Nitrogen in the oil and gas industry
In oil and gas production, nitrogen is used in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of production for inerting, explosion and fire prevention, flushing and pressure maintenance.
In the upstream sector, which includes direct oil extraction, nitrogen is pumped into the well of older oil reservoirs that have lost pressure over time. This makes it easier for the hydrocarbons to rise back up to the production wells.
The midstream sector involves the transportation of natural gas and crude oil via pipelines. Here, nitrogen is used to clean and flush the pipelines. This removes the oxygen in order to have inert conditions within the pipeline.
In the downstream sector, the crude oil is processed into heating oil, gasoline and other products. In this sector, pipes and containers are also purged to remove old residues or oxygen and to prevent corrosion. Nitrogen is used here as a blanketing gas in containers, which creates an explosion-free atmosphere and prevents discoloration.
