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Offshore Solutions | 5

Combat Corrosion, Mitigate Erosion, and Increase Recovery

Water injection systems can be one of the most difficult applications on your

offshore asset. Because they serve to significantly increase extraction, these

systems are essential to meeting production targets. High-pressure water

is injected into the well to dispose of water recovered from processing or

to help facilitate product flow by maintaining reservoir pressure. While sea

water is often the most convenient source for this system, it also presents its

own unique set of challenges unlike those that exist onshore.

The pressures at the bottom of the ocean and down the wellbore are much

greater than those on the surface. However, the inherently corrosive nature

of seawater could be the most difficult characteristic to combat. Its alkalinity,

or pH, can cause a chemical reaction that quickly degrades your control valve

equipment. Sand, microorganisms, and other particulates, combined with

the high pressure drops can shorten control valve life by plugging the cage

and causing material erosion or corrosion of the plug, cage, and seat. Damage

to the control valve body may also occur. These issues compromise your

production efforts and may shutdown your process.

With a variety of valve materials suited for corrosion resistance, Emerson

engineers can help you select a valve construction that will endure even

the harshest conditions. Designed specifically for dirty service applications,

Fisher dirty service trim technologies allow particulate to pass, while

resisting or eliminating cavitation or process particulate damage. The

use of corrosion-resistant alloys, such as super duplex steel in trim

components, can help reduce chloride pitting and stress corrosion cracking

to promote longer service life and tighter shutoff.

PROVEN RESULTS

APPLICATION: The water injection system of an offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico

CHALLENGE : Subjected to pressure drops as high as 10,000 psi (689.5 bar) and abrasive sea water,

valves in this application are prone to clogging, severe cavitation damage, and corrosion.

Valve failures were costing the facility 3000 barrels in lost production per day.

SOLUTION: Using Fisher HP valves fitted with Cavitrol

™

trim—designed to eliminate cavitation, as

opposed to containment—the platform was able to increase runtime of the waterflood

system by nearly 80%. With Fisher Lifecycle Services’ Quick Ship delivery, the application was

restarted 15 weeks sooner than planned, saving the platform more than $300,000 USD per day.

Fisher forged-block

HP control valve with

Cavitrol IV trim

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