Revolutionizing Water-in-Oil Separation: Saudi Aramco’s Hybrid Flotation Technology Case Study

The water cuts in oil fields are increasing, and this poses a significant challenge for the petroleum industry. To address this issue, Saudi Aramco conducted a case study on integrating hybrid flotation technology into a gravity water/oil separator (WOSEP) to improve deoiling efficiency and minimize operational costs and carbon emissions.

By combining enhanced gravity separation with induced gas flotation (IGF) in the same vessel, the retrofit significantly enhanced deoiling capacity, reduced oil-in-water content in the outlet, and improved operational efficiency. This innovative approach provides valuable insights into the design, operation, and performance of hybrid flotation systems, which can benefit other petroleum industry initiatives.

Petroleum production facilities are struggling with rising water-production rates during crude-oil extraction, especially in waterflooding operations for secondary oil recovery. This escalating challenge not only increases operational costs but also raises environmental concerns related to energy consumption and carbon emissions from water-handling processes.

Saudi Aramco took the pioneering step of integrating hybrid flotation technology into a conventional gravity WOSEP to enhance water-deoiling efficiency. This case study offers a detailed look at the design, implementation, and outcomes of this project, providing valuable guidance for the broader petroleum industry.

The methodology for this upgrade project began with an assessment of the existing WOSEP system and its operational issues. Through careful planning and implementation of innovative hybrid flotation technology, significant improvements were achieved in deoiling efficiency and operational sustainability.

In conclusion, integrating hybrid flotation technology into a gravity WOSEP is an effective solution to improving deoiling efficiency while minimizing operational costs and carbon emissions in oil fields. This case study by Saudi Aramco highlights the potential benefits of this approach and offers valuable insights for other petroleum industry initiatives facing similar challenges.