Monitoring oil-in-water in offshore production

In 2006, Statoil tested an ultrasonic, in-line oil-in-water monitor on Sleipner A platform. The company found that the online monitor minimizes errors that can result from traditional manual sampling, and it also provides early warning signs of potential hazards, thus allowing preemptive measures to correct possible problems. The monitor’s real-time information on oil concentration can be used for more proactive operation and control, thus enabling better regulation of the produced water facility. GLOBAL WATER PRODUCTION The last few years have seen a dramatic increase in global water production. Globally, the average watercut is 75%, a 5% increase on watercuts 10 years ago. Watercut is also increasing on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), where water-to-oil ratios have increased substantially. According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), annual oil discharges to the sea total over 3,000 tons, with a water-to-oil ratio that increased to 1.2 in 2006 from 0.93 in 2004.