[en] This study is based on the current scheme followed by a refinery with available Catalytic Cracking capacity to process new feedstocks such as Straight Run Naphtha and Naphthas from FCC. These feedstocks are of petrochemical interest to produce Ethane, Ethylene, Propylene, i-Butane, Toluene and Xylene. To evaluate the potential of these new streams versus the Cracking-charged Residues, it was performed a detailed chemical analysis on the structural groups in carbons [C1-C12] at the reactor product obtained in pilot plant. A catalyst with and without Propylene Promoter Additive was used. This study analyzes the differences in the chemical composition of the feedstocks, relating them to the yield of each petrochemical product. Straight Run Naphthas with a high content of Naphthenes, and Paraffines n[C5-C12] and i[C7-C12] are selective to the production of i-Butane and Propane, while Naphthas from FCC with a high content of n[C5-C12]Olefins, i-Olefins, and Aromatics are more selective to Propylene, Toluene, and Xylene. Concerning Catalytic Cracking of Naphthas, the Additive has similar selectivity for all the petrochemical products, their yields increase by about one point with 4%wt of Additive, while in cracking of Residues, the Additive increases in three points Propylene yield, corresponding to a selectivity of 50% (?C3= / ?LPG).

[en] Determination of Membrane Efficiency (ME) is a very useful tool in the study of the chemical component of well bore stability since it is a variable input in chemical-elastic models (Lomba, Chenevert and Sharma, 2000). This article presents a novel methodology for the determination of ME using the Electrochemical Potential Test (EPT) in shale rocks. This method is based on the development of correlations with Ionic Selectivity (IS) values in presence of NaCl, KCl and CaCl₂ at diverse solution concentrations. The correlation, not reported previously in the literature, depends on the type of salt used. The EPT is a generic test easily applied to any rock type from any well or basin. It is simpler and quicker than other tests used for the ME determination, like the Pressure Transmission Test (PTT). Correlations between ME and IS are applicable to any type of argillaceous rock. Samples of unperturbed plugs with diverse properties belonging to different Colombian formations were used. The results obtained with the application of the proposed methodology indicate that it is possible to obtain IS and ME values through EPT in any type of argillaceous rock by applying the developed correlations.

[en] In recent years, the use of nitrogen has increased as gas injection to recover oil fluids near the critical point. The behavior of hydrocarbon mixture phases in the critical region shows very interesting complex phenomena when facing a recovery project with nitrogen. Therefore, it is important to have experimental information of the PVTx thermodynamic variable, often scarce, for this type of critical phenomena. This paper reports the experimental measures of the volumetric behavior and phases of synthetic fluid in a nitrogen injection process. The experiment was performed at laboratory scale, and it obtained variations on the saturation pressure, gas oil ratio, density and composition of the hydrocarbon phase when nitrogen was injected at molars of 10,20,30 and 40% on different volumetric portions of the mother sample. In addition, the data obtained experimentally was used to demonstrate the capacity of tune to compositional models. The data provided represents a valuable contribution to the understanding of phenomena associated with retrograde and near critical regions, as well as their use in tuning and developing more elaborate models such as Cubic Equations of State (EOS). It is worth highlighting the importance of this data in the potential processes of nitrogen, CO₂, and lean gas injection, which require knowledge of the gas-oil ratio, saturation pressures, density and composition of the fluid in current production. The identification of the phenomena shown, represent a potential application to the modeling of displacements and maintaining the pressure in the improved recovery when scaling up the laboratory data to the field / reservoir conditions

[en] During the process of reservoir characterization using well test analysis, before defining the reservoir model, it is convenient to properly identify flow regimes, which appear as characteristic patterns or fingerprints exhibited by the pressure derivative curve, because they provide the geometry of the streamlines of the tested formation. A set of reservoir properties can be estimated using only a portion of the pressure transient data of the flow regime. However, there are few cases with unidentified behaviors that deserve our attention. The ten flow regime patterns commonly recognized in the pressure or pressure derivative curves of vertical or horizontal wells are: radial, spherical, hemispherical, linear, bilinear, elliptical, pseudo steady, steady, double porosity or permeability and doubled slope. A 1/2 slope of the derivative trend is an indication of linear flow. if this shows up early, a hydraulic fractured well is dealt with, but if this shows up immediately after the radial flow regime an indication of a channel comes to our mind. A 1/2 slope line at early times of the derivative plot indicates either spherical or hemispherical flow. However, if this line is observed once linear flow vanishes we are facing an unidentified flow regime. We present the case of a channel reservoir with a well off-centered with respect to the extreme boundaries and close to a constant pressure boundary. At early times, the radial flow regime is observed and is followed by the linear flow regime. Once the open boundary is reached by the pressure disturbance, a 1/2 slope is observed on the pressure derivative plot and it lasts until the far extreme is felt. We simulated this behavior and plotted the isobaric lines and found out that a parabolic behavior shows up during this period of time. a typical behavior was found in Colombia in a reservoir of the eastern planes basin

