ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL RECYCLING OF BRINES IN THE PROCESS OF REDUCING FRICTION RESULTING FROM TURBULENT FLOW

摘要

Processes are provided for reducing the hydrodynamic friction of a turbulent brine stream including, for example, the step of injecting a mixture of a finely divided free flowing friction reducing powder into the turbulent brine stream, wherein the particles of the powder have a primary particle size between 10 and 100 microns in average particle diameter, and the brine stream comprises water with at least 90,000 ppm total dissolved solids, wherein the total dissolved solids includes at least 30,000 ppm sodium cations, 10,000 ppm calcium cations, and 1,000 ppm magnesium cations, and wherein the brine has an electrical conductivity of greater than 100.0 mS/cm at 25°C. For use with a harsher brine, the particles preferably have a primary particle size between 10 and 53 microns in average particle diameter. The friction reducing powder may, for example, be a polyacrylamide polymer.