Futuristic anti-clogging technology could save Mid East oil industry billions

The German company has developed a futuristic process that uses artificially generated molecular oscillations in liquids to prevent the build up of rust or scales, and stops dissolved particles from precipitating and blocking pipes.

The revolutionary technology will make its regional debut at Chemtex and Corrosion Middle East 2004, the Middle East's only international show for the chemical, petrochemical, chemical process technology, corrosion control and management industries, to be held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC), in September.

Merus, which will be represented at the event by Egyptian Company for Trading and Technology, says that although its applications were developed for water based industries, they work just as effectively in the petrochemical sector.

'The oscillations allow fluids of all types to be treated,' said Tarek El-Shawaf, General Manager, Egyptian Company for Trading and Technology. 'Crude oil contains a certain quantity of dissolved paraffin, in addition to many other constituents. However, when oil is extracted, both its pressure and temperature drop making it less able to bind the paraffin which starts to precipitate.

'The precipitated paraffin is deposited on the pipe walls and, unless suitable measures are taken, this results in clogging of the pipelines. Conventional methods of cleaning the pipes are very expensive. Our technology is not only less costly it is also ecologically beneficial.'

Although anti-corrosion and scales cleaning costs for the Middle East are not available, it has been estimated, by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers that in the United States corrosion costs industry in excess of US $ 276 billion per year. In the United Kingdom the cost is put at 3.5% of the country's GDP of US $1.52 trillion.

'Demand for the latest, cost-efficient corrosion and cleaning technologies is increasing rapidly in the Middle East, fuelled partly by the 10-15 per cent annual growth in the region's US $35 billion petrochemical and chemicals sector,' said Mohammed Falaknaz, Vice-President, International Expo-Consults (IEC), organisers of Chemtex and Corrosion Middle East 2004.

'Other significant factors, are the age of the existing oil and gas industry infrastructure and the region's harsh, saline rich environment. As a result, the petrochemical industry is constantly seeking new ways to protect equipment and services and to reduce the millions of dollars lost to corrosion and scale damage each year.'

With a visitor footprint taking in the entire Middle East and North Africa, the Sub Continent and CIS, Chemtex and Corrosion 2004 will be held at DIEC from September 14-16.