◽  
Bryce Kuhn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Produced Water ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion ◽  
Process Equipment ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Well Performance ◽  
Field Sample ◽  
Degrading Bacteria ◽  
Produced Waters ◽  
Reducing Bacteria

Abstract Inconsistent bacterial control and monitoring led to variability in Salt Water Disposal (SWD) well performance and injectivity creating excess costs in biocide applications and remedial work. A metagenomics study using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was conducted to determine the source(s) of problematic microorganisms throughout the process life cycle: Freshwater> Drilling> Completion> Flowback> Produced water> SWD. A total of 30 metagenomes were collected from the 6 process stages and identification and quantification of the major microbial taxa from each of these stages were identified. "Taxonomy to Function" associations were identified for all the major taxa found in the SWD fluids. WGS was performed on positive Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) and Acid Producing Bacteria (APB) media bottles inoculated in the field for a Flowback sample. Four of the six major taxa found in SWD samples are considered groups of microorganisms known to cause microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC): Clostridia, methanogens, SRB and Iron Reducing bacteria. Thermovirga and Thermotagae, were the two most abundant taxa found in SWD samples, both thermophilic halophilic fermenting bacteria. The Fe reducing bacteria Shewanella was only detected in Drilling and SWD fluids suggesting its source was Drilling fluids. Completion fluid metagenome profiles from two separate sites followed similar patterns. During middle of completions Proteobacteria phyla were dominant taxa represented mostly by Pseudomonas. Other abundant phyla were all characteristic of polymer degrading bacteria. None of these taxa were dominant populations identified in SWD waters. Fresh water only shared similar taxa with Drilling and Completion fluids. A few minor taxa from Drilling and Completion stages show up as significant taxa in SWD fluids. The majority of taxa found in SWD samples appear to originate from Flowback and Produced waters, although at lower abundances than found in SWD samples. It cannot be determined if the microorganisms found in Flowback and Produced waters were endemic to the formation or come from contaminated source waters, i.e. process equipment used to store and transport water sources. Petrotoga mobilis was the dominant population of bacteria that grew in both media bottles, 96% and 77% for SRB and APB, respectively, while Petrotoga was detected at 14% in the field sample. The most abundant bacteria detected in field sample were Clostridia (38%) while only 2.7% were detected in APB media. SRB media bottle had 0.18% SRB detected by WGS; APB media had 9% SRB population abundance. No SRB were detected in corresponding field sample or below detectable limits (BDL) for WGS methods (<0.01%). WGS was forensically used to successfully identify type and source of problematic microorganism in SWD facilities. Results from media bottle and field sample comparisons stress the importance of developing improved field monitoring techniques that more accurately detect the dominant microorganisms.

scholarly journals Produced Water Treatment with Conventional Adsorbents and MOF as an Alternative: A Review

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 7607
Author(s):  
Humaira Gul Zaman ◽  
Lavania Baloo ◽  
Rajashekhar Pendyala ◽  
Pradeep Kumar Singa ◽  
Suhaib Umer Ilyas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Treatment ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Water Composition ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Produced Water Treatment ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
Biological Methods

A large volume of produced water (PW) has been produced as a result of extensive industrialization and rising energy demands. PW comprises organic and inorganic pollutants, such as oil, heavy metals, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and radioactive materials. The increase in PW volume globally may result in irreversible environmental damage due to the pollutants’ complex nature. Several conventional treatment methods, including physical, chemical, and biological methods, are available for produced water treatment that can reduce the environmental damages. Studies have shown that adsorption is a useful technique for PW treatment and may be more effective than conventional techniques. However, the application of adsorption when treating PW is not well recorded. In the current review, the removal efficiencies of adsorbents in PW treatment are critically analyzed. An overview is provided on the merits and demerits of the adsorption techniques, focusing on overall water composition, regulatory discharge limits, and the hazardous effects of the pollutants. Moreover, this review highlights a potential alternative to conventional technologies, namely, porous adsorbent materials known as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), demonstrating their significance and efficiency in removing contaminants. This study suggests ways to overcome the existing limitations of conventional adsorbents, which include low surface area and issues with reuse and regeneration. Moreover, it is concluded that there is a need to develop highly porous, efficient, eco-friendly, cost-effective, mechanically stable, and sustainable MOF hybrids for produced water treatment.

scholarly journals THE USE OF PRODUCED WATER IN WATER-BASED DRILLING FLUIDS: INFLUENCE OF CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM CONCENTRATIONS

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 233-245
Author(s):  
L. S. Ribeiro ◽  
T. N. C. Dantas ◽  
A. A. Dantas Neto ◽  
K. C. Melo ◽  
M. C. P. A. Moura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Produced Water ◽  
Drilling Fluids ◽  
Water Based ◽  
Calcium And Magnesium

Produced Water Composition, Toxicity, and Fate

1996 ◽  
pp. 69-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Flynn ◽  
Ed J. Butler ◽  
Ian Vance
Keyword(s):  
Produced Water ◽  
Water Composition

scholarly journals Produced Water Desalination via Pervaporative Distillation

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3560
Author(s):  
Jingbo Wang ◽  
Dian Tanuwidjaja ◽  
Subir Bhattacharjee ◽  
Arian Edalat ◽  
David Jassby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Operating Mode ◽  
Porous Membrane ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Water Desalination ◽  
Feed Water ◽  
Water Composition ◽  
Salt Passage

Herein, we report on the performance of a hybrid organic-ceramic hydrophilic pervaporation membrane applied in a vacuum membrane distillation operating mode to desalinate laboratory prepared saline waters and a hypersaline water modeled after a real oil and gas produced water. The rational for performing “pervaporative distillation” is that highly contaminated waters like produced water, reverse osmosis concentrates and industrial have high potential to foul and scale membranes, and for traditional porous membrane distillation membranes they can suffer pore-wetting and complete salt passage. In most of these processes, the hard to treat feed water is commonly softened and filtered prior to a desalination process. This study evaluates pervaporative distillation performance treating: (1) NaCl solutions from 10 to 240 g/L at crossflow Reynolds numbers from 300 to 4800 and feed-temperatures from 60 to 85 °C and (2) a real produced water composition chemically softened to reduce its high-scale forming mineral content. The pervaporative distillation process proved highly-effective at desalting all feed streams, consistently delivering <10 mg/L of dissolved solids in product water under all operating condition tested with reasonably high permeate fluxes (up to 23 LMH) at optimized operating conditions.

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