Abdullah Al-Ghamdi
Saudi Aramco
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Featured researches published by Abdullah Al-Ghamdi.
Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects | 1997
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Hisham A. Nasr-El-Din
Abstract An experimental study was conducted to assess the effect of various oilfield chemicals on the cloud point of nonionic surfactants of the Triton-X series. The effects of simple salts, alkalis, acids, polymers, scale and corrosion inhibitors, biocides, a mutual solvent and a crude oil on the cloud point of several nonionic surfactants were examined over a wide range of parameters. The study also included evaluation of several additives, including short-chain alcohols, urea, and anionic surfactants, to raise the cloud point of these surfactants under oil reservoir conditions. The results obtained in this study indicated that oilfield chemicals affect the cloud point of nonionic surfactants, and the effect depends on the number of ethylene oxide groups, n, of the surfactant. At acid concentrations greater than 1 wt.%, hydrochloric or acetic acid increased the cloud point of nonionic surfactants having n > 7, with a higher cloud point being obtained with hydrochloric acid. Alkalis caused a sharp drop in the cloud point of nonionic surfactants. This effect was enhanced in the presence of sodium chloride. Anionic and cationic polymers depressed the cloud point of nonionic surfactants. Addition of an anionic polymer to alkaline solutions of TX-100 resulted in a further drop in the cloud point. Addition of urea or methanol increased the cloud point of nonionic surfactants having n > 7. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) raised the cloud point of neutral and alkaline solutions of TX-100 at low sodium chloride concentrations only. SDS also raised the cloud point of TX-45 (n = 5) at SDS concentrations greater than 0.8 wt.%. The effect of mutual solvent on the cloud point of the four nonionic surfactants depended on the concentration of the mutual solvent and the number of ethylene groups in the surfactant.
Spe Journal | 2009
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Christine Noik; Christine Dalmazzone; Sunil Kokal
SummaryThis paper presents an experimental study performed to charac-terize the stability of emulsion samples collected from different Gas/Oil Separation Plants (GOSPs). The first part of the study (Al-Ghamdi et al. 2007) focused on the analyses of separated phases. Many techniques (differential scanning calorimetry, Karl Fischer titration, rheology, optical microscopy, and cryo-scanning electron microscopy) were applied to analyze and characterize the separated phases: crude oil, emulsion, and free water. In the second part of this study, the stability of residual emulsions was investi-gated against several chemical demulsifiers by using bottle tests and an automated vertical-scan macroscopic analyzer (Turbiscan; Formulaction; Toulouse, France). This instrument is used to obtain kinetics of separation of concentrated and opaque dispersed sys-tems such as emulsions, suspensions, and foams. Interfacial ten-sion measurements were also made to obtain information about the interfacial behavior of samples including viscoelasticity properties of the film. The results of transient emulsion-separation experi-ments provide some useful insights into their behavior, stability, and tightness. The study highlights the main physicochemical parameters responsible for the varying tightness of these emulsions and should help provide recommendations to optimize their treat-ment costs and resolve emulsion issues in the GOSPs.IntroductionThe formation of stable water-in-crude-oil emulsions during oil production poses significant challenges during oil/water separa-tion in surface production facilities (Kokal 2006; Schramm 1992). These emulsions can be very stable because of the presence of rigid films formed by polar compounds, such as asphaltenes and resins, and other fine solids (Graham 1988; Papirer et al. 1982; Bridie et al. 1980; Ese et al. 1997; Jones et al. 1978; McLean and Kilpatrick 1997). Effective separation of crude oil and water is essential to ensure the quality of separated phases at the lowest cost. Crude-oil dehydration is generally accomplished by a combination of mechan-ical, electrical, thermal, and chemical methods. The addition of chemical additives is by far the most common method in emulsion breaking. The chemicals disrupt the interfacial film and enhance emulsion breaking (Schramm 1992; Lissant 1983).Earlier studies (Kokal and Al-Ghamdi 2007, 2008) have shown the importance of emulsion characteristics on the performance and optimization of oil/water separation. The present study was per-formed to carry out an in-depth analysis of the main physicochemi-cal properties of emulsions and the link to their behavior in the field. The main objective is to provide recommendations to reduce treatment costs and optimize oil/water separation in the field.In the first part of this study (Al-Ghamdi et al. 2007), a strict and rigorous method was applied to characterize the behavior and com-position of emulsion samples from several GOSPs. The samples first were