Advanced testing and expert knowledge to help you define possible risks that can be experienced during hydrocarbon production, processing, storage and transport operations.
The field of flow assurance continues to grow, resulting in the expansion of analytical methodology. With our expertise in chemical comparison, setting design criteria, and looking for the source/mechanisms of deposition, we can help ensure that you have uninterrupted, optimum productivity in your oil and gas streams.
Why choose flow assurance testing from SGS?
We provide expert analysis and interpretation in a range of multi-disciplinary flow assurance testing services and utilize state-of-the-art equipment for measurement of key oil, gas, and brine properties.
We offer flow assurance testing for the following categories and analytical techniques:
Wax:
- Wax appearance temperature (WAT) by cross polarized light microscopy (CPM)
- WAT by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
- Wax disassociation temperature (WDT) using CPM or DCM
- Wax Carbon Number Distribution by High Temperature Gas Chromatography (HTGC)
- Live fluid WAT and WDT measurements
- Coaxial shearing deposition cell
- Pipeline restart pressure (yield stress) flow loop
- Deposition flow loop
- Fluid rheology
Asphaltenes:
- Asphaltene on-set pressure (AOP)
- Asphaltene deposition envelope
- Saturate, aromatic, resin and asphaltene (SARA)
- Relative asphaltene stability of stock tank oils
Hydrates:
- Hydrate associating and disassociation curves, using a visual autoclave cell with mixer torque measurements
- Gas composition and impurities analysis
Inorganic scale (mineral scale):
- Complete water analysis
- Bottle testing
- Dynamic flow loop
- Live fluid scale onset (temperature or pressure)
- Scaling tendency modelling
Solids identification:
- Percent organic and inorganic content
- Asphaltene content
- Wax content by high-temperature gas chromatography (HTGC)
- Elemental identification of inorganic fraction using X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
- Mineral identification of inorganic fraction using x-ray diffraction (XRD)
- Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of organic fraction
Flow assurance services are available within our fixed laboratory testing facilities with select testing services available through our SGS FluidPro PAL™ mobile laboratory service.
Why SGS?
We offer a full range of multidisciplinary testing facilities to cater for the unique aspect of every reservoir and EOR project. We maximize the economics of your reservoir by using state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and methodologies to characterize all phases of your EOR project rapidly and efficiently.
Our proven track record of EOR projects includes:
- Miscible floods on Alaska’s North Slope
- Gas injection/miscible displacement in Venezuelan heavy oil fields with concurrent asphaltene deposition measurements
- CO2 sequestration in Argentina
- Water alternating gas (WAG) studies in Colombia
- Solubility/swelling with concurrent asphaltene deposition in Algeria
- Complex three-phase CO2 solubility studies in the United States