Oilfield Water Characterisation

ads4.jpg Expro’s ADS team include experienced chemists and combined with well equipped laboratories, deliver a high end water characterisation and elemental analysis service. Five ion chromatography systems (Dionex) coupled to a range of detectors including conductivity, electrochemical, UV-vis detection and refractive index, two ICP-OES automated titrators, ion selective electrodes and an array of bench top analysers provide a comprehensive analytical capability for the determination of ionic composition.

Expro’s ADS team carry out characterisation of the following oilfield waters on a regular basis:

  • Stabilised Waters – (preserved with NaOH for organic acids preserved with HCl for cations and metals and unpreserved for anions)
  • Pressurised Waters (from bottom hole samplers)
  • Core Waters – (very low volumes (as low as 0.03 mL), from hydrocarbon zone)
  • Trace Water in Oil -  (where there is no free water but characterisation of associated water is desired)

Analysis Conducted on Oilfield Waters

Typically a standard analysis package will include the following:

  • Filtration – (centrifugation or filtration at 0.2 μm).
  • pH measurement by pH electrode
  • Density determination at a temperature range 10 – 80 ˚C using an Anton Paar 4100
  • Chloride by potentiometric titration, using Metrohm titrators and titrodes, with standardised silver nitrate as titrant
  • Anions by Ion Chromatography (sulphate using suppressed conductivity and bromide by UV at 205 nm).
  • Organic acid anions (VFA C1 – C5) and bicarbonate (by Ion Exclusion Chromatography)
  • Cations by ICP-OES (Li, Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Al, B, S, P, Si).

Where necessary further analytes can also be determined:

  • Other Anions by Ion Chromatography (iodide, thiosulphate, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, dicarboxylic acid anions).
  • Fluoride by Ion Selective Electrode
  • Ammonium by IC or Colorimetry
  • Total Iron by ICP-AES
  • Cyanide and Sulphide by Colorimetry
  • Other Metals by ICP-OES (Ag, Pb, Cd, As, Cr, Ni, Co).
  • Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).
  • Resistivity by impedence meter
Expro International Group Ltd, registered in England and Wales No: 2688814
Registered office: Davidson House, Forbury Square, Reading, RG1 3EU
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