New sensor technology improves the environmental impact of water from oil production

Result

The project partners have developed an advanced, accurate, fluorescence-based oil-in-water sensor technology/measurement method integrated with control algorithms that manage water treatment. The sensor not only measures an approximate oil-in-water value but also provides a broader concentration range for droplets and dissolved oil. The technology can optimize and improve the quality of produced water containing fluorescent substances, thereby improving the environmental impact of water from oil production.

Key Results:

• Using 4 LED light sources, the entire fluorescence landscape can be described in enough detail to significantly improve accuracy and linearity using chemometric tools.
• The system can provide health diagnostics data for maintenance planning.
• A simple optical setup that combines front-face and classic 90° measurement.
• A relatively short development time for a functional system.
• A highly advanced control algorithm for managing process equipment to reduce oil-in-water levels.

Challenge

During the production of oil and gas, large amounts of water are also produced. One of the biggest environmental issues in offshore oil and gas production is the safe disposal of this produced water. In most fields, the water is treated and then discharged into the sea. It is estimated that more than 300 million cubic meters are discharged annually in the North Sea. Discharged water must comply with strict environmental regulations. The current measurement methods do not account for the complexity of the water composition, resulting in significant inaccuracies in the absolute measurement.

Solution

In the OiW project, an innovative technology was developed to measure oil-in-water (both droplets and dissolved) using advanced 3D fluorescence spectroscopy (a method that uses light to capture data), combined with advanced data processing. The measurement technology was then integrated into a control solution for use in a hydrocyclone-based process to extract excess oil from the produced water.