PRODUCTION • PROCESSING • HANDLING
Electrochlorination tools are
becoming increasingly popular among oil & gas operators
THE FUTURE OF MARINE GROWTH PREVENTION
Darren Dale discusses the issue of marine growth fouling in critical technology and the benefits of innovative electrochlorination systems
S
eawater is widely used across the oil and gas industry as a heat transfer medium and although it is a low-cost and effective coolant, its inhabitants
make marine growth prevention (MGP) technology critical for keeping facilities in production, on and offshore. If seawater is left untreated, biofouling from bacteria and sea life can cause corrosion of vital systems and blockages in equipment. Cooling water intake screens remove larger animals and debris, but shellfish such as mussels, oysters
and barnacles can easily breed in the warmth of the cooling system. Ultimately, this will lead to a loss of efficiency, downtime and can shorten the life of affected equipment. MGP technology is therefore essential
to prevent the build-up of contamination and biofouling for any seawater process. But in a sector that is reliant on meeting production output targets, it is also vital any solution reduces downtime and maintenance requirements for engineers. Furthermore, with the life of many oil and gas platforms
being extended to meet current global energy demands, it’s now more important than ever to protect the life of ageing assets to keep them operating longer.
The Chloropac system from Evoqua Water Technologies
FINDING THE RIGHT SOLUTION Traditionally, a range of chemicals have been used to prevent marine growth in seawater processes, including oxidising and non-oxidising biocides, heavy metals and electrolytically produced copper ions. Copper is an effective biocide but increasingly the limits on copper concentration in marine discharges are precluding its use. Non-oxidising biocides such as glutaraldehyde and phenol are also widely banned for reasons of toxicity. Oxidising biocides such as chlorine (or sodium hypochlorite), ozone and chlorine dioxide have for many years been found to be highly effective but carrying and storing large quantities of chemicals comes with safety risks. Today, many plants are turning to electrochlorination – the in-situ electrolytic generation of sodium hypochlorite from seawater – as the process of choice.
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