1. Kent Peterson Fluid Imaging Technologies, Inc. kent@fluidimaging.com
Case Studies of Particle Imaging Technology for Differentiating Particles in Produced Water
Kent Peterson
Fluid Imaging Technologies, Inc.

2. Outline What is Dynamic Imaging Particle Analysis?
Examples of Particle Imaging for Calculating Oil and Solids in Produced Water.
Limitations and Best Cases for Using Particle Imaging in Produced Water
Questions

3. What is Dynamic Imaging Particle Analysis?
“Automated Microscopy”
Sample is Moved Through Optical Path “Dynamically” & Imaged in Real-Time
Large Number of Measurements/Particle Enables Differentiation by Shape
“Shape Filters” Automatically “Bin” Particles Into Different Types
High Quantity of Particles Measured Yields Higher Statistical Confidence

4. How It Works Flow Cell View

5. FlowCam® Overview
Collects size, shape, and count data upwards of 50 particles/frame at 20 frames/second (~60,000 particle/min)
Allows query and examination of individual particle microscopic images and associated morphology
Wide particle size range of 5µm-2mm
Low sample volume (usually a few ml)
Total Magnification from 20x to 200x

6. FlowCAM Models
Benchtop
Portable

7. How It Works Imaging Mode

8. Ideal Case Just Oil in Water
Added a known amount of oil to water in order to test the algorithm that it can detect and count the particles as droplets. Single droplets is the easiest case of oil in water detection.

9. Set Droplet & Solids Densities
Setting the specific gravity of both the solids and the droplets allows the software to calculate the concentration in mg/L from the known calculated volumetric data derived during the imaging process.

10. Ideal Case Only Oil Droplets in Water
The easiest case -- oil in water with no solids and no agglomeration.

11. Real Case Has Solids Need to Handle Solids Too
Real produced water, however, has solids in addition to oil.

12. But What About Agglomerated Oil Droplets?
Droplets can either stick to each other, or they can attach to solids, or both.
Oil Droplets Can Also Adhere to Solids or to Each Other

13. How to Handle Agglomerated Oil Droplets
Methodology Used:
Detect Full Particle Image
Detect Edges on Image
Identify Circular Arcs
Fit Circles to Arcs
Calculate Spherical Volume of Each Circle
Left over material is TSS

14. Example of Method original image edges separated circles identified
arcs identified

15. Example: Single Droplet

16. Example: Oil Agglomerate

17. Texas A&M Tishomingo Field Study
Raw Water Feed
Highly Agglomerated
Average of Three Runs

18. Texas A&M Tishomingo Field Study
Highly agglomerated particles where small oil droplets attached to each other and to solids of unknown specific gravity.

19. Texas A&M Tishomingo Field Study
FlowCAM
25 mg/L oil
Independent Lab Analysis
35 mg/L oil
The TSS number is an estimate as we did not know the specific gravity of the solids. The oil number will be a bit low since we do not evaluate droplets smaller than 5 um. What is important, however, is the consistency of the trend.

20. Canada Heavy Oil Field Study
Evaluated Thee Production Areas
Highly Agglomerated
Average of Three Runs
Compared to UV Methods
The EPA 1664 tests were done by an independent party; however, the technician had never run EPA tests in the past and was not experienced in the method. The results presented hereafter will bear this out.

21. Production Pads #1 & #2 FWKO Skim Tank Flotation Unit
Inlet oil at > 2000 mg/L
Sample points
FWKO
Skim Tank
Flotation
Unit

22. Production Pad #1 Skim Tank Outlet
37,000 p/ml

23. Production Pad #1 Skim Tank Outlet
FlowCAM
Oil – 9 mg/L
UV Oil
20 mg/L

24. Production Pad #1 Flotation Unit Outlet
1,600 p/ml

25. Production Pad #1 Flotation Unit Outlet
FlowCAM
Oil – 0.6 mg/L
UV Oil
1.7 mg/L
EPA results on all the tests always read in the 20 mg/L range. In other words, the EPA results were bogus. We show the results here so as to not be accused of hiding data.

26. Production Pad #2 Skim Tank Outlet
FlowCAM
Oil – 17 mg/L
UV Oil
7 mg/L
45,000 p/ml
15 um D50

27. Production Pad #2 Flotation Unit Outlet
FlowCAM
Oil – 3 mg/L
UV Oil
3.5 mg/L
18,000 p/ml
8.4 um D50

28. Production Pad #3 FWKO Flotation Unit Inlet oil at > 6000 mg/L
Sample points
FWKO
Flotation Unit
Oil Removal
Filters

29. Production Pad #3 Flotation Unit Outlet
FlowCAM
Oil – 1.5 mg/L
UV Oil –
5 mg/L
3,900 p/ml
40 um D50

30. Production Pad #3 Filter Unit Outlet
FlowCAM
Oil – 0.6 mg/L
UV Oil
5.6 mg/L
There should have been a significant drop as the particle concentration went from 3,900 p/ml to 800 p/ml.
800 p/ml
40 um D50

31. Limitations of FlowCam Method
Look at droplets down to 5 um
Works best on suspended oil droplets rather than on globs of free oil where sample is not so saturated that oil droplets are clearly visible
Can be used for oil in water or water in oil

32. Thank You! Questions? Kent Peterson 207-289-3200