The TRACERCO Profiler

The future of separator design and control

Increase oil production, reduce chemical usage and prevent overboard spills
In what part of the offshore oil production process would greater information yield the biggest benefits? This was the question we asked major oil producing companies.
The feedback identified the separation process as the key. Lets face it, the basic function of an offshore installation is simply to separate oil from the produced water and pump the valuable part back to shore. Any advances in this process would be welcome. Lack of accurate measurement of the levels of oil and water - as well as any optimizing output sand, emulsion, foam, naphthenic acids, asphaltenes and scales cutting chemical costs meant that facilities are operated at less than their design capability. eliminating maintenance As a result output was suffering; spend was high on effect chemicals; keeping a clean environmental record. maintenance was intensive; and there was a high risk of discharging oily water to the sea. Their greatest wish was for a way to see precisely what was happening Shell, Exxon Mobil, Kerr McGee, Norsk Hydro, Statoil, ConocoPhillips, inside the separator vessels. We responded with the greatest step Talisman, ADCO, CNOOC, PetroCanada, Syncrude, Total, Woodside, forward in separator measurement and control in 40 years Pemex and Petrobras have all benefited in better cost and The TRACERCO Profiler. environmental performance due to The TRACERCO Profiler. From the North Sea and North America to the South China Seas, from the Far East to West Africa, oil majors including bp, ChevronTexaco, The TRACERCO Profiler measures in real time and high resolution the vertical distribution of all phases within the separator. This information gives operators the confidence to exert optimum control, turning problems into opportunities:

You cannot control what you cannot measure.

Lord Kelvin

Trust TRACERCO to bring you the complete solution

Over the course of 40 years Tracerco has become a world leader in radioisotope technology to measure levels, interfaces and flow rates for the petrochemical, chemical, oil and gas industries. Tracerco is now part of Johnson Matthey, the global speciality chemical company. The TRACERCO Profiler supersedes the traditional single point to be carried over with the oil phase and hence cause downstream measurement method used for 40 years - a mechanical displacer knock-on separation problems. Foam carry over through the gas chamber, connected via bridle pipework, external to the separator, outlet can cause rapid build up in downstream flare liquid knock which tries to mimic the interface between oil and water inside. out vessels. Sand accumulation reduces the working volume of the There is a time lag between real events and their representation in vessel and therefore its efficiency. All of these problems can result in the bridle chamber. The temperature in the bridle needs to match unnecessary trips, production and environmental problems. Excessive that of the vessel so heat tracing is required. Sand and wax solids amounts of costly and environmentally unfriendly anti-foam and can build up around the tapping point and inside the bridle chamber, de-emulsifying agents must be added to ensure a safe margin and causing the displacer to stick and give a false reading. Operating and generally the plant does not operate to its design capability. maintaining bridle instruments is labour intensive and they are susceptible to giving false readings especially during regular plant changes such as swapping wells from test and clean-up, and flowing new wells or following scale squeeze operations. In contrast with this, The TRACERCO Profiler not only measures the interface but the extent of phase dispersion, that is, the quality of the interface between any two phases. It brings you the complete solution. Tracerco was proud to gain further recognition when The TRACERCO Profiler was awarded The Queens Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category. In Houston USA, The TRACERCO Profiler was awarded the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Spotlight on New Technology Award in 2004. Conventional instruments are designed to give a single point measurement not a profile. The conventional method cannot register sand, emulsion or foam. Incorrect separation information can cause too high a concentration of oil to be carried through the water outlet, overloading downstream de-oiling equipment and causing oil slicks to be discharged to sea. It can allow too high a concentration of water

How The TRACERCO Profiler works

A version of the Profiler had already proved its accuracy and reliability on-shore in refinery vessels for a combined total of 20 years when the technology was applied to separator measurement and control. The TRACERCO Profiler comprises two or three titanium dip-pipes by each tube is transmitted to a signal-processing unit housed in installed within the separator through a nozzle of 2 or greater. the dome above the dip-pipes. A narrow dip-pipe holds a vertical array of low energy gamma emitters. The other dip-pipe(s) holds a corresponding array of gamma detectors, Geiger Muller tubes. Each GM tube is matched to the gamma emitter on the same plane.
Profiler

The emitter directs radiation through the fluid within the separator to be picked up by the detector. Due to oil, water, sand, foam and emulsion all having different densities, they will attenuate the signal passing through them by different amounts. The density registered

Inlet oil/water/gas/sand

Gas out

Weir

Water out

Oil out

Foam

Oil

Emulsion

Water

Sand

The information is converted into serial data and sent via fibre optic cable to the plant computer. On the screen the fluid density at each point is depicted in real time. For the first time ever you can see a complete profile of the distribution of fluids within the separator: the interface between water and oil or oil and gas the quality of the separation the extent of foam build up the total liquid position the level of sand build-up

Environmental benefits are a top priority for all responsible operators.

