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Separation Process
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lecture, students should be able to :
Introduction
Introduction
Separation
Waste Handling
Pump/Compressor
Introduction
The oil production system begins at the
wellhead, which includes at the least one
choke valve (percentage opening
determines the flowrate from the wells).
Most of the pressure drop between the well
flowing tubing head pressure (FTHP) and
the separator operating pressure occur
across the choke valve.
Whenever there are two or more producing
wells, a production manifold (as well as a
test manifold) is installed to gather fluids
prior to be processed.
The test manifold is provided to allow an
individual well to be tested via a test
separator or a multiphase flowmeter.
Introduction
FIRST STAGE
well
SECOND STAGE
reservoir
Water treatment
Oil
Water
Disposal
Storage
tank final
oil treatment
To export
Introduction
Produced wellhead fluids are complex mixtures of different compounds of
hydrogen and carbon, all with different densities, vapor pressures, and other
physical characteristics.
As a well stream flows from the reservoir, it experiences pressure and
temperature reductions.
Gases evolve from the liquids and the well stream changes in character. The
velocity of the gas carries liquid droplets, and the liquid carries gas bubbles.
The physical separation of these phases is one of the basic operations in the
production, processing, and treatment of oil and gas.
In oil and gas separator design, we mechanically separate from a hydrocarbon
stream the liquid and gas components that exist at a specific temperature and
pressure.
Introduction
Introduction
Proper separator design is important because a separation vessel is
normally the initial processing vessel in any facility, and improper design
of this process component can bottleneck and reduce the capacity of the
entire facility.
Separators are classified as the following
Two Phase if they separate gas from the total liquid stream
Three Phase if they also separate liquid stream into its crude oil and
water components.
Introduction
What is a separator?
A separator is a pressure vessel designed to separate a combined
liquid-gas system into individual components that are relatively free of
each other for subsequent processing or disposition
Why separators are needed?
Downstream equipment cannot handle gas-liquid mixtures
Pumps require gas-free liquid
Vertical
Separator
Schematic
I.
II.
Due to the high velocity, the fluids enter the separator with a high
momentum.
Fluid phase at different densities have different momentum.
The Inlet Diverter abruptly changes the direction of flow by absorbing the
momentum of the liquid and allowing the liquid and gas to separate.
Results in the initial gross separation of liquid and gas. Initial separation of
gas phase from the free liquid phase.
Selection of
separators is based
on obtaining the
desired results at the
lowest cost
Before the gas leaves the vessel, it passes through a coalescing section, or
mist extractor.
This section uses elements of vanes, wire mesh, or plates to coalesce and
remove the very small droplets of liquid in one final separation step.
By controlling the rate at which gas leaves the vapor space of the vessel, this
system maintains the pressure in the vessel.
Normally horizontal separators are operated half full of liquid to maximize the
surface area of the gas-liquid interface.
Vertical Separators
Vertical Separators
Inlet flow enters the vessel through the side.
The inlet diverter does the initial gross separation.
The liquid flows down to the liquid collection
section of the vessel and continues to the liquid
outlet.
As the liquid reaches equilibrium, gas bubbles flow
counter to the direction of the liquid flow and
eventually migrate to the vapor space.
The level controller and liquid dump valve operate in the same manner as in a
horizontal separator.
The gas flows over the inlet diverter and then vertically upward toward the gas
outlet.
Vertical Separators
In the gravity settling section, the liquid drops fall
vertically downward counter-current to the upward
gas flow.
Gas goes through the mist extractor section before
it leaves the vessel to capture smaller liquid
droplets.
Pressure and level are maintained as in a
horizontal separators using pressure and level
controllers respectively.
Spherical Separators
Spherical Separators
The same four sections can be found in
this separator too. (Inlet Diverter, Liquid
Collection, Gravity Settling and Mist
Extractor)
Centrifugal Separators
Centrifugal Separators
Work on the principle that droplet separation can be
enhanced by the imposition of a radial or centrifugal force.
Consists of three sections ( inclined tangential inlet,
tangential liquid outlet and axial gas outlet).
Fluids are introduced tangentially into the separator via
inclined feed pipe.
The high-velocity swirling flow creates a radial acceleration field that causes the gas
to flow to the axial core region due to differences in gas and liquid density.
The gas exits through an axial outlet located at the top of the separator, and the
liquid leaves through a tangential outlet at the bottom.
Control can be achieved by a control valve on either liquid or the gas outlet lines.
