Many SAGD plant operators joke that they run a ‘water treatment plant’ that dabbles in oil and gas. Why? Because the SAGD (Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage) process recycles 90% of its water!
However, the produced/recycled water contains calcium, magnesium ions, and silica, which must be removed to ensure high water quality for steam generation. These impurities are typically removed through the 'warm lime softener' process, where lime and magnesium oxide are used to eliminate hardness and silica before water enters the boiler.
These additives, while essential, can cause scale buildup on equipment, making it challenging to find suitable control valves. Most valves last under 12 months; however, SlurryFlo control valves (by Special Alloy Fabricators) excel in these conditions, providing a remarkable service life of 5 to 7 years! 😍
