ESG and environmental consciousness is an ever-growing concern for businesses. Oilfield producers are trying to reduce their environmental impact with production practices that cause less harm but still get the job done. However, the oil and gas extraction, refining and transportation processes rely heavily on chemicals.
While using chemicals in the oilfield cannot be eliminated, new and effective biodegradable solutions perform well while minimizing environmental damage. In this article, we’ll discuss some common eco-related terminology and the benefits of biodegradable chemicals.
What does it mean to be green?
Many terms describe environmentally conscious products and manufacturing practices. Some terms and labels must meet specific criteria and require rigorous testing before approval. Other terms are general labels that require no official approval but adhere to some safe practices.
Some examples are:
- Eco-friendly/green - are informal indicators of better practices for the environment that reduce a product’s carbon footprint
- Sustainable - is more complex in that it encompasses better practices for the environment and fair practices for the people who work to create, manufacture, or source products
- Biodegradable - will break down into its basic components and naturally become part of the Earth under the right conditions.
A newer term in environmental sustainability is green chemistry, also known as sustainable chemistry. It refers to the radical change in the development of chemicals, including their design, manufacture, use, and ultimate disposal. Green chemistry is developing cleaner, smarter, higher-performing alternatives to traditional chemical solvents hazardous to people and the environment.
Why biodegradable chemicals are important in the oilfield
Because many oilfield operations are in delicate environments, operators are aiming to minimize the impact of oilfield production on the environment while effectively extracting hydrocarbons. Biodegradable products lead the way in creating eco-friendly oil and gas production. These products decompose rapidly under natural conditions, reducing the potential for environmental harm.
With the help of green chemistry, many biodegradable products are equally effective as traditional highly toxic chemicals. Biodegradability is of critical importance in aquatic environments because containment of chemical disbursement is challenging, and potential damage to the marine balance is accelerated in aquatic conditions. In any setting, it is important to use biodegradable chemicals that break down quickly and leave no damaging substances in the soil or water surrounding oilfield operations.
Environmental benefits of LamFloⓇ
The innovative development of LamFloⓇ as a biodegradable inhibitor and dispersant is a revolutionary in green oilfield chemicals. LamFloⓇ reacts with asphaltenes, breaking apart their matrix chain. It suspends longer hydrocarbon chains and modifies the asphaltene mix, preventing asphaltenes from forming.
LamFloⓇ is biodegradable, BTEX free, and nonhazardous when shipped. It has a low toxicity with an excellent environmental profile, making it ideal for land and offshore use.
Effectiveness of LamFloⓇ
LamFloⓇ is aggressive on bitumen and other heavy oils containing high levels of asphaltenes. When pumped continuously, it lowers the pour point of low API gravity oils, reduces heavy oil viscosity, and prevents asphaltenes from reforming in oilfield equipment both on land and offshore. LamFloⓇ is a proprietary blended solvent with very low odor, high solvency, high flash point, and an extremely low pour point.
Learn more about LamFloⓇ
If you are looking for more information about adding green chemicals to your production efforts, contact Ideal Energy Solutions, LLC to learn more about our line of biodegradable products, including LamFloⓇ.
