Soran University

Faculty of Engineering

Department of Petroleum Engineering

Separation Facility Design

Prepared By

Kaify Abubakr

Aziz Sherzad

Mahammad Syamand

Supervised by

Nazir Anvar Mafakhiry

Date:05 May 2019

Table of Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1

2. Heat exchanger ............................................................................................................ 1

2.1. Double pipe heat exchanger ................................................................................. 1

2.2. Shell and tube heat exchanger.............................................................................. 2

2.3. Plate heat exchangers ........................................................................................... 3

3. Pump and Compressor ................................................................................................ 3

3.1. Pump .................................................................................................................... 3

3.1.1. Reciprocating ................................................................................................ 3

3.1.2. Rotary pump ................................................................................................. 4

3.1.3. Centrifugal pump .......................................................................................... 5

3.1.4. Radial Flow Pumps ....................................................................................... 5

3.1.5. Axial flow pumps ......................................................................................... 6

3.1.6. Mixed flow pumps ........................................................................................ 6

3.2. Compressor .......................................................................................................... 6

3.2.1. Rotary screw compressor.............................................................................. 6

3.2.2. Centrifugal compressors ............................................................................... 7

3.2.3. Open compressors......................................................................................... 7

3.2.4. Hermetic Compressors ................................................................................. 8

4. Pipeline and Valve ...................................................................................................... 9

4.1. Pipeline ................................................................................................................ 9

4.1.1. Gathering pipelines ....................................................................................... 9

4.1.2. Transportation Pipelines ............................................................................... 9

4.1.3. Distribution Pipelines ................................................................................. 10

4.2. Pipeline Protection: ............................................................................................ 11

4.2.1. Protection and Cleaning.............................................................................. 11

4.2.2. Cathode Protection ..................................................................................... 11

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 4.3. Valve .................................................................................................................. 11

4.3.1. Globe valves (gate valve) ........................................................................... 12

4.3.2. Piston valves ............................................................................................... 12

4.3.3. Plug valves .................................................................................................. 13

4.3.4. Ball valves .................................................................................................. 14

4.3.5. Butterfly valve ............................................................................................ 14

4.4. Check valves ...................................................................................................... 15

4.4.1. Lift check valves ......................................................................................... 15

4.4.2. Swing check valves .................................................................................... 15

4.4.3. Ball check valves ........................................................................................ 16

5. Flow sheet ................................................................................................................. 17

5.1. Well specification .............................................................................................. 17

5.2. Facility specification .......................................................................................... 18

6. Safety......................................................................................................................... 30

6.1. Basic concepts of protection. ............................................................................. 30

6.1.1. Prevention ................................................................................................... 30

6.1.2. shut in ......................................................................................................... 30

6.1.3. Minimization .............................................................................................. 31

7. Economy.................................................................................................................... 32

8. Results and Conclusion ............................................................................................. 33

9. References ................................................................................................................. 33

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Different types of double pipe heat exchangers ................................................... 2
Figure 2: Shell and tube heat exchanger .............................................................................. 2
Figure 3: Plate heat exchangers ........................................................................................... 3
Figure 4: Reciprocating pump ............................................................................................. 4
Figure 5: Rotary pump ......................................................................................................... 4
Figure 6: Centrifugal pump .................................................................................................. 5
Figure 7: Rotary screw compressor ..................................................................................... 7
Figure 8: Centrifugal Compressors ...................................................................................... 7
Figure 9: Open Compressors ............................................................................................... 8
Figure 10: Hermetic Compressors ....................................................................................... 8
Figure 11:Globe valve........................................................................................................ 12
Figure 12:Piston valve ....................................................................................................... 13
Figure 13:Plug valve .......................................................................................................... 13
Figure 14:Ball valve ........................................................................................................... 14
Figure 15:Butterfly valve ................................................................................................... 14
Figure 16: lift check valve ................................................................................................. 15
Figure 17:Swing check valves ........................................................................................... 16
Figure 18: ball check valves .............................................................................................. 16
Figure 19: ........................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 20: ........................................................................................................................... 19
Figure 21: ........................................................................................................................... 20
Figure 22: ........................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 23: ........................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 24: ........................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 25: ........................................................................................................................... 23
Figure 26: ........................................................................................................................... 24
Figure 27: ........................................................................................................................... 24
Figure 28: ........................................................................................................................... 25
Figure 29: ........................................................................................................................... 26
Figure 30: ........................................................................................................................... 26
Figure 31: ........................................................................................................................... 26
Figure 32: ........................................................................................................................... 29

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Figure 33: ........................................................................................................................... 29
Figure 34: ........................................................................................................................... 30