Not suitable for widely varying flow rates since separation efficiency decreases as
velocity decreases.
Centrifugal Separators
The major benefits of using centrifugal separators are :
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
No moving parts
Low maintenance
Compact (space and weight)
Insensitive to motion
Lower cost
Venturi Separators
Like the centrifugal, the venturi separator
increases droplet coalescence by
introducing additional forces into the
system.
Motive Fluid
Double-Barrel Separators
Double-Barrel Separators
The flow-stream strikes the inlet diverter and the free
liquids fall to the lower barrel through a flow pipe.
The gas flows through the gravity settling section
and encounters a mist extractor en route to the gas
outlet.
Small amounts of gas entrained in the liquid are
liberated in the liquid collection barrel and flow up
through the flow pipes.
Commonly used in applications where high gas flowrate and/or large liquid slugs are
encountered
Single barrel horizontal separators can handle large flowrates but offer poor liquid surge
capabilities compared to the double barrel separators.
Two-barrel separators are typically used as gas scrubbers on the inlet to compressors,
glycol contact towers and gas treating systems in which the liquid flow rate is extremely
low relative to the gas flow rate.
Filter Separators
Filter Separators
Commonly used in high-gas/low liquid flow streams. Can be either horizontal
or vertical in configuration.
Designed to remove small liquid and solid particles from the gas stream.
Scrubbers
Is a two-phase separator that is designed to recover liquids carried over from
the gas outlets of production separators or to catch liquids condensed due to
cooling or pressure drops.
Lower liquid loading compared to a conventional separator.
Typical applications :
Mechanical equipment (such as compressors) that could be damaged by
free liquid
Equipment (such as coolers) that can cause liquids to condense from a
gas stream.
Gas dehydration equipment that would lose efficiency if contaminated with
liquid hydrocarbons
Selection Criteria
The geometry, physical and operating attributes give each separator type its
own advantages and disadvantages.
Horizontal separators are normally more efficient at handling large volumes of
gas than vertical separators ; less expensive compared to vertical separator for
a given gas capacity.
Since the interface area is larger in a horizontal separator than a vertical
separator, it is easier for the gas bubbles, which come out of solution as the
liquid approaches equilibrium, to reach the vapor space.
Thus, from a pure gas/liquid separation viewpoint, horizontal separators would
be preferred.
Selection Criteria
The following are the limitations of a horizontal separator which would require
the usage of a vertical separator :
(i)
The liquid dump of a vertical separator can be placed at the center of the
bottom head so that, solids will not build up in the separator but continue to
the next vessel in the process.
(ii) Necessary to place several drains along the length of the horizontal separator.
In a horizontal vessel, it is necessary to place several drains along the
length of the vessel.
Solids have an angle of repose of 45-60 O , which requires the drains to be
spaced at very close intervals.
The distance between the drains can be increased by using sand jets but is
not cost effective.
Selection Criteria
(iii) Horizontal separators require more area to perform the same separation as
vertical separators.
Not critical for onshore development but very critical consideration for
offshore development due to space constraint.
(iv) Lower liquid surge capacity compared to vertical separators.
Surge capacity of a separator is defend as the ability to absorb a slug of
liquid.
The liquid level change is larger in liquid volume for horizontal separator
compared to the vertical separator which is sized for the same flowrate.
Surges in horizontal vessels could create internal waves which can activate
the high level sensor prematurely.
Selection Criteria
Vertical separators also have some drawbacks which are not process-related
and must be considered in making a selection :
The location of the relief valves and other controls which would be difficult
to access without scaffolding for maintenance activities.
Selection Criteria
Overall, horizontal separators are most economical for normal oil-gas
separation, particularly where there may be problems with emulsions, foam, or
high gas-oil ratios (GOR).
Vertical separators work most effectively in low-GOR applications.
Vertical separators are used in some very high-GOR applications, such as
scrubbers in which only fluid mists is removed from the gas and where extra
surge capacity is needed (particularly for compressor suction scrubbers)
Advantages
Horizontal
Vertical
Spherical
1.Easier to clean
2.Saves space
3.Provides better surge control
4.Liquid level control is not
critical
5.Less tendency for reevaporation of liquid into the
gas phase due to the relatively
greater vertical distance
between liquid level and gas
outlet
Disadvantages
Horizontal
Vertical
Spherical
THANK YOU
2013 INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PETRONAS SDN BHD
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