Black Powder Solutions

Crude Oil Slop Tank

Clean the Black Powder™ contamination from a 12,000 BBL crude oil slop tank with an estimated contamination level of 1 pound of Black Powder per barrel of oil. The Black Powder contamination analysis identified primarily iron oxides and iron sulfides ranging with an average particles size of 1.82 microns and range from 0.06 to 50.60 (see analysis).

Magnetic Separation Technology saves $390k a year

Midstream Operator – Coyanosa Texas, Mar 2022- Problem – The operator identified high levels of black powder contamination in their condensate production. The contamination was reducing the quality and sale price of the condensate along with increased costs from conventional filter change-outs and shutdowns.

Reclaimed Oil Tank Separator

Targa Resources – Houston, TX USA, 2016 – Problem – Black Powder wear contamination in reclaimed oil was gravity fed to the high pressure flash tanks, the de-mister sections of compressors and finally the coalescer.

LPG Loading Facility Feedstock Lines

Butane and Low Ethane Propane (LEP) feedstocks contain sub micron Black Powder contamination that leads to costly unplanned maintenance and repairs. Previously, the Black Powder was removed using inefficient conventional bag filters, requiring over 50 filter change-outs each month. In addition, these bag filters are ineffective at removing Black Powder particles under 10 microns. This enables contamination to flow through the loading process causing damage to pumps, compressors, cooling systems and loading equipment.

LPG Loading Facility Compressor Lube Oil

High levels of Black Powder contamination (iron oxide, iron sulfide, silica and salts) from feed stock were bypassing filtration, contaminating compressor lube oil and damaging pumps, bearings, and seal faces. Two filtration methods were in use – a cone strainer upstream of the pump and high pressure cartridge filters upstream of the compressor.

Aviation Fuel Cleanliness

All fuels employed in the Aviation industry require the highest possible cleanliness value that allows the cleanest burn resulting in the least amount of solids emissions possible. Clean fuel also reduces premature wear of fuel system components.

Refinery Desalter System

The MycelX Desalter system was failing due to Black Powder contamination, costing $100,000 USD per month in hydrocarbon contaminated water disposal. A Pentair system was installed upstream of the MycelX system, but was ineffective in removing Black Powder. In order to save costs, single use Pentair filters were changed from 10 microns to 30 microns filter size to extend change-out cycles to 7 days. The cost of each filter element change-out was $13,000 USD, including disposal.

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