Kunlun: LNG Well Flushing-Wax Removal Vehicle Shows Promising Results (China)

After eight months of operation, Karamay Xinjie Liquefied Natural Gas Co., Ltd., under Xinjiang Xinjie Co., Ltd., of which Kunlun Energy Company Limited is the holding company, has made major breakthroughs in the oil-to-gas project for oilfield special operations vehicles. The product has been well received by oilfield customers.

On 3 October 2012, upon transformation, the first batch of four LNG well flushing-wax removal vehicles entered the oilfield operations area of second oil production plant of PetroChina Xinjiang Oilfield Company for pilot operation. LNG well flushing-wax removal vehicles are formed by replacing the diesel boilers on the original well flushing-wax removal vehicles with gas boilers, thereby transforming the original combustion system into fully automated gas burner. After transformation, the vehicle can be installed with four 450-liter cylinders, and can be filled with LNG liquid of 680kg each time, which enables the vehicle to run 12 consecutive hours.

Compared with diesel well flushing-wax removal vehicles, LNG well flushing-wax removal vehicles boast obvious competitive edges:

1. Quick heating up and short preheating period. The preheating period for diesel vehicles is 15 minutes, while that for LNG vehicles is only 3 minutes. In addition, the operating temperature of cleaning solution completely meets the customers’ construction requirements, and the operating time for a single well is significantly shortened, with more advantageous operating efficiency in winter;
2. cost-effectiveness. Pilot operations on wells show that the boilers after transformation have good heating performance, so fuel costs can be greatly reduced—the monthly LNG consumption is only 41% of diesel consumption, meaning that the transformation cost can be recovered in a year;
3. energy saving and environmental protection. The burning of LNG entails no smoke and the pollutant emissions are substantially reduced; and
4. low vehicle management risks.

Test data shows that, after using LNG on well flushing-wax removal vehicles, the boilers feature good heating performance, low fuel costs and sound environmental effects, so it is worth wide application. Given that the oil-to-gas vehicles have achieved remarkable effects, Karamay Xinkeao Petroleum Technological Co., Ltd., a partner of Karamay Xinjie Liquefied Natural Gas Co., Ltd., is planning to equip another 23 well flushing-wax removal vehicles with LNG in 2013. Karamay Xinjie will gradually launch LNG well flushing-wax removal vehicles in Huaidong, Fengcheng, Shixi, Luliang, Cainan and other oilfields, and promote the oil-to-gas transformation projects for special oilfield operations vehicles, thereby contributing to significant cost savings and improved energy efficiency.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, May 16, 2013; Image: