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US 2026/0209094 A1Published application
Produced water treatment
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsAbdulaziz Y. AlAmmar, Sarah Almahfoodh, Young Chul Choi
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Abstract
Oil is separated from produced water by a corrugated plate interceptor to produce a first pretreated water stream. Oil is separated from the first pretreated water stream by a dissolved gas flotation unit to produce a second pretreated water stream. A ceramic membrane microfilter is operated in a dead-end mode to separate particulates from the second pretreated water stream to produce a treated water stream.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- separating, by a corrugated plate interceptor (CPI) unit, a first amount of oil from a produced water stream comprising produced water from a subterranean formation to produce a first pretreated water stream;
- separating, by a dissolved gas flotation (DGF) unit, a second amount of oil from the first pretreated water stream to produce a second pretreated water stream;
- and
- operating a ceramic membrane microfiltration (MF) unit in a dead-end mode to separate particulates from the second pretreated water stream to produce a treated water stream, wherein operating the ceramic membrane MF unit in the dead-end mode comprises flowing the second pretreated water stream perpendicularly to a surface of a ceramic membrane of the ceramic membrane MF unit, wherein the ceramic membrane defines a plurality of pores having pore sizes in a range from about 0.1 micrometers (μm) to about 10 μm.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- a produced water stream comprising produced water from a subterranean formation;
- a corrugated plate interceptor (CPI) unit comprising a CPI configured to receive the produced water stream and separate a first amount of oil from the produced water stream to produce a first pretreated water stream;
- a dissolved gas flotation (DGF) unit comprising a DGF pump and a vessel, wherein the DGF pump is configured to flow the first pretreated water stream and a gas into the vessel, wherein the DGF pump is configured to shear the gas to produce fine gas bubbles which facilitate separation of a second amount of oil from the first pretreated water stream to produce a second pretreated water stream;
- a ceramic membrane microfiltration (MF) unit comprising a flowline and a ceramic membrane defining a plurality of pores having pore sizes in a range from about 0.1 micrometers (μm) to about 10 μm, wherein the flowline is positioned and configured to direct flow of the second pretreated water stream to the ceramic membrane in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the ceramic membrane, such that the ceramic membrane is operated in a dead-end mode to discharge a treated water stream and sludge;
- and
- the treated water stream discharged by the ceramic membrane MF unit.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.