List of Tables
Table 1:mole fraction ......................................................................................................... 17
Table 2:Slug composition .................................................................................................. 18
Table 3:Steady composition ............................................................................................... 19
Table 4: .............................................................................................................................. 20
Table 5:Mixed oil............................................................................................................... 25
Table 6:Water..................................................................................................................... 27
Table 7:sour gas composition ............................................................................................ 28
Table 8:condition of sour gas ............................................................................................. 28
Table 9:Facility design cost ............................................................................................... 32
Table 10:Amine unit .......................................................................................................... 33

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1. Introduction
Fluids produced from reservoir consist of water, oil, and gas sometimes it even contains
solids which can range from reservoir solids that can be sand and silt or corrosion from tubulars,
the necessity of a separation facility is to separate all the phases or components that meet
purchaser and environmental requirements for sale and disposal. This mixture usually unsafe
and uneconomical to ship or to transport these mixtures to refineries and marketing processing.
Further, hydrocarbon shipping tankers, oil refineries, and gas plants require certain
specifications for the fluids that each receive. Also, environmental constraints exist for the safe
and acceptable handling of hydrocarbon fluids and disposal of produced salt water. Before
transporting or disposal of any mixture each phase must be separate. Separation of crude oil
into oil, gas and water phases is achieved in mechanical devices called ‘separators’ where gas
is flashed from oil in the top of separator through mist extractor and free water is separated by
gravity (King, C. 2013). Separations are carried out based on differences in chemical properties
or physical properties such as size, shape, mass, density or chemical affinity, between the
constituents of a mixture. The components and impurities are separated by separators (Hamad
and Ali, 2016).

2. Heat exchanger
It is a device that is used to transfer thermal energy between two or more liquids, between
a solid surface and a liquid, or between solid particles and a liquid.at different temperatures
and in thermal contact. In heat exchangers, there is usually no external heat and working
interaction. Typical applications include heating or cooling of a fluid stream of concern and
evaporation or condensation of condensing single or multicomponent fluid streams. The most
common type of heat exchanger is one in which the heat or cooled liquid does not come into
direct contact, but is separated by a tube wall, a flag or a cured surface (Shah, 2013).

2.1. Double pipe heat exchanger

The double pipe heat exchanger is the most common type of heat exchanger used in the
oil and gas industry. In a double pipe heat exchanger, one fluid flows inside the inner pipe,
and the other fluid flows in the space between the inner and outer tube. Fluid flow can be
co-current or counter-current (see Figure 1). Typically, water or steam is used as the fluid
that heats the crude oil. The choice between co-current and counter-current heat exchangers
depends on the operating parameters and conditions. The main function of the heat
exchanger is to heat the mixture of oil and water exiting the three-phase separator before it
1
is fed into the two-phase separator. Heating facilitates the separation of gas from (Paracha,
et al., 2016).

Figure 1: Different types of double pipe heat exchangers

2.2. Shell and tube heat exchanger

Shell and tube heat exchangers are widely used as power condensers, oil coolers,
heaters, and steam generators. They consist of a lot of tubes that are mounted parallel to
each other in a cylindrical shell (see Figure 2). The flow can be a parallel, counter, or cross
flow and in some cases combinations of these flow arrangements as a result of baffling.
The design of the shell and tube is relatively simple and is most often designed in
accordance with the standards of the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturer’s Association
(TEMA) standards (Smith, 1995)

Figure 2: Shell and tube heat exchanger

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 2.3. Plate heat exchangers
Plate heat exchangers contain a series of thin corrugated molded metal plates. Each
pair of plates forms a complex passage through which fluid flows. Each pair of the plates
are then fixed together to form a sandwich-type construction in which the second fluid
flows in the spaces formed between successive pairs of plates (see Figure 3). These types
of heat exchangers provide a compact and lightweight heat transfer surface. As a result of
the space between the plates and corrugated design, high heat transfer coefficients result
along with strong eddy formation which helps minimize fouling. Because of the simple
construction, they are easy to clean and find wide use in food processing applications
(Kakac, 1998).

Figure 3: Plate heat exchangers

3. Pump and Compressor

3.1. Pump
It is a device for converting the energy held by mechanical energy into fluid. Crude oil
and natural gas are transmitted over short and long distances mainly through pipelines.
Pumps and compressors are used to provide pressures required for the transportation (Guo,
2011).

3.1.1. Reciprocating
In this design, the suction is created by a piston that sinks and pulls the material.
Valves are used to ensure that the flow only moves in one direction (see Figure 4). A
reciprocating design therefore pulses the liquid at identical intervals (Tohon, 2016).