At last you have total control

The purpose of measurement is to provide an accurate basis for control. Using information from The TRACERCO Profiler, the process engineer can set the interface and the overall liquid level at the optimum points for efficient production. Production facilities can be operated safely and confidently at their design limits. Because the Profiler measures the average density between the emitter and the detector, it is tolerant to build-up on the dip pipe surface. Operational experience has shown that all other interface measurement technologies will fail when subjected to surface build-up. Even with heavy oils and calcium naphthenate precipitation The TRACERCO Profiler has proved its worth with reliable service. As well as saving money, the environmental benefit of reducing the amount of chemical and oil which is eventually discharged to sea via the produced water is a top priority for all responsible operators. The TRACERCO Profiler makes possible the optimum use of effect chemicals. It will not only detect the presence of foam but measure its height; not only identify emulsion but its dispersion. Again for the first time, the operator can see immediately the effect of dosing anti-foam, de-emulsifier or acetic acids and therefore only the minimum amount needed to achieve the desired effect is used.

The TRACERCO Profiler in Action

Chevron Texaco Kuito
The Kuito field lies offshore Cabinda Province in Angolas deep-water Block 14. Kuito was Angolas first deep-water oil field to come on stream in December 1999. Oil is produced via an FPSO chartered through SBM and Sonangol on behalf of operator ChevronTexaco. Kuito is a heavy oil ranging from 18 - 22 API. The FPSO has two oil something about it in a proactive manner. Prior to the installation production trains with a throughput of 100,000 bbls. oil per day. of the Profilers, we would often find ourselves in an unstable or trip Horizontal, gravity separation vessels are used to separate oil and condition before we realised there was a problem with the chemicals. gas from produced water and solids. Following production start-up, This is a huge advantage, being able to optimise chemical injection separation problems began to emerge, these were manifested in i.e. not needlessly over-dosing expensive chemicals. There is absolutely numerous process upsets and shutdowns. Kuito oil can form no doubt that we have kept the plant running longer and have emulsions quickly and calcium naphthenate, or Kuito Gunk as it is sustained fewer plant trips since installation of this equipment. referred to on the FPSO, is produced at higher temperatures and if allowed to cool, solidifies. The traditional point instrumentation was unable to detect these emulsion and naphthenate layers resulting in the instrumentation becoming fouled and ceasing to function. The TRACERCO Profilers were retro-fitted to three vessels and operations were then able to identify the different layers within the separators. This enabled oil production uptime to be increased and chemicals, emulsion breakers and de-foamers, to be pro-actively dosed before the plant became unstable. Following the successful installation of 3 units, an additional 2 units were supplied 18 months later.

Feedback
The TRACERCO Profilers have proved not only to be totally reliable and basically trouble free but also a very important tool for managing the levels within the process. Because the Profilers clearly identify the emulsion phase within the vessels we are quickly alerted to any adverse shift in chemical dosage rates and are then able to do

Figure 1 Vessel mimic. Operator can see different phases. Note downstream of the weir the conventional instrument does not register the foam level and gives a slightly incorrect measurement.

Figure 2. Screen shot showing vessel A at start up, note the large water layer and the small build-up of foam on top of the water.

Figure 3. 12 minutes later, note oil has been introduced and the large build-up of foam.

Figure 4. 6 minutes later, de-foamer chemical injected and foam level is falling.

Figure 5. 1 hour 39 minutes later showing foam level has gone; note that there is not a clean interface. The residence time or emulsion breaker dosage needs adjusting.

Figure 6. 2 hours 47 minutes later showing full production. Note the flat profile of the water layer and oil layer. Operations can be confident that at this residence time no more separation is taking place. There is opportunity to increase flow, or reduce chemical injection.

