Production Chemical Testing

Ensure optimal performance with the independent screening of production chemicals used for treating flow assurance, corrosion or hydrocarbon quality problems.

Initial screening tests can disqualify a chemical for consideration due to concerns over pumpability, ignition hazards, infrastructure integrity, chemical stability, and effects on oil and gas production quality. We provide an independent assessment of production chemical stability, compatibility and performance, using chemical-specific testing and expert interpretation.

Why choose production chemical testing from SGS?

Our chemical screening tests include:

• Physical properties, such as density, viscosity, flash point and pH
• Foaming tendency
• Emulsion tendency
• Materials compatibility, such as metals plastics and elastomers
• Thermal Stability
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), such as bulk chemical and non-volatile residue
• Fluid compatibility

Each chemical performs a specific task and is optimized to work at very specific conditions. Unique tests exist to assess the performance of different families of production chemicals. A summary noting the differences in testing is shown below:

• Friction reducer – drag reducing agent (DRA)*, flow loop
• H₂S scavengers, ambient condition tests, downhole and live fluid condition tests
• O₂ scavengers, dissolved oxygen removal screening
• Pour point depressants and general wax inhibitors:
  • Pour point measurements
  • Wax appearance temperature measurements
  • Coaxial shearing cell measurements
  • Flow loop performance
• Asphaltene inhibitor, measuring changes in asphaltene onset pressure, and observing changes in relative stability using titration and turbiscan
• Hydrate inhibitor, monitoring changes in hydrate association and disassociation curves using visual autoclave cell
• Scale inhibitor:
  • Bottle testing
  • Dynamic flow loop to determine minimal inhibitor concentration (mic)
  • Modelling
• Corrosion inhibitor*:
  • Bubble tests (LPR)
  • Rotating cylinder electrode (RCE)
  • Rotating cage autoclave (RCA)
  • Film persistency
  • Under deposit and top-of-the-line corrosion testing
  • Jet impingement
• Demulsifiers, bottle testing
• Water clarifiers/reverse breakers, bottle testing
• Foamers and defoamers, foam column stability test
• Biocides, basic kill testing and advanced kill testing apparatus (reduction in souring)

*We partner with vetted third-party laboratories to cover the full scope of work.

Why SGS?

We provide industry-approved methods that meet the highest standards of testing and certification. We have a breadth of experience that spans the entire process – from oil and gas exploration and production to certification of oil and gas refined products. With unrivaled knowledge in the oil and gas industry, we have the expertise and global reach to meet your production chemistry analysis needs.