Hybrid resin composite membrane for oil & gas produced water treatment

Abstract

In this work, a hybrid resin composite membrane was successfully synthesized from a phenyl epoxy/poly (vinyl pyrrolidone)/Fe₃O₄ resin composite and characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Performance characteristics such as concentration factor, the flow rate, and permeate flux of the synthesized hybrid resin membrane were investigated. The concertation factor was changed through the experiment from 1 to 1.6. The flow rate changed from 2.5 l/h at the beginning of the experiment to 1.05 l/h by the end of the experiment. The permeate flux was equal to 8.9 l/(m²h) at the beginning of the investigation. It was noticed that the permeate flux decreased over time to 3.76 l/(m²h). In addition, the hybrid resin composite membrane was efficiently used for treating petroleum-produced water (PPW) as an alternative to chemical scale inhibitors. The results showed that the proposed treatment system could successfully remove most scale-forming cations and anions from the PPW. Combining the new prepared resin with membrane could remove several cations and anions from OFPPW at rates ranging from 75% (for Strontium) to 97% (for Barium), while the Iron was 100% removed. Thus, the treated water effluent could be reused safely as injection water in the petroleum production process without concern for forming Barium sulfate and Dolomite scales in the used water.