Water is regularly injected into most oil reservoirs, providing pressure to increase and stimulate oil production. But to accomplish this role, it requires filtering, deoxygenation, and biociding.

In onshore production facilities, the formation water separated from oil is often reinjected into the underground together with aquifer or surface water. In offshore installations, seawater is the most convenient water source for injection. Nevertheless, in both cases, even when seawater intake is from an appropriate depth or clean water from aquifers is available, injection still generally requires the same purification processes to ensure water quality.

Filtration, first of all

The filtration rate strongly depends on reservoir requirements to not block the reservoir’s pores. Media filters with different beds of various granule sizes are a commonly used filtration technology to remove solid impurities from the water. We offer different kinds of coarse or fine filters in order to remove any impurities, including shells and algae.

Ultrafiltration (UF), A very efficient alternative, is now widely employed to achieve the quantitative removal of solids, colloids, and bacteria.

After filtration, water may be treated on a Sulfate Removal Unit (SRU) based upon Nanofiltration (NF) membranes. The removal of sulfates prevents scaling and souring caused by Sulphate Reducing Bacteria.

Deoxygenation, with no compromise

We developed a vast experience with vacuum degassing packages based on the proprietary ZeroGas deaeration technology, where oxygen is forced to flow from the liquid into the gas phase because of the low partial pressure due to vacuum conditions. As a backup to deoxygenation towers, an oxygen scavenging agent is often added to further reduce the presence of residual oxygen.

A very efficient degassing process (and deoxygenation in particular) can also be achieved by using membrane degassing, using microporous polymeric membranes to remove gases from water.

Cannon Artes is licensed by 3M, the world leader in the field of membranes for degassing of liquids, as an authorized integrator of the membrane deaeration in offshore oil & gas projects.

Do you have any issues with injection water applications? We offer support to investigate, test, design, manufacture, commission, and start-up water-injection systems that perfectly suit your needs.

Take a look at our case study of an injection water treatment plant offshore of Poland.