Surface Production

Facilities
Separation
 Wellhead
Wing valve
Controls
production Master valve
line Stops fluid flow,
shutting in well

To production
equipment Casing valve
 Surface Treatment of Fluids

Separation
Production and Gas
from Treatment Dew Point
Oil
Wells Conditioning
Degassing
Water
Containment
De-Oiling Dehydration Removal

Compression
Disposal Evacuation
Evacuation
 Principles of Separation
• The two main factors necessary for good
separation are:

• The fluids must not be soluble within each

other
• There must be a difference in density between
the fluids
 FACTORS AFFECTING
SEPARATION
• Gas and liquid flow rates (minimum, average, max)
• Operating and design pressures and temperatures
• Surging or slugging tendencies of the feed streams
• Physical properties of the fluids such as density and
compressibility
• Designed degree of separation (e.g., removing
100% of particles greater than 10 microns)
• Presence of impurities (paraffin, sand, scale, etc.)
• Foaming tendencies of the crude oil
• Corrosive tendencies of the liquids or gas
 Retention Time
To assure that the liquid and gas reach equilibrium at
separator pressure a certain liquid storage is required. This
is defined as "retention time" or the average time a
molecule of liquid is retained in the vessel assuming plug
flow.
Retention time = Volume of the liquid storage / liquid flow rate.
For most applications retention times of between 30
seconds and 3 minutes have been found to be sufficient.
Where foaming crude is present retention times up to
four times this amount may be needed.
The retention time required is heavily influenced by the
crude oil gravity, the operating temperature and the
required outlet.
 Re-entrainment
• Re-entrainment is a phenomenon caused by high gas velocity at
the gas-liquid interface of a separator.
• Momentum transfer from the gas to the liquid causes waves and
ripples in the liquid, and then droplets are broken away from the
liquid phase.
• The general rule of thumb that calls for limiting the slenderness
ratio to a maximum of 4 or 5 is applicable for half-full
horizontal separators.
• Re-entrainment should be particularly considered for high-
pressure separators sized on gas-capacity constraints. It is more
likely at higher operating pressures (>1,000 psig) and higher oil
viscosities (<30° API).
 Separators
• 1st stage Separator at Gathering Facility
– Separates free gas from liquid
– Commonly 2 phase
– Low API Crude – 3 phase
– Gas Exits at top of separator
– Fluids exit at bottom

• Free Water Knockouts (FWKOs)

– Horizontal vessels downstream of 2 stage
– Free water leaves vessel, any gas recaptured emulsion
siphoned off
 Basic Separator

Gas

Gas
Oil level
Gas/oil Float control
Mixture
If oil level
drops, float
Oil
closes oil outlet
Oil
 Three-Phase Separator
Demister Gas

Feed Gas

Oil
Water

Weir
Water Oil
 Types
• Test separator
• Production Separator
- Horizontal,
- Vertical,
- (Inclined);
- spherical;

2-Phase, 3-Phase
Test separator
 Horizontal separator

Main Equipment
• Production Separator
- Horizontal, Vertical, (Inclined)
- 2-Phase, 3-Phase
Horizontal 3-Phase Separator
Typical Horizontal 3-Phase
Separator
Vertical separator
Vertical separator
Vertical separator
Important Points

• BS&W
• GOR
• Emulsion
• Sand
• Chemical Injection
 Basic Separator

Gas

Gas
Oil level
Gas/oil Float control
Mixture
If oil level
drops, float
Oil
closes oil outlet
Oil
 Three-Phase Separator
Demister Gas

Feed Gas

Oil
Water

Weir
Water Oil
 How It Works
The 2-phase flow separator is designed
with the inlet nozzle in the longitudinal
centre of the vessel.
Like all separators, a momentum control device
is included to dissipate the energy of the
inlet fluid, the inlet control device must also
be designed to allow the flow to divide
evenly with half flowing toward each end of
the vessel.
 How it works
Demisting devices and oil/water coalescing
devices are installed in two sets; one set in
each half of the vessel.
Dual gas and liquid outlet nozzles are installed
on each end of the vessel.
.
Vortex breakers prevent the re-
entrainment of phases.
 Applications
The 2-phasev separator may be used in any
application where a horizontal separator is
used.
However, it is normally higher pressure
applications.
They are particularly beneficial for
applications where a major portion of the
vessel is allocated for the gas phase or in
applications where optimum oil/water
separation is required.
 Horizontal separators
• Horizontal two phase Separator: Reduces gas
velocities and facilitates gas/liquid separation
 Separators
• Liquid Outlet Control
• The purpose of the outlet control section is to
prevent re-entrainment of the separated
phases. Several alternative configurations are
available for 3-phase outlets – bucket and
weir, bucket and riser, fixed weir, spill-over
weir and standpipe.
• Liquid and gas outlet vortex breakers are also
typically included in this section.
 Separators
• Applications
• Because of their versatility, horizontal
separators are used successfully as
production separators, test separators, gas
scrubbers, wellhead separators, slug
catchers, free water knockouts, degassing
drums, flare scrubbers, inlet separators and
floating production separators.
 Separators
• Performance
• Horizontal separator performance is
determined by the characteristics of the fluid
being separated, the size of the vessel and the
type of internals installed.
• In general, liquid carryover in the effluent gas
stream will not exceed 0.1 gallons of particles
larger than 10 microns per million standard
cubic feet of gas if serpentine vanes are utilized
for gas demisting.
• Performance is even better if wire mesh is
utilized. To enhance oil/water separation in 3-
phase separators,
 Separators
• separation in 3-phase separators,
Typical 3-pahse; H. separator
Three phase separator
Typical production H. separator
Three phase separator
Separators
3-phase v. Separator
v. Cross flow Separators
 H. Separators – V. Separator
1. Horizontal separators are not as good as vertical
separators in handling solids.