[en] The air flotation is a process of physical separation for the industrial wastewater treatment that removes oils and suspended solids. Although methods different from flotation have been used in petroleum industry, their application is subjected to numerous operational and economic limitations. In this work some comparisons of these flotation techniques are discussed and, a new system for the treatment of residual waters by flotation is the developed. This system is the result of several years of research both in laboratory and in pilot plants. The new design uses characteristics from other techniques, it is based on a modification of a system of induced air flotation as to operate like a system of dissolved air flotation, which improves its performance at lower costs and reduces operational problems associated with equipment maintenance. The developed system has several characteristics that improve its operation, including the use of nozzles for gas injection and dispersion in the liquid phase. As opposed to conventional systems, there is no need to use motorized bubble generating equipment for each flotation cell, diminishing therefore power requirements

[en] Chemometric analysis by Partial Least Squares (PLS) has been applied in this work to correlate the ultraviolet spectrum of combined Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) feedstock with their physicochemical properties. The prediction errors obtained in the validation process using refinery samples demonstrate the accuracy of the predicted properties. This new analytical methodology allows obtaining in one analysis detailed information about the most important physicochemical properties of FCC feedstock and could be used as a valuable tool for operational analysis

[en] This article presents the current status of the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in process engineering applications where common mathematical methods do not completely represent the behavior shown by experimental observations, results, and plant operating data. Three examples of the use of ANNs in typical process engineering applications such as prediction of activity in solvent-polymer binary systems, prediction of a surfactant self-diffusion coefficient of micellar systems, and process control and simulation are shown. These examples are important for polymerization applications, enhanced-oil recovery, and automatic process control

[en] Matrix acidizing is a stimulation technique only applicable to wells with surrounding damage. It is therefore very important to differentiate the real formation damage from the damage caused by flow Ni dynamic effects. The mechanical damage corresponds to flow restrictions caused by partial penetration, poor perforation as well as to reduce diameters of the production tubing. The dynamic effects are generated by inertia caused by high flow rates and high-pressure differentials. A common practice in our oil fields is to use a general formulation as acid treatment, most of the times without previous lab studies that guarantee the applicability of the treatment in the formation. Additionally, stimulation is randomly applied even treating undamaged wells with negative results and in the best of the cases, loss of the treatment. The selection of the well for matrix stimulation is an essential factor for the success of the treatment. Selection is done through the evaluation of the skin factor (S) and of the economic benefits of reducing the skin in comparison to the cost of the work. The most appropriate tool for skin evaluation is a good pressure test where the radial flow period can be identified. Nevertheless, we normally find-outdated tests most of the times taken with inaccurate tools. The interpretation problem is worsened by completions in which there is simultaneous production from several sand packages and it is difficult to individually differentiate damage factors. This works states a procedure for the selection of wells appropriate for stimulation; it also proposes a method to evaluate the skin factor when there are no accurate interpretations of the pressure tests. A new and increasingly applied methodology to treat wells with high water cuts, which are usually discarded due to the risk of stimulating water zones, is also mentioned

[en] For the determination of the paleocurrent directions in the Provinica Field, were took 2664 measurements of the dip meter logs were taken to make the statistical analyses of the Formations that are between Umir and the Real Group (Maastrichtian and Miocene age). The paleocurrent directions are defined based on statistics analyses, as the average (in azimuth) and its consistency ratio (CR). The paleocurrent directions are principally to the northeast for the Umir und the Lower Real Formations; to the east for the Lisama, Esmeraldas, Mugrosa, Colorado and Middle Real Formations, and in the southeast for the Upper Real Formation. In general, there were observed important changes in the paleocurrent directions between the Umir-Lisama, Lisama-Emeralds, Colorado - Real and between the medium and the upper part of the Real Group. These changes in the paleocurrent directions suggest being associated to tectonic events that involved this area

[en] This work presents o membrane bioreactor prototype used to separate emulsion phases formed in the bio desulfurization reaction. Hydrophobic membranes used for the construction of the prototype allow the separation of the organic/watery phases. The separation unit resembles o tube and carcass heat exchanger. by feeding the emulsion through the housing and due to the pressure gradient pushed on the membrane, the organic phase pass through and allow to obtain on organic phase free of cells and water. Several organic phase/watery phase ratios and many cellular concentrations were evaluated. Results indicate that is possible to separate the phases by manipulating the fluid pressure within the bioreactor. This is possible even for cellular concentrations of the order of 7 g/l. the system can also be used as a reaction unit. The biological conversion was evaluated by verifying the presence of 2-HBP one of the metabolites of the path 45 in the bio desulfurization reaction. This bioreactor configuration has not been explored before for the bio desulfurization process and therefore it represents an innovation in this research area