TEKNA SEPARATION CONFERENCE 2013

A methodology to diagnose liquid carry over

in gas processing and action to reduce the problem.
Creation of sub-micron droplets (mechanism)
Diagnostic method
Chemical effects

Jon Berntsen, Managing Director

KANFA Mator AS, Norway

Liquid carry over in gas process

According to NORSOK requirement, liquid carry over shall not exceed

13 L (liquids)/MSm3 (gas).
Verification is typically done by the use of radiotracers. Oil resp. water soluble
tracers.
Operation of gas processes sometimes require use of anti-surge valve.
Will that or other operational problems influence scrubber performance?

Typical gas process

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Sampling equipment

The sample equipment are prefilled with a reference fluid; one for
collection of oil and one for collection of water.
After a defined sampling time the gas flow is stopped,
the equipment disconnected, and droplets accumulated in the
reference fluid is analysed.

For the fluids absorbed by the reference-fluid it is possible to find:

Droplet size distribution.
Type of carry over (oil/condensate/water)

Hook-up in the field

Creation of sub-micron droplets

Result from initial field testing.

Sampling 1 st. separator @ 50 barg.
4 different tests.
Is it possible to generate sub-micron and micron
droplets in a 50 bar separator?

Creation of sub-micron droplets

This presentation was our reference point about expected oil droplet sizes!

FIELD DATA

Creation of sub-micron droplets

Verification of our sampling and analytical method versus technologies that are reliable in the
Sub-micron and micron area.

Creation of sub-micron droplets

Generating of droplets in test

rig.

Testing @ 1 bar and 10 min

sampling time.

Testing @ 3.3 bar and 25 min

sampling time.

Typical gas process

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Typical gas process, high pressure

This sample presents the conditions after 5 minutes sampling

at a pressure of approx. 50 barg.
Note that the volume of crude oil is significant.
The reference fluid had a high concentration of dispersed oil
droplets > 1000 ppm. Note that all these oil droplets are very
small with an average droplet size of 2.6 microns.
The total volume of oil is dominated by free oil.

Typical gas process

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Typical gas process, low pressure

This sample presents the conditions after 5 minutes sampling

at a pressure less than 10 barg.
Note that the volume of free crude oil is low.
The reference fluid had a concentration of 870 ppm oil. Note
that all these oil droplets are less that 100 microns.

Typical gas process, high pressure scrubber

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Typical gas process, high pressure scrubber

These two samples indicate that
process variations influence the
degree and type of liquid carry over.
After conducting many tests a better
understanding of operation was gained.
Drainage of the liquid level in the scrubber
might result in more carry over.
Use of anti-surge might influence.

Typical gas process. Tracking of droplets

High pressure separator

Lower pressure separator

High pressure scrubber

Anti-surge operation

SAMPLEPOINT

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Anti-surge operation
Three different samples collected at the same sample point.
The center picture show condensate in reference fluid creating something that can
be expressed as slurry while the right picture is oil comingled with condensate.
Is this a result of anti-surge use or ???

Determination of type of hydrocarbons

The laser diffraction instrument identify droplets of crude oil and condensate dispersed
in the reference fluid and gives information about their droplet sizes and concentration (ppm).
Further use of different analytical methods is needed to differentiate between oil and
condensate.
Fine dispersed droplets are trapped in the reference fluid, while large droplets and
free oil are collected at the top.
The laser detects both oil and condensate
droplets dispersed in the reference fluid.
The other technique detects only crude
oil.
Condensate droplets
Crude oil droplets

Results downstream scrubber

Results from the reference fluid and total volume sample.

The light brown fluid on top is condensate mixed with
crude oil. At first sight an impression of large volume
crude oil carry over might be the case, but when analyzing
the different phases a more correct picture is drawn.

Results downstream scrubber

Laser diffraction measurement show a concentration of 401 ppm in the sample

When analyzing the same sample for crude oil 13 ppm is reported in the reference liquid.

Testing of chemicals for improved separation

In different processes it might be possible to gain some assistance by

use of chemicals.
It is normal procedure to use a defoaming chemical to reduce foaming
tendencies in separators to minimize liquid carry over.

We normally use neutron scanning to determine efficiency of defoaming

chemicals, but this time testing of gas quality was carried out.

Very interesting results!

Defoamer test gas from 1.st separator

Injection of 6 l/h

Injection of 12 l/h

Injection of 24 l/h

Defoamer test: After high pressure scrubber

Result from standard defoamer

Note concentration and distribution

Result with newdefoamer

Note concentration and distribution

New defoaming chemical improved performance in the scrubbers significantly.

Final touch

Technology and methodology is available for better

understanding of gas processes!

Final touch

And

A special thank to my colleague

Kristin S. Nomme
who has provided me with good data, information
and interesting discussion based on all the field
work conducted