separated to identify the amount of separated oil, water, and residual emulsion. Each phase then was analyzed separately. Bulk properties (viscosity, density) and chemical composition of crude oils were determined. Salinity and geochemical analysis of the separated water were made when possible or assessed by dif-ferential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in other cases. The residual emulsions were characterized using several techniques including Karl Fischer titration to determine the water content, DSC, optical microscopy or cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) to assess the size and polydispersity of the dispersed droplets. The second part of this work addresses the stability of residual emulsions from selected samples using chemical demulsifiers. The efficiency of several chemical additives, including field demulsi-fiers, was determined using bottle tests and an automated vertical-scan macroscopic analyzer. Rheological behavior and fine-solids content of emulsions were also measured. Interfacial tension measurements were made to investigate the interfacial behavior of selected samples including viscoelasticity properties of the films.Materials and Methods
International Symposium on Oilfield Chemistry | 2007
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Christine Noik; Christine Dalmazzone; Sunil Kokal
This paper presents the first part of an experimental study performed jointly by IFP and Saudi Aramco to characterize the stability of emulsion samples collected from different Saudi Aramco Gas/Oil Separation Plants (GOSP). Earlier studies 1-2 have shown the importance of emulsion characteristics on the performance and optimization of oil-water separation at Saudi Aramco GOSPs. A strict and rigorous methodology was applied to understand the characteristics, behaviour and composition of these systems. Samples were first separated by simple gravity sedimentation in order to identify the amount of separated water, oil and residual emulsion. Each separated phase was then analyzed separately. This included the chemical composition and bulk properties of crude oil and the salinity of the separated water phase. Residual emulsions were characterized using several techniques including Karl Fisher analysis for water content, as well as optical microscopy, DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) and cryo-SEM to assess the size and polydispersity of the dispersed droplets. The objective of the study is to highlight the main physicochemical parameters responsible for the varying tightness of these emulsions, and provide insights to optimize their treatment costs and resolve emulsion issues in the GOSPs. The second part of this study still under progress will investigate the stability of residual emulsions in terms of chemical demulsification and interfacial properties.
SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition | 2007
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Christine Noik; Christine Dalmazzone; Sunil Kokal
This paper presents an experimental study performed jointly by IFP and Saudi Aramco to characterize the stability of emulsion samples collected from different Saudi Aramco Gas Oil Separation Plants (GOSPs). The first part of the study 1 (SPE 106128) focused on the analyses of separated phases. Many techniques (differential scanning calorimeter, Karl Fisher coulometer, rheology, optical microscopy, cryoscanning electron microscope) were applied to analyze and characterize the separated phases: crude oil, emulsion and free water. In the second part of this study, the stability of residual emulsions was investigated against several chemical demulsifiers by using classical bottle tests and an automated, vertical-scan, macroscopic analyzer (Turbiscan). This instrument is used to obtain kinetics of separation of concentrated and opaque dispersed systems such as emulsions, suspensions and foams. Interfacial tension measurements were also made to obtain information about the interfacial behavior of samples including viscoelasticity properties of the film. The results of transient emulsion separation experiments provide some useful insights into their behavior, stability and tightness. The study highlights the main physicochemical parameters responsible for the varying tightness of these emulsions, and provides recommendations to optimize their treatment costs and resolve emulsion issues in the GOSPs.
Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects | 2017
Aziz Fihri; Enrico Bovero; Abdullah Al-Shahrani; Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Gasan Alabedi
Spe Production & Facilities | 2003
Sunil Kokal; Naseem Al-Dawood; Jerry Fontanilla; Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Hisham A. Nasr-El-Din; Yousef Al-Rufaie
Spe Projects Facilities & Construction | 2007
Sunil Kokal; Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; N.S. Meeranpillai
Middle East Oil Show | 2003
Sunil Kokal; Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Dimitrios Krinis
Middle East Oil Show | 2003
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Saud A. BinAkresh; Saleh A. Bubshait
Middle East Oil Show | 2003
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; Sunil Kokal