In oil field operations, one of the most common techniques to stimulate high viscosity crude oil production, increase the recovery factor, and extend the useful life of a reservoir is enhanced oil recovery (EOR) through steam injection.
The high-pressure steam generation process generates saturated (aka overheated) steam to inject thermal energy into the reservoir. This heats the oil, improving its viscosity and fluidity to facilitate extraction.
One of the main sources of power for steam generators is water, but in its natural state, it contains numerous elements considered to be pollutants. For this reason, physical and chemical treatments are necessary to keep water conditions within the recommended quality parameters and specifications, which are supported by international standards.
The steam generation and injection process require large volumes of water. Ensuring it meets these specifications helps guarantee the mechanical integrity of the equipment, facilitate effective and continuous heat exchange, protect pipes from corrosion, and produce high-quality steam.
There are two water conditioning methods:
For Nakasawa Resources, water treatment is vital to guarantee the success, effectiveness, and efficiency of steam injection in all its projects.
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