How to Use Flocculants to Disinfect Oilfield Wastewater during Treatment

Finely important flocculants, which are known as "helpers of all industries", have been widely used in many industries in recent years. In people's traditional understanding, flocculants are used for sewage flocculation, but their sterilization effect is almost unknown. Today, we will explore how oilfield chemicals flocculants play a role in sterilization during oilfield wastewater treatment process.

Sterilization effect of oilfield chemicals flocculants in wastewater treatment

It is well known that the wastewater generated by oilfields contains many bacteria, and these bacteria have strong vitality and rapid reproductive speed. Their metabolic by-products, such as biopolymer sludge and ferrous sulfide, can cause equipment corrosion, reservoir blocking, water quality deterioration, oil layer pollution, and seriously affect normal production. Therefore, after flocculation in the preliminary wastewater treatment, the corresponding bactericides will be added to ensure the sterility of the water quality. However, oilfield chemicals flocculants have already played a partial role in sterilization during the entire flocculation process.

Through experiments, we found that after the purification of oil-containing sewage by flocculation, the turbidity did not exceed 30, and the removal rate of suspended solids exceeded 70%; the SRB bacterial count could be controlled at the order of magnitude of 102, and the removal rate of bacteria was greater than 50%. This indicates that cationic polyacrylamide flocculant not only have good water purification capabilities but also have significant sterilization effects.

Principles of sterilization effect of oilfield chemicals flocculants

In fact, it is very simple. Since the bacteria in oilfield wastewater have negative charges on their surface, just like other suspended impurities, under the action of oilfield chemicals flocculants, the double layers on the surface of various gel particles, suspended solids including bacteria, etc., are compressed, causing them to be destabilized. After being destabilized, the impurities are bridged and swept together, making the small particles gradually grow into flocs, and the bacteria are removed along with other impurities by sedimentation.

Therefore, we can see the anionic flocculant as a versatile flocculant, its role is not only to flocculate but also to sterilize. We believe that its principle of action is not limited to this. We need to make joint efforts to make its role play to the extreme in the exploration of flocculants. The newly developed application is aimed at oilfields, and it has been proved that bipolyacrylamide can be used for profile control, water plugging, friction reduction, and fluid treatment.

Sinofloc Chemical provides a wide range of product portfolios for our customers in the oilfield industry. In addition to our standard oilfield chemicals, we also provide customized products of high TDS and API saline water under different conditions and specific particle size for our customers. Welcome to contact us online!