2. Horizontal vessels require more plan area to perform

the same separation as vertical vessels.

3. Smaller, horizontal vessels can have less liquid surge

capacity than vertical vessels sized for the same steady-
state flow rate.
 H. Separators – V. Separator
horizontal separators are the most economical for
normal oil-gas separation, (as well as with problems with
emulsions, foam)

horizontal separators are good at high GOR.

Vertical separators work effectively in low GORs.

Internal components
Separators-internals
Inlet Diverters – baffle plates
Centrifugal inlet
diverters use centrifugal
force, rather than
mechanical
agitation, to disengage the
oil and gas.
Centrifugal
inlet diverters use an inlet
nozzle sufficient
to create a high fluid
velocity.
Centrifugal diverters work
well
in initial gas separation
and help to prevent
foaming in crudes.
 Internal components

Wave Breakers
In long horizontal vessels it is necessary to
install wave breakers, which are nothing
more than vertical baffles spanning the gas-
liquid interface and perpendicular to the
flow.
 Inside separator
•Defoaming Plates
•Foam at the interface may
occur when gas bubbles are
liberated from the liquid.
•This foam can be stabilized
with the addition of chemicals
at the inlet.
•Many times a more effective
solution is to force the foam to
pass through a series of
inclined parallel plates or tubes
so as to aid in coalescence of
the foam bubbles.
 Vortex Breaker
It is normally a good
idea to include a
simple vortex breaker
to keep a vortex from
developing when the
liquid control
valve is open.

A vortex could suck

some gas out of the
vapor space and
re-entrain it in the
liquid outlet.
Mist eliminator
Mist eliminator
Mist eliminator
Mist eliminator
Three phase separator
Three phase separator
stage Separators
 Stage Separators
Factors – affecting stage selection
 Stage Separators
Factors – affecting stage selection
 Stage Separators
Factors – affecting stage selection
 Stage Separators
Factors – affecting stage selection
stage Separators
Instrumentation & Control
• Pressure Control
• Level Control
• Flow Measurement
 Pressure Control

• Gas outlet
 Pressure Control

• Gas outlet
 Level Control

• Oil/Water
Interface

• Oil Level
Liquid level control
 Alarms & Trips
• Pressure – High/Low
• Oil Level – High/low
• Water level – high / low
• Gas Temperature – High/Low

• Pressure High-high / low-low

• Oil Level High-high / low-low
• Water level low-low
 POTENTIAL OPERATING PROBLEMS

Foamy Crudes
The major cause of foam in crude oil is the
appearance of impurities, other than water, which
are impractical to remove before the stream
reaches the separator.
 POTENTIAL OPERATING PROBLEMS

Paraffin
Separator operation can be
adversely affected by an
accumulation of paraffin.
 POTENTIAL OPERATING PROBLEMS

Sand
Sand can be very troublesome in separators by
causing cutout of valve trim, plugging of separator
internals, and accumulation in the bottom of the
separator.

Special hard trim can minimize the effects of sand on

the valves.

Accumulations of sand can be alleviated by the use

of sand jets and drains.
 POTENTIAL OPERATING PROBLEMS

•Liquid Carryover and Gas Blowby

Liquid carryover and gas blowby are two common operating
problems.

Liquid carryover occurs when free liquid escapes with the

gas phase and can indicate high liquid level, damage to vessel
internals, foam, improper design, plugged liquid outlets, or a
flow rate that exceeds the vessel's design rate.

Gas blowby occurs when free gas escapes with the liquid phase
and can be an indication of low liquid level, vortexing, or level
control failure.
 POTENTIAL OPERATING PROBLEMS

•Slugging occurs when there is intermittent non

continuous flow
intermittent may cause pressure and level
fluctuation - the control system may come unstable