ConocoPhillips Kuparuk North Slope Alaska

Located on the Arctic Coastal Plain, the Kuparuk facility is the second largest oilfield in North America. When ConocoPhillips brought on a new field with viscous oil and high solids content, the 1st Stage production separator needed upgrading. The original separator utilised displacers and differential pressure cells for both oil and interface measurements and had also been fitted with guided wave radar instrumentation. In an environment where extreme winter temperatures of minus 60F are the norm, high reliability and maintenance-free operation is crucial when specifying instruments. ConocoPhillips wanted to see how various level measurement technologies performed under these conditions while also dealing with oil production that is difficult to separate. Screen shot showing actual levels for sand, water, emulsion, oil and foam plus the trend from the previous hour.

Feedback
The Tracerco Profiler was the only technology able to measure interface and level reliably and accurately. The TRACERCO Profiler has been extremely helpful in identifying emulsion build-up, allowing the Operator to attack the issue quickly with chemicals. The Operator has also been able to improve the interface control tuning on the water outlet valves. Sand monitoring capability was an unexpected benefit. Operations suspected they would be able to see sand production, but results have exceeded expectations. The Operator anticipated sand-jetting the vessel about once per week, but with the new viscous oil field producing more solids than expected, knowing when to sand jet has been a huge advantage. Screen shot showing actual profile quality for separation for sand, water, emulsion, oil and foam. Note lack of defined oil / water interface causes radar to fail.

Vessel CPF1 Primary level. Screen shot showing 12-hour trend of all phases - note sand build-up from 0 to 15% level over this 12-hour period.

Screen shot showing 6-hour trend - note sand washing is now in operation reducing the sand level to 0%.

Cost effective installation and maintenance-free safe operation

Installation
Each system, complete with field and safe area equipment, is custom designed to fit particular processing conditions. There are two aspects, software and hardware. We will discuss with your engineering and operations staff the protocols, Operator and maintenance intervention is zero. colour of displays, running speed and all other specification details so that we can configure the output of the Profiler to your control systems. Installation requires a single nozzle on your vessel, there are no valves, no bridles, no stilling wells, no heat tracing, no vents or drains. A single Profiler can replace multiple conventional instruments, saving you space, weight, design and installation time. Following factory acceptance tests they are installed offshore by the operator at a convenient vessel outage. Our engineers will supervise installation, testing and commissioning. For a new build application, designed for the next fifteen to twenty years what information would your operations people prefer to see, a single point measurement or a complete profile? The TRACERCO Profiler is the only level measurement system that delivers payback.

Maintenance
There are no moving parts. The working elements are inserted into titanium dip pipes (similar to thermo-wells), safe from any contact with any material in the separator. Dip pipe internals can be removed on line without depressurizing the vessel or shutting down the process.

Safety
The profiler is certified for use in hazardous areas where flammable gases may occur. Each detector system is supplied through a galvanic isolator housed in a safe area. The data signal is via fibre optic links. The radiation source used in the system is similar to that used in a domestic smoke alarm. Radiation readings cannot be detected anywhere on the outside of the separator, even when the vessel is empty. Source isolation for vessel entry is a simple external lever operation.

The TRACERCO Profiler Customer List

bp, Forties Delta Platform, UK ChevronTexaco, Alba Northern Platform, UK Shell, Tern Alpha Platform, UK ChevronTexaco/SBM, Kuito FPSO Angola Kerr McGee, Leadon GPIII FPSO, UK Shell PDO, Tank Terminal, Oman Norsk Hydro, Tune Platform, Norway Norsk Hydro, Grane Platform, Norway ExxonMobil, Ringhorne Platform, Norway CNR, Ninian Southern Platform, UK Syncrude, Alberta Oil Sands, Canada Statoil, Snorre TLP, Norway bp, Valhall Platform, Norway bp, Clair Platform, UK Conoco Belanak FPSO, Indonesia Talisman/Bluewater, Bleo Holm FPSO, UK bp, Schiehallion FPSO, UK Norsk Hydro, Troll C Platform, Norway Statoil, Statfjord B Platform, Norway Sakhalin Energy/Shell, Sakhalin Island II, Russia Statoil, Snorre TLP, Norway Petro-Canada/Amerada Hess, Triton FPSO, UK KMG/CNOOC, Bohai Bay CFD FPSO, China Norsk Hydro, Fram Vest Platform, Norway ConocoPhillips, Ekofisk, Norway ChevronTexaco, Benguela Belize CPT, Angola TengizChevroil, Kazakhstan ADCO/Technip, Bab Field, Abu Dhabi bp, Harding Platform, UK bp, Greater Plutonio FPSO, Angola ConocoPhillips, Kuparuk, Alaska PGS/bp, Foinaven FPSO, UK CNOOC, Nan Boa FPSO, China Total, Dalia FPSO, Angola Woodside Petroleum, Enfield FPSO, Australia Pemex, Chac A Platform, Gulf of Mexico Petrobras, P35 FPSO, Brazil bp, Cherry Point Refinery, USA

