Production Maximization

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Global Nalco Locations
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Nalco Company
WPS Headquarters 
1601 W. Diehl Road
Naperville, IL 60563-1198
630-305-1000  Phone
630-305-2900  Fax

Nalco Energy Services Headquarters 
7705 Highway 90-A
Sugar Land, TX  77478
281-263-7000  Phone

 

 

Calcium Naphthenate Inhibitors

Calcium naphthenate is a troublesome deposit that can form in oil production systems that are handling a crude oil with a high acid number (TAN). The problems caused by calcium naphthenate range from oil treating problems and poor water quality to heavy deposits that can plug lines and valves. "Calcium" naphthenate is really a generic term. The deposits formed will usually contain calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron and other metal naphthenates, and possibly asphaltenes, scale, and other solids.

Naphthenate salts form when naturally occurring naphthenic acids in the crude oil come in contact with metal ions (such as calcium) in the produced water under the right conditions of pH and temperature. Naphthenic acids are found in many crude oils, but can be troublesome in higher concentrations. The industry standard for measuring the amount of naphthenic acid in a crude oil is an ASTM test that generates a Total Acid Number or TAN value. A TAN of greater than 0.5 will decrease the price that refineries pay for a crude oil because of the corrosion that such acids cause in refinery systems. A TAN of 1.0 or more means that the crude is high in acid content and the formation of calcium naphthenates is a possibility.

High TAN crudes are currently being produced in several major regions, including the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, California, Venezuela, West Africa, and China. Nalco has experience in treating severe calcium naphthenate problems in the North Sea and West Africa. High TAN crudes will tend to become more common in the future, especially in deepwater production. One major oil company expects that 12% of all the crude they produce by 2010 will be classified as high TAN.

Nalco offers a range of calcium naphthenate inhibitors and dispersants. For more information, contact your Nalco sales representative.