Nicola Porter

Recent Posts

Optimise oil production using inflow, interwell and completion integrity tracers

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 22, 2021 4:01:23 PM

Mature oilfields are often characterised by increased water production. This results in costly water treatment and reduced oil processing capacity. Unwanted produced water may stem from well integrity failure, wellbore tortuosity, high waterflood injection rates, high permeability channelling, thief zones or injector / producer well spacing as well as water coning. Identifying the source of excessive water production and mitigating for its costly impact is critical during field development in reducing costs and maximising oil production.

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Topics: chemical tracers, reservoir, interwell, reservoir characterisation, fluid inflow, tracers, oil inflow, water inflow, inflow measurement, inflow, waterflood, injected water, water breakthrough, water production, wellbore, mature offshore field, waterflood injection

Interwell partitioning tracers to measure the effectiveness of a chemical EOR flood

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 17, 2021 12:57:25 PM

Tracer technology is proven to be critical to assess remaining oil saturation measurement in a reservoir following secondary recovery. It allows the measurement of remaining oil saturation between wells, rather than just surrounding a wellbore. This technique is normally used before and after an Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project to establish changes in crude oil saturation.

In this blog we will discuss using a case study example, how our range of specialist chemical tracers can allow operators to identify the amount of remaining oil saturation in a mature waterflood and determine the effectiveness of specific enhanced oil recovery techniques at reducing remaining oil to residual levels.

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Topics: chemical tracers, reservoir, interwell, reservoir characterisation, fluid inflow, tracers, oil inflow, water inflow, inflow measurement, inflow, waterflood, injected water, water breakthrough, water production, water tracer, chemical tracer technology, wellbore, mature offshore field, waterflood injection, residual oil saturation, remaining oil saturation

Pre-turnaround scans enable better critical path planning

Posted by Nicola Porter

Mar 1, 2021 7:49:02 AM

Pre-turnaround scans are very useful tools for facilities to utilise for planning turnaround projects. They can indicate some damage within a vessel, allowing for parts to be ordered and onsite ahead of time. They can also indicate an operational issue, which can be corrected without an entry into the vessel. If required they can indicate that the vessel is healthy and no work is needed on it at this time. 

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Topics: distillation column, Distillation Column Performance, Column Performance, packed column performance, packed column, distillation column maintenance, gamma scanning distillation columns, trayed columns, turnaround schedules, turnarounds, distillation column scan, distillation column scanning, turnaround planning, packed bed towers, trayed tower, manage turnaround costs, turnaround critical path project, pre-turnaround scans, baseline scan, column troubleshooting, pre-turnaround planning, critical path planning

Baseline scanning is critical to diagnose future column problems

Posted by Nicola Porter

Jan 18, 2021 8:49:22 AM

Baseline scans of a vessel are undertaken when it is known to be clean, operating normally, and in good mechanical condition. They are often used for comparison purposes on future troubleshooting scans. Any anomaly, or abnormal absorption observed on a baseline scan, that cannot be explained by a visible external interference or by something indicated in the column drawings, may be able to be eliminated as a potential problem area in future troubleshooting scans. 

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Topics: distillation column, Distillation Column Performance, Column Performance, distillation column maintenance, gamma scanning distillation columns, distillation column scan, distillation column scanning, baseline scan, column troubleshooting

Counter fuel laundering and fuel adulteration using non launderable markers

Posted by Nicola Porter

Nov 20, 2019 1:02:48 PM

Fuel laundering, fuel adulteration and fuel smuggling combine to create a global problem for governments around the world. Not only does it deprive them of hundreds of millions of dollars of taxation revenues, it poses a burden to the environment and also to innocent motorists whose vehicles incur long-lasting damage. The cost in terms of policing, dismantling discovered plants, clean-up operations and the safe disposal of dumped toxic sludge — a by-product from such illegal operations — is also considerable.

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Topics: authentication, consumer protection, product quality, revenue protection, fiscal tax recovery, adulterated fuel, brand security, counterfeit detection, product protection, product authentication, fuel fraud, brand protection technology, brand authentication, brand protection, safeguard brand quality

How to determine catalyst loss in FCC reactor or FCC regenerator cyclones: A case study

Posted by Nicola Porter

Jan 5, 2017 11:09:32 AM

The loss of catalyst through reactor or regenerator cyclones is a fairly common problem. Identifying the reason for the loss is often difficult.