3
 Figure 4: Reciprocating pump

3.1.2. Rotary pump

The simplest vane pump has a spherical rotor rotating inside a larger circular
cavity. The centers of these two circles are shifted, causing eccentricity. The blades can
slide into and out of the rotor and seal all edges, creating a blade chamber that performs
the work of the pump. On the pump inlet side, the vane chambers increase in volume.
These blade chambers of increasing volume are filled with fluid pumped by inlet
pressure (see Figure 5). In fact, the inlet pressure is the pressure from the pumped
system, often only from the atmosphere, On the discharge side of the pump, the vane
chambers are decreasing in volume, forcing fluid out of the pump. The action of the
vane drives out the identical volume of fluid with each rotation. Multistage rotary-vane
vacuum pumps can attain pressures as low as 10−6 mbar (0.0001 Pa) (Parbhoo, 2014).

Figure 5: Rotary pump

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3.1.3. Centrifugal pump
A centrifugal pump is a rotodynamic pump that uses a rotating impeller to
increase pressure and fluid flow rate. Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of
pump used to move fluids through a piping system. Liquid enters the pump impeller
along or near the axis of rotation and is accelerated by the impeller, passing radially
outward or axially into the diffuser or spiral chamber, from where it enters the lower
piping system (see Figure 6). Centrifugal pumps are typically used for great discharge
through smaller heads. Centrifugal pumps are most often accompanying with the radial
flow type. However, the term "centrifugal pump" is to describe all impeller type
rotodynamic pumps including the radial, axial and mixed flow variations (Karassik, et
al., 2001).

Figure 6: Centrifugal pump

3.1.4. Radial Flow Pumps

Radial Flow Pumps Often referred to simply as centrifugal pumps. The fluid
enters the axial plane, is accelerated by the impeller and exits at right angles to the shaft
(radially). Radial flow pumps work at higher pressures and lower flow rates than axial
and mixed flow pumps.

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 3.1.5. Axial flow pumps
Axial flow pumps differ from radial flow in that fluid enters and exits in the
same direction parallel to the rotating shaft. The fluid does not accelerate, but “rises”
under the action of the impeller. They can be compared with a propeller rotating along
the length of the tube. Axial-flow pumps operate at much lower pressures and higher
flow rates than radial-flow pumps (Hall, 2013).

3.1.6. Mixed flow pumps

Mixed flow pumps, as the name implies, function as a compromise between
radial and axial flow pumps, the fluid experiences both radial acceleration and lift, and
leaves the impeller somewhere in the range of 0-90 degrees from the axial direction. As
a result, mixed flow pumps operate at higher pressures than axial flow pumps, while
providing higher discharges than radial flow pumps. The exit angle of the flow
determines the pressure-discharge characteristic with respect to the radial and mixed
flow (Khayal, 2017).

3.2. Compressor
A compressor is a mechanical device which increases the gas pressure by reducing its
volume. An air compressor is a special type of gas compressor. Compressors are similar to
pumps: both increase the pressure on the fluid, and both can transport fluid through the
pipe. As the gases are compressed, the compressor also reduces the volume of gas. Fluids
are relatively incompressible; while some of them can be compressed, the main action of
the pump is to increase pressure and transport liquids (Sharma, 2016).

3.2.1. Rotary screw compressor

Rotary screw compressor: air is drawn in from one end, trapped between the
rotors and pushed to the other side of the rotors (see Figure 7). The air is pushed out by
the rotors, which rotate in the opposite direction, and the compression is carried out
when it enters the gap between the two rotors. then pushed toward pressure (Kapoor,
2017).

6
 Figure 7: Rotary screw compressor

3.2.2. Centrifugal compressors

These compressors rotate at high speed, and the refrigerant is compressed by
centrifugal force. These compressors are commonly used with refrigerants having
higher specific volumes that require lower degrees of compression. Multistep blocks
can be used to achieve a higher discharge pressure, and the number of stages is
determined by the gas injection temperature at the exit of the rotor (see Figure 8). These
compressors are used for cooling water in air conditioners and for low-temperature
freezing (Kerry, 2007).

Figure 8: Centrifugal Compressors

3.2.3. Open compressors

It is one of the types of reciprocating compressor that is one end of the
crankshaft is pulled out of the engine crankcase, so you can use multiple drives with
the compressor. A mechanical seal is used to check for external refrigerant and oil leaks,
as well as for air to escape. Those compressors are driven by electric motors or internal
combustion engines (see Figure 9). Belt driven speed changes are achieved by changing

7
the size of the pulleys, while with direct drive units the compressor is planned to operate
at engine speed (Jones, 2018).

Figure 9: Open Compressors

3.2.4. Hermetic Compressors

It is one of the kinds of reciprocating compressor (see Figure 10). These
compressors are serviceable hermetic, in which motor and compressor are enclosed in
the same housing, and the welded hermetic compressor and the engine are hermetically
sealed with a welded steel sheath (Jones, 2018).

