Emulsion Viscosity Reducer: Comparison of Chemicals Performance to Improve Oil Production

Abstract The production of formation water in mature oil fields increases the water cut and emulsion viscosity, which in turn raises the pressure drop in wells and subsea flowlines. Emulsion ViscoReducers (EVRs) have been proposed to mitigate this issue, but their application presents various challenges due to the complex nature of emulsion systems and differing oil production conditions. This study aims to compare the protocols provided by different suppliers for selecting EVRs, evaluate their performance in field tests, and assess the effectiveness of EVRs with real fluids. By addressing these points, we hope to provide a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of different EVRs and offer insights into optimizing their use in the oil and gas sector. We conducted tests on well samples with measured water cut and viscosity, utilizing a range of EVRs provided by five different suppliers. The performance of these EVRs was evaluated based on their separation efficiency, viscosity reduction, and the impact of varying concentrations and water cuts. Our results showed significant differences in the performance of EVRs under the same test conditions, with some achieving up to 80% water recovery and 95% viscosity reduction. This study highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate EVR for each specific crude and emulsion, and the challenges of standardizing EVR application in the oil and gas industry. Our findings provide valuable insights into optimizing the use of EVRs to improve oil production efficiency. Future field tests are recommended to further evaluate the downhole performance of EVRs and their impact on overall production processes.