A leading global Oil & Gas operator in the Gulf of Mexico relies on seawater injection to maintain reservoir pressure and maximize oil recovery. As production demands increased and seawater conditions became more challenging, the customer required a higher-capacity filtration solution capable of handling increased dirt loading while maintaining continuous offshore operation.
The platform had been operating with Cleanova filtration elements supplied in 2008, designed to remove solid contaminants down to 20 µm at a design flow rate of 75,000 BPD. By 2023, in line with the customer’s production expansion and higher water injection targets, the required flow rate increased to 110,000 BPD, nearly a 50% increase over the original capacity.
An upgrade from existing Cleanova filtration elements to Cleanova’s CleanMax High-Flow Cartridge Filters provided the customer with a higher-performance filter capable of handling higher dirt loads, increasing system capacity, and ensuring reliable, continuous offshore operation.
Problem
Seawater injection in the Gulf of Mexico poses significant filtration challenges that can quickly affect operational reliability if not managed effectively. The customer faced:
- High bio-fouling levels that decrease filtration efficiency leading to increased downtime and maintenance costs
- Seasonally variable particulate loads that make filtration performance requirements inconsistent throughout the year
- Continuous offshore operation with significant cost impact for unplanned maintenance and downtime
To maintain reliable injection and prevent rapid clogging, the platform needed filters with high dirt-holding capacity and consistent performance, even as seawater conditions changed.
Solution
Cleanova partnered with the customer to upgrade the filtration system and increase overall capacity.
Key improvements included the installation of high-flow filter elements with increased dirt-holding capacity to better manage higher and more variable dirt loads.
These upgrades allowed the platform to process higher volumes of seawater efficiently, while maintaining reliable filtration performance in a demanding offshore environment.
Results
The filtration upgrade delivered outcomes aligned with the reliability, reduced downtime, and headroom for growth that offshore operations prioritize.
- Higher system throughput: Supported the increased flow requirement from 75,000 to 110,000 BPD (nearly 50% higher than the original design basis).
- Improved operational stability: Maintained reliable seawater injection performance despite high bio-fouling and variable particulate loads.
- Reduced offshore maintenance exposure: Higher-capacity filtration reduced the risk of rapid clogging and unplanned changeouts that disrupt offshore operations.
- Deferred footprint-driven capital changes: Increased capacity without enlarging vessels or expanding footprint, supporting production expansion plans within space constraints.
By upgrading to a custom CleanMax High-Flow cartridge solution, the operator was able to future-proof seawater injection performance and maintain continuous offshore operation under demanding Gulf of Mexico conditions.
Why Cleanova?
Cleanova is committed to supporting the offshore Oil & Gas industry’s expansion needs with:
- Application-focused support to improve reliability in harsh seawater conditions
- Scalable system capacity to support increasing operational demands
- High-Flow filtration upgrades designed for higher dirt loads and longer element life
Contact our team to learn more about our customized High-Flow Filtration solutions.
We look forward to helping you improve reliability, extend filter life, and increase capacity with confidence.