Saudi Aramco’s Groundbreaking Hybrid Flotation Initiative Improves Water-Deoiling Efficiency and Reduces Environmental Impact in Crude Oil Extraction

As water-production rates in crude-oil extraction continue to rise, petroleum production facilities are facing mounting challenges. In particular, waterflooding operations for secondary oil recovery are causing increased operational costs and environmental concerns related to energy consumption and carbon emissions in water-handling processes.

To address these challenges, Saudi Aramco embarked on a groundbreaking initiative to improve water-deoiling efficiency by incorporating hybrid flotation technology into a conventional gravity WOSEP system. This case study offers a detailed analysis of the design, implementation, and outcomes of this innovative project, providing valuable insights for the wider petroleum industry.

The retrofit involved combining enhanced gravity separation with induced gas flotation (IGF) in a single vessel, resulting in significant enhancements in deoiling capacity, reduction in oil-in-water content, and improved operational efficiency. This integration of hybrid flotation systems provides valuable guidance for similar initiatives in the petroleum industry.

The methodology for the upgrade process began with evaluating the existing WOSEP system and identifying operational challenges that needed to be addressed. Through careful planning and execution, Saudi Aramco was able to successfully implement this innovative project and achieve significant improvements in water-deoiling efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.