Biosurfactant-based additives receive three recognitions for cost-effectively boosting water injection rates and oil recovery
Houston (December 07, 2022) The FloBoost™ line of biosurfactant-based injectivity aids from Locus Bio-Energy Solutions® is quickly changing the future of saltwater disposal (SWD)—and industry experts are taking notice. With its ability to cost-effectively boost water injection rates in SWD without exceeding maximum allowable injection pressures, FloBoost was honored with three industry recognitions:
- Winner for Best Water Management Technology in Hart Energy’s Meritorious Awards for Engineering (MEA) Innovation
- Finalist for Best Water Management Technology in the World Oil Awards
- Finalist for Commercial Technology of the Year in the Platts Global Energy Awards
FloBoost Provides a New Solution to Mounting Water Disposal Challenges
The Locus Bio-Energy team celebrates FloBoost being a finalist for Best Water Management Technology at the 2022 World Oil Awards
FloBoost was launched earlier this year to address growing SWD challenges. Produced water volumes continue to grow throughout North America, bringing greater amounts of solids, paraffins and oily contaminants that can plug an injection well’s pore spaces and reduce injected water volumes. Current solutions are expensive and time-consuming, including drilling new SWD wells (at an estimated $4 million per well) and shipping water to other locations to limit SWD-related seismic events.
FloBoost injectivity aids boost per-well water injection volumes without exceeding maximum allowable injection pressures or requiring new SWD wells. Unlike traditional injectivity aids such as acids and synthetic surfactants, FloBoost additives have unique physicochemical properties that improve long-term water injectivity rates by reducing injection pressures, removing emulsion blocks and increasing filter cake permeability. FloBoost biosurfactants are also biodegradable and recover more sellable skim oil for boosted field profitability.
“Locus Bio-Energy Solutions’ line of biosurfactant-based additives enhance the performance of many upstream and midstream oilfield applications. FloBoost injectivity aids are perfectly positioned to be the premier performance-booster for SWD operations,”
says Jonathan Rogers, Chief Executive Officer at Locus Bio-Energy Solutions.
“Though FloBoost is relatively new to the market, it is already helping operators realize the benefits of injecting more saltwater at lower in-field pressure requirements and treatment costs.”
FloBoost Delivers 12% Reduced Injection Pressure in the Field
Since its launch, FloBoost has quickly proven itself a cost-effective and highly efficient alternative to previous injectivity aids.
In New Mexico, FloBoost was used in an SWD well that injected 10,000 – 11,000 barrels of water per day (BWPD), with a maximum allowable injection pressure of 1,200 psi. The produced saltwater contained oil, iron and scale. Previous treatments called for adding acid and surfactants. However, these treatments were largely ineffective with no decrease in injection pressure observed.
After adding a batch dosage of FloBoost over two days, the operator recorded a 12% drop in injection pressure—from 1,200 psi to 1,060 psi. As a result, the injection volumes were maintained at 11,000 –12,000 BWPD, allowing the operator to lower their pumping power requirements for more optimal SWD costs.
FloBoost is available for distribution across top U.S. oil basins. The injectivity aids have a target cost of 1-3 cents per barrel of treated water. Learn more at LocusBioEnergy.com.
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About Locus Bio-Energy Solutions
Locus Bio-Energy Solutions is an oil innovation company committed to offering the best in high-level, science-driven and sustainable solutions to the oil and gas industry. Utilizing the scientific capabilities of our accelerator company, Locus Fermentation Solutions, Locus Bio-Energy turns novel biosurfactants into safe, customized treatments for upstream and midstream oil and gas applications. Our non-living, environmentally friendly biosurfactants address a wide variety of the industry’s most pressing challenges, including improving well reliability and long-term production of cleaner fossil fuels. The biosurfactant treatments are made from 100% renewable resources with a zero-carbon footprint. They have been proven to replace and outperform synthetic chemicals at a fraction of the dosage rates and cost, with a 2-3x ROI. For further information on Locus Bio-Energy Solutions and our ability to help produce low-carbon, low-cost barrels of oil, please visit LocusBioEnergy.com.