Specifications
PRI 146 series PRI 156 series
30mm single probe 30mm dual probe 0-3000Kg/m3 150 1 to 15 seconds

Performance
Vertical resolution Density range Max no. of density points Update interval 56mm single probe 28mm dual probe 0-3000Kg/m3 96 1 to 15 seconds

Electrical
Safety code Operating temperature Hazardous area approvals CE standards EEx ib IIC T4 -20C to +60C (Probes -20C to +125C) ATEX, FM, CSA Shock/Fire hazard conforms to BS EN 61010 Electromagnetic compatibility complies with EMC Directive 89/336/EEC 100mA 10 volts DC RS232/485 signal, full duplex fibre optic communications link Geiger Muller tubes Allen Bradley Flexlogix Allen Bradley Ethernet CIP or DF1 Active 4-20mA analogue, digital volt free alarm EEx ib IIC T4 -20C to +60C (Probes -20C to +125C) ATEX Shock/Fire hazard conforms to BS EN 61010 Electromagnetic compatibility complies with EMC Directive 89/336/EEC 100mA 10 volts DC RS232/485 signal, full duplex fibre optic communications link Geiger Muller tubes Allen Bradley Flexlogix Allen Bradley Ethernet CIP or DF1 Active 4-20mA analogue, digital volt free alarm

Power requirement Output from head Detecting element Standard PLC option Standard communications protocol Optional outputs

Intrinsically safe interfaces

Power Galvanic isolator giving 100mA 10volts DC Isolator supply 14-35volts DC (24VDC nom.) 130ma 24volts DC Galvanic isolator giving 100mA 10volts DC Isolator supply 14-35volts DC (24VDC nom.) 130ma 24volts DC

Mechanical
Vessel nozzle size Dip-pipe casing Operating pressure Probe operating temp. Design code Will fit 2 and greater Titanium (suitable for sour service NACE MR-01-75) 1 Barg standard, 185 Barg UHP version 15 +125C standard, +200C with cooling jacket (subject to operating pressure) PD5500, ASME VIII Will fit 2 and greater Titanium (suitable for sour service NACE MR-01-75) 1 Barg standard, 185 Barg UHP version 15 +125C standard, +200C with cooling jacket (subject to operating pressure) PD5500, ASME VIII

The TRACERCO Advantage

for separator measurement and control Innovative, unique and patented technology The biggest advance in separator measurement and control in 40 years Gives a profile of all phases, not just a single point Not wetted by the process, can be removed without interrupting the process More cost effective to install in a new vessel than conventional instruments Simplify vessel design, reduction of nozzles, could justify smaller vessel size Considerable weight reduction over bridle instrumentation High reliability, up to 150 individual measurements. Can be used for trip, alarm and control functions No heat tracing required Not effected by sand blockage Environmental risk reduction Increased production throughput zero maintenance with no moving parts, minimal cost of ownership over life of field Cost savings on chemical additives 40 years experience in process diagnostics and specialist measurement World leadership in radioisotope detection technology Long established understanding of the needs of the worlds petrochemical, chemical, oil and gas industries Dedicated team of specialists in offshore applications World-wide network of sales offices

How to find out more

There is no technology available which is comparable to The TRACERCO Profiler. If you wish to gain the competitive advantages of lower costs, higher throughput, zero maintenance and clean environmental credentials we invite you to contact us for further information.

TRACERCO and TRACERCO Diagnostics are trademarks of the Johnson Matthey Group of companies.

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