Petroleum Properties

This session addresses the measurement and modeling of petroleum fluid properties and the corresponding analysis methods employed to quantify the chemical species in these systems. Applications related to gas injection and storage for carbon capture and hythane (mixtures of natural gas and hydrogen) are of interest along with the characterization of reservoir fluids, crudes oils and their fractions, and solid precipitates such as wax, asphaltenes, hydrate, and scale as they relate to primary, secondary, and enhanced/improved (gas miscible and chemical) oil and gas production. Studies addressing measurements of phase behavior/equilibria (ex. micro-fluidics), physical properties (ex. viscosity, density, calorimetry, thermal conductivity, emulsions), phase transition and reaction kinetics (ex. diffusion, geochemical, adsorption film, kerogen interaction), and chemical composition and characterization methods are of interest. Finally, we also solicit studies related to new applications of thermodynamic and kinetic modelling of the above defined systems.

Flow and Production Assurance

The flow assurance session will include topics related to the fundamentals of hydrates, asphaltenes, wax, scale, emulsions and sludges. The management of flow assurance issues by diagnostics, prediction, mitigation & remediation. This session will also include behavior and simulation of multiphase flows ​ and heavy crude oil management and transportation. Formation damage: identification and remediation of production impairment due to asphaltene/wax deposition and injectivity detriment due to water/gas injection (scale formation) will also be included in this session.

Upgrading and Fouling 

Asphaltene components in crude oil can be strongly surface active and tend to stabilize water-in-oil emulsions during production. They are also the least soluble crude oil component, are coke-precursors, and can form fouling deposits on heated surfaces in upgrading and refining operations. This session will examine the dependence of emulsion stability and fouling on the fluid properties of the crude oil and the stability of the asphaltenes in solution. The impact of chemical composition of the asphaltenes from different crude oils, changes in fluid properties and asphaltene chemistry during upgrading, and interactions with waxes will be explored with novel instrumental analysis, simulation, and pilot testing.

Hydrogen and Renewables

The gradual shift in energy demand shows a declining role for hydrocarbons and rapid expansion in hydrogen and renewables. The decarbonization of the global energy system requires a range of energy sources. Those include green hydrogen (made via electrolysis using renewable power) and blue hydrogen (produced from natural gas or coal) with CO2 captured and stored. An important issue associated particularly with green hydrogen is large scale storage to mitigate the intermittent nature of green energy sources. Ammonia has been proposed as a means of efficient storage and transport of hydrogen. Geothermal energy also offers enormous potential for direct-use applications. The geothermal technical challenges include the management of water, geofluids, and CO2 with need to understand phase behavior and geochemical reactions at extreme conditions. Other issues involve injection problems, gas emissions, fluid leaks, and early production decline. Renewables also include biofuels that can decrease waste management problems and greenhouse ​ gas emissions. Authors in this session are invited to submit abstracts on low-carbon hydrogen, geothermal energy, and bioenergy, and other renewables. Abstracts are encouraged to address new technologies and fluid-related technical challenges.

CCUS

Technical session on decarbonization and carbon removal includes investigations on fluids, physical and chemical processes, and methods with the aim of eliminating or reducing emission of greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and the synthetic fluorinated gases) before they happen. Market segments can include but are not limited to: manufacturing processes, supply chains, industrial applications, energy markets, transportation approaches, etc. Carbon Removals or offsets including carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) approaches are ​ considered an important area of discussion in this session and abstracts in this area are encouraged. Carbon sequestration (biological, geological and technical) methods are included within the scope.

Emulsion and Produced Water Management 

Energy production requires handling and discharge of waste waters that may be contaminated with both inorganics and organics of geochemical nature, and with significant amounts of production chemicals. Restrictions on water discharge from the O&G industry is expected to tighten in the coming years and is already part of operators ́ license to operate. From present dispersed oil measures we see a move towards regulatory requirements related to dissolved toxic species. The area of produced water management (PWM) comprises all possible mechanisms and operations leading to the final water quality for either discharge or reinjection. Insights of this affect the environmental impact and how this can be reduced. This reduction will become increasingly important in the future in many regions in the world. The whole value chain of PWM can be addressed in this session. We also want to include the new energy solutions and how these can impact ecosystems by creating new water based pollution. There are plenty of cases in the history of energy development where the last step (PWM) was not solved upfront but in reactive mode – that is when the negative ecological impact was discovered and remediation had to be developed. The recent EU guideline on Safe and Sustainable Design for chemicals and materials address this. Papers connected to pollution by new energies are therefore welcome.