Upstream recovery and transport of petroleum requires more and more ingenuity as oil reserves become more difficult to access and oil recovery becomes more complex. The application of drilling muds, the study of flow assurance, and separation of oil from oil sands and oil shale are all examples of oil recovery applications where multiphase systems are of primary importance, and detecting or understanding the role of particles within the oil can significantly improve productivity and efficiency.
Flow Assurance is a classic multiphase flow problem, with pipelines susceptible to flow losses due to gas hydrate and wax crystallization, asphaltenes precipitation and water-in-oil emulsion formation. In situ particle monitoring, with METTLER TOLEDO FBRM® and PVM® has been used extensively to study the formation of hydrate, wax and asphaltenes particles that may cause plugging. The effectiveness of surfactant additives to reduce solid formation and to promote emulsion breakage is also under investigation using METTLER TOLEDO in situ particle measurement.
On-Demand Webinar: Optimizing Flow Assurance and Separations in the Petroleum Industry Using In-Process Particle and Droplet Characterization
In the downstream production of petrochemicals as feedstock for the polymer and fine chemicals industry, METTLER TOLEDO provides tools for real-time reaction monitoring and reaction optimization. In situ monitoring of reaction mechanisms and kinetics – using ReactIRTM real-time FTIR – provides direct insight into the dynamics of chemical reactions and resulting intermediates without the need for tedious sampling or unreliable off-line analysis of unstable or hazardous chemicals. Screening and optimization of catalysts and other reaction conditions can be achieved faster and more efficiently with the support of real-time reaction monitoring.
For batch processes, our Automated Lab Reactors maintain accurate control of experimental conditions that can effectively replicate manufacturing processes at the laboratory scale. In situ thermal hazard analysis, performed with RC1eTM reaction calorimetry and real-time RTCalTM calorimetry, helps to ensure a safe manufacturing process - even when dealing with Highly Reactive Chemistries.