In this latest blog, Tracerco, part of Johnson Matthey Plc, discusses how a Tru-Scan™ can be a powerful tool for gathering much needed information regarding the loss of catalyst.

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Topics: Gamma Scanning, Tru-Scan, fcc unit, fcc, fcc diagnostics, fccu process, fccu studies, cracking unit, fcc troubleshooting, fcc units, fcc unit process, fluid catalytic cracking diagnostics, fluid catalytic cracking services, fluid catalytic cracking unit, Catalytic cracking, fcc cracking, reactor cyclone, gamma scan, fcc additives, fcc services, reactor distributor, riser reactor, fcc reactor, reactor riser, reactor stripper, regenerator cyclone, catalyst loss, Intercat, fcc addition systems

How to determine the flowrate in flare lines: A case study

Posted by Nicola Porter

Nov 15, 2016 10:36:20 AM

Flowrate and leak testing applications, pipe scanning and meter proving services are fast, accurate and cost-effective methods to determine the flow of vapour, carryover of liquid, build-up of sludge and fouling materials in piping, as well as the calibration of flow meters.


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Topics: process systems, Process Diagnostics, process diagnostics technologies, tracerco diagnostics, flare gas flow meter, flare gas meter, gas flow meter proving, Flow Study, flowrate, flare study, flare flow measurement, flare system tracers, gas flow meter prover, flare flow, flare gas flow measurement, excessive flare flow, flare flow meter, flare gas measurement, flare flowrate data, flare lines, Process Diagnostics Technology, process diagnostics systems, flare measurement, flare gas meters, gas meter proving techniques

How to detect tray fouling and tray damage in a beer column: A case study

Posted by Nicola Porter

Oct 14, 2016 8:46:16 AM

Scanning technology can provide a valuable insight when critical process equipment is experiencing problems and producing off-spec product. Based on the results provided, the best course of action to correct the problem can be identified in the least amount of time in order to save valuable process system downtime.

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Topics: Process Diagnostics, Tru-Scan, Tray Damage, tower scan, process diagnostics technologies, tower scanning, trayed columns, flooded trays, beer column, process equipment, fouled trays, Process Diagnostics Technology, process diagnostics systems, tray fouling, mechanical integrity

Measuring the depth of refractory inside steel walls

Posted by Nicola Porter

Sep 14, 2016 10:03:00 AM

Every refinery invests a tremendous amount of time and money in planning a unit turnaround. Scheduling of the tasks, manpower and equipment has to be detailed and thorough. In order to plan, information is needed about the process system so that critical tasks can be planned to meet turnaround time constraints. Some of this condition-based information is gathered using tools such as gamma scans, radiography, ultrasonic probes, vibration monitors, acoustic sensors, and other non-destructive techniques whilst the process is still operating. It is vital to be aware of any internal damage to distillation columns, heat exchangers, reactors, and other vessels to avoid surprises that can disrupt the turnaround schedule. Each day of downtime is a day of lost production, so it is critical that a turnaround is not extended due to unexpected repair work.

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Topics: process vessels, Process Diagnostics, process diagnostics technologies, tracerco diagnostics, refractory depth, shutdown planning, refractory loss, process pipes, coke buildup, InDepth, turnaround schedules, refractory measurements, shutdowns, turnarounds, refractory lined pipes, coke deposits, Process Diagnostics Technology, turnaround planning, refractory lined vessels

How to identify deposits inside the riser of a FCCU

Posted by Nicola Porter

Aug 15, 2016 8:34:26 AM

In FCC Units (Fluidised Catalyst Cracking Units), the atmospheric residue from the distillation is cracked to LPG, naptha and other components. This sometimes leads to “invisible” deposits inside the riser.

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Topics: optimising plant processing, plant processing, Process Diagnostics, process diagnostics technologies, tracerco diagnostics, optimising plant production, fcc unit, fccu unit refinery, fcc, fcc diagnostics, fccu process, fccu studies, cracking unit, fcc riser, fcc troubleshooting, fcc units, fcc unit process, fluid catalytic cracking diagnostics, fluid catalytic cracking services, fluid catalytic cracking unit, Process Diagnostics Technology, Catalytic cracking, fcc cracking, fcc process

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