Thioglycolic Acid (tga)

TGA – a leading corrosion inhibitor and controller for the oil and gas industry.

Thioglycolic acid (TGA or mercaptoacetic acid, TGA IN CORROSION CAS 68-11-1) is a high-performance chemical INHIBITION FORMULATIONS containing mercaptan and Water is present in most crude oil and gas functionalities. TGA is completely miscible in production and is the cause of problems in the water and is used in industries and applications recovery and transportation of oil and gas. as diverse as oil and gas, cosmetics, Water can come either from the formation cleaning, leather processing, metals, itself or from the water flooding used in the fine chemistry and polymerization. secondary recovery operations.

Thioglycolic acid forms powerful complexes Corrosion is mainly due to the presence of with metals that give it specific characteristics water with CO and/or H2S. sought after for the assisted recovery of ore as well as for cleaning and corrosion inhibition. Corrosion inhibitors could be added to form a film which protects the metal from iron corrosion. Corrosion inhibitors are injected TGA FOR OIL AND GAS either continuously into the fluid stream or into PRODUCTION a producing well. They can be added in the Specialty chemicals are now taking on an water flooding operations of secondary oil important role in the enhancement of oil recovery, as well as pipelines, transmission recovery and production at different stages: lines and refinery units. Although the corrosion inhibition is a complex process, highly Well Drilling dependent of various parameters such as the Drilling fluids are used to lubricate the drill bit, nature of the inhibitor, fluid composition, pH, control the formation pressure, and remove temperature, etc., the mechanism generally formation cuttings. Chemicals can be involves the anchoring of the inhibitor and incorporated into the drilling fluids to create the formation of a protective film. specific effects (foaming, viscosity control).

Cementing and Stimulation A variety of corrosion inhibitors are known, Specific chemicals are used to cement steel particularly nitrogen-containing compounds pipes and to encourage the flow of crude oil such as a morpholine, cyclohexylamine or to the well (stimulation). imidazoline. However, the sulfur-containing compounds can also be effective especially Oil Production at elevated temperatures. With its unique Chemicals are used at all stages, from oil properties (fast adsorption onto mild steel production at the well bore to the delivery of surfaces, strong chelant), TGA provides crude oil at the refinery: as corrosion and good inhibition even in concentrations as scale inhibitors, biocides, and demulsifiers. low as 5-10 ppm.

TGA FOR STIMULATION INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS Metals Recovery: TGA derivatives are Well stimulation increases the rate at which Due to its mercaptan functional group, also used as depressants in flotation processes hydrocarbons will flow out of the reservoir rock thioglycolic acid and its salts provide for separating valuable metals from ores in into the well. The flow is governed by the essential properties in a wide range of mining operations. TGA derivatives are a permeability and porosity of the rock. applications: safer alternative to the more traditional sodium sulfhydrate (NaSH), particularly in Acidizing is mostly used in limestone (CaCO3) Polymerization: TGA is a very mining environments. and dolomite formations. Acidizing consists of effective chain transfer agent for emulsion acid injection into the formation to dissolve polymerizations in aqueous media, in Cleaning Formulations: Due to their rock, which creates large pores allowing the particular for acrylic acid and acrylates. ability to form complexes with metals, restoration or increase of the flow in the The total miscibility of TGA with water is thioglycolic acid and thioglycolic acid salts formation. Strong reducing and chelating a benefit in this application. are excellent additives in cleaning solutions, agents are necessary to avoid precipitation in particular for automotive applications of Fe3+ compounds as they can cause damage Petrochemical: The Bronsted acid including automotive wheel rim cleaners. (gelatinous precipitates of ferric hydroxide, characteristics of thioglycolic acid and its asphaltic products). functionality make it a chemical of Fine Chemicals: Thioglycolic acid is choice for the preparation or regeneration used for the preparation of pesticides such of metal catalysts for hydrodesulfurization. as thifensulfuron herbicide, or for polythiols KEY BENEFITS OF TGA or thio-esters. At temperatures above 70°C – common Cosmetics: The salts of thioglycolic temperatures in well bores – TGA is more acid are used to formulate hair treatments, Petroleum Refining: In the catalytic efficient than classic ferric ion chelating specialty hair styling products, and in the cracking of hydrocarbons for petroleum agents (citric acid, , EDTA, NTA). preparation of depilatory creams. The main refining, mercaptides of thioglycolic acid are Moreover, TGA is more efficient than classic salts are ammonium, calcium and potassium effectively used as a heavy metal passivator ferric reducing agents, such as erythorbic thioglycolate or its salts. In some that counteracts the adverse effects of metal acid or ascorbic acid. formulations, glyceryl monothioglycolate is (Ni, V, Fe) contaminants on catalysts. • TGA reduces Fe3+ (ferric) ions to chelated also used. Fe2+ (ferrous) ions that remain in solution at pH < 7.5 Leather Processing: Alkaline sodium • TGA is stable and efficient at low pH thioglycolate is used in removal of hair from (TGA rapidly reduces high quantities of Fe3+) leather hides. It minimizes wastewater • TGA can control very high concentrations treatment costs as compared to the more of ferric iron – up to about 10% toxic and harmful sodium hydrosulfide.

Arkema offers both distilled thioglycolic acid (TGA) with a minimum purity of 99%, 319 632 790 Arkema - a French “société anonyme“, registered with the Commercial and Companies Register of Nanterre under number PPC/SDC/02-2018 as well as an aqueous 80% solution that provides longer shelf life.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Andrew Zudans Gary S. Smith Account Manager Technical Manager Arkema Inc. Arkema Inc. 610 405 3377 610 878 6944 [email protected] [email protected]

Gwendolyn McDay Market Manager Arkema Inc. 610 205 7433 [email protected]

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