Use of innovative technologies and nanomaterials in the hydrocarbon production and processing cycle

The issue of managing oil-contaminated aqueous solutions has received considerable attention in recent years, primarily because of its environmental and industrial implications. The pollution of aquatic ecosystems resulting from oil spills, industrial effluents, and produced water has emerged as a significant concern, presenting risks to both the natural environment and human well-being. To overcome these challenges, there has been a focus on research endeavors aimed at the advancement of efficient and ecologically viable techniques for the removal of oil. In the offshore oil fields, the produced water is often transferred by pipes to offshore infrastructure, where it passes various treatment processes. Produced water is often managed by either re-injection into wells and oil fields or reusing it to enhance oil recovery (EOR) purposes. The composition of produced water often includes hydrocarbons (oil and gas), as well as a mixture of salts, inorganic compounds, and organic substances. Typically, it includes a varying range of total organic carbon (TOC) compounds. In the context of pre-treatment for membrane processes, it is typical to carry out three stages of hydrocarbon-removal operations. These phases include primary oil-water separation, where the oil concentration is typically below 500 mg L-1, followed by secondary oil-water separation. Finally, tertiary oil-water separating is conducted to achieve an oil concentration level below 15-30 mg L-1. If considered necessary, further post-processes, including advanced methods such as reverse osmosis (RO) or nanofiltration (NF) membrane separation, can be implemented. Among different removal methods and adsorbents, expanded graphite (EG) is a low-density and mesoporous carbon-based material. It can adsorb organic compounds selectively owing to its hydrophobic nature and weak polarity. This work aimed at the evaluation and application of expanded graphite materials for tackling the oily hydrocarbon in an aqueous solution. Different materials based on EG were applied to organic dye and oil contents differently (dissolved and floating on the water) by employing batch and fixed bed column approaches. EG materials were characterized physically, such as BET surface area, and the results were discussed accordingly.