Figure 10: Hermetic Compressors

8
4. Pipeline and Valve
4.1. Pipeline
pipelines transport crude oil from oil wells to storage depots or refineries for
processing. The pipeline includes pipe, flanges, fittings, bolts, gaskets, valves and parts
containing pressure, other components of the pipeline. It also includes pipe hangers and
supports, as well as other items needed to prevent overpressure and overvoltage of
components containing pressure. Obviously, a pipe is one element or part of a pipeline.
Therefore, pipe sections connected to fittings, valves and other mechanical equipment and
properly supported by hangers and supports are called pipelines (Nayyar, 2000).

In general, pipelines can be classified into three categories depending on the purpose:

4.1.1. Gathering pipelines

• Short length
• Small diameter
• Variable pressure

Almost no natural resource is ready for use as soon as it is mined. Crude oil,
natural gas, and even river water must undergo some processing before they can be
delivered to their final consumers. Prefabricated pipelines transfer resources between
the production point and the corresponding treatment site. Prefabricated pipelines, as a
rule, have a small diameter and short length. This is because it is important to minimize
the time between the extraction of resources and the initial stages of processing. Most
of the time, the initial assembly pipelines are less than 1000 feet long. This does not
mean that the collection of pipelines will necessarily lead to the place where the
resource reaches its final stage of processing and cleaning; it simply leads to initial
treatment. Various resources may receive additional processing after further
transportation through transport pipelines (Williams, 1973).

4.1.2. Transportation Pipelines

• Long length
• Large diameter
• High pressure

While all pipelines are designed to transference materials for some distance,
transport pipelines traditionally handle “long distances”. Transportation can take place

9
between cities, but they can extend much further. You will find transport pipelines
between countries and continents. Transport pipelines are usually manufactured using
the largest pipes. Pipeline safety trust defines transport pipelines as “6–48 inches in
diameter.” In addition to handling large quantities of materials, these pipelines often
operate at high pressure levels. PS Trust notes that gas transmission pipelines operate
at 200 to 1500 pounds per square inch, but the pressure level will vary depending on
the material being transported. Safety is a serious problem for each type of pipeline, but
is especially important for transport pipelines. This is due to their size, length and
pressure. Even a small hole can lead to a huge spill, and even large spills can take a lot
of time to find and fix. A line that extends hundreds of miles, and it can take hours or
even days to find a leak after the first signs of a problem. That is why it is so important
to make sure that the transport pipelines are built correctly. Poor construction can lead
to disastrous results (Williams, 1973).

4.1.3. Distribution Pipelines

• Medium length
• Small diameter
• Low pressure

After the resource has come a long way from the original production site to the
treatment plant, and then to the destination city where it will be used, only one pipeline
remains. Distribution piping is comparable to collecting piping in that it is relatively
small in diameter and short compared to transport lines. This line delivers resources to
end industrial, commercial and residential areas. This type of conveyor is the type most
people are familiar with. Distribution pipelines are used to supply fresh water and
natural gas to every home. You can see the distribution pipeline in action by looking at
our Northern Colorado University pipeline replacement project. The water has already
gone through the initial stages of collection and transportation, but it was necessary to
safely deliver it to the university so that students and teachers could use it. For 16
months, we replaced 6,000 linear feet of custom steel pipelines to provide the university
with safe, usable and reliable hot water. Resources can travel thousands of miles
between the starting point of production, but when it comes to the pipeline, every inch
is important. A tiny hole in the last 0.1% of the pipeline between production and end
use can mean the difference between a smooth motion and a catastrophe. That is why

10
 it is important that not a single angle is cut off at any stage of pipeline construction,
from production to distribution (Williams, 1973).

4.2. Pipeline Protection:

In most parts of the world where oil and gas production take place, there are many
existing pipelines and cables on the seabed that need to be crossed when installing a new
pipeline. To prevent any damage to these existing pipelines and cables, preparation for the
crossing must be completed before installing a new pipeline.

4.2.1. Protection and Cleaning

Reflecting on corrosion protection methods, cleaning and protection should be
at the top of the list. In combination with the Dynaguard Corrosion Protection System,
regular cleaning will help prevent corrosion. This can help you avoid the need to get
rid of corrosion in the future. Clean the piping regularly. This usually includes pig
farming and chemicals. Depending on the severity of the corrosion problem, various
tools and materials may be used. Another part of the pipeline maintenance is cleaning
the area around the line. Pipelines will function properly only if their path is not
interrupted. At the planning stage, be sure to remove all nearby tree roots. After that,
check the area for new vegetation growth that may affect the pipe. Keeping