Currently in the testing phase with Petrobras, a partner in the project, the new technology offers potential for various industries, generating savings, environmental advantages and effective solutions for controlling encrustations
The sensor will monitor anti-encrustation products within the operating environment in oil and gas pipelines, allowing quick decisions on the concentrations of encrustation inhibitors within the production systems.
A portable sensor developed by the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) to measure the concentration of encrustation inhibitors is entering the testing phase at Petrobras. From August 12 to 14, researchers from the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano/CNPEM) will be in Rio de Janeiro to deliver a prototype and begin staff training at the state-owned company which will test the new equipment directly in oil-drilling platforms.
The sensor, knows as P-Track, will monitor anti-encrustation products within the operating environment in oil and gas pipelines, allowing quick decisions on the concentrations of encrustation inhibitors within the production systems, which could significantly reduce time and operational costs. The objective of this project, carried out by Anielli Martini Pasqualeti, Flávio Makoto Shimizu, Maria Helena Piazzetta, Rui Cesar Murer, Renato Sousa Lima e Angelo Luiz Gobbi, of LNNano at CNPEM, was to develop a rapid and efficient method for measuring levels of the active ingredient in encrustation inhibitors, phosphonate, as well as residues of this substance in water resulting from the process in order to efficiently manage encrustation and ensure outflow.
This type of monitoring currently depends on samples that are collected on the oil platforms and need to be sent to laboratories on dry land, which makes the routine more time-consuming and complex. “This process can take days, at least a week, while the new sensor provides a result within a maximum of 35 minutes right there on the platform, much more cheaply,” explains Angelo Gobbi.
The equipment also helps reduce carbon emissions, since it facilitates maintenance and eliminates the need for ocean transport. “The sensor developed at CNPEM makes it possible for any local technician to conduct the analysis directly on the platforms and make the necessary adjustments, with results in real time. This implies significant savings in time, costs, and environmental impact,” says researcher Flávio Makoto Shimizu.
The P-Track system works by detecting compounds with phosphonate, the active ingredient in inhibitors used to prevent encrustations in oil and gas pipelines. Gobbi explains that these chemical products are used specifically to stop accumulation of mineral deposits and corrosion that could cause blockages, causing millions of dollars in damage.
Besides applications in the oil and gas sector, this technology has potential for other areas of industry such as water treatment, where controlling encrustations also represents significant challenge.
The sensor indicates the level of the active ingredient present in the product, helping to determine the correct concentration of the inhibitor and avoid operational problems resulting from encrustation buildup in the production lines. Monitoring residual levels of these inhibitors in the water that results from these processes also makes it possible to determine whether injecting additional product into the lines is needed, reducing unnecessary treatments and promoting intelligent use of resources.
Besides applications in the oil and gas sector, this technology has potential for other areas of industry such as water treatment, where controlling encrustations also represents significant challenge. “The sensor could be adapted for any system that uses phosphonate compounds to maintain pipelines and piping systems. This is common in water treatment plants, as well as manufacturing in many different sectors. All that’s needed is to adapt the sensor for each company’s needs,” explains researcher Anielli Martini Pasqualeti.
The project was commissioned by Petrobras, with funding from the Brazilian National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), within the sphere of applied research. The prototype will remain with the company for testing and potential adaptations, if required, with support from the CNPEM team.
After the advances attained by CNPEM, if the device receives the seal of approval from Petrobras, the National Industry Training Service (SENAI) in Curitiba will work to elevate its technology readiness level (TRL), preparing the sensor for commercial and industrial use. The SENAI team is already working to fine-tune the device and identify industrial partners to manufacture its components.
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. CNPEM’s research and development activities are carried out through its four National Laboratories: Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), Biorenewables (LNBR), as well as its Technology Unit (DAT) and the Ilum School of Science — an undergraduate program in Science and Technology supported by the Ministry of Education (MEC).
About LNNano
The Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano) works in research and development at the nano scale using sophisticated infrastructure and highly specialized teams that can search for answers to scientific challenges and leverage technology solutions. Its open facilities comprise a center that is unrivaled in Brazil and include electron and atomic force microscopy, as well as clean rooms and laboratory spaces that allow activities ranging from materials synthesis and characterization to device manufacturing. Scientific research at LNNano covers strategic topics where nanoscience and nanotechnology can help solve problems facing the country, in areas like renewable energy, materials for sustainability, health and quantum devices. LNNano is part of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in Campinas, São Paulo, a private, non-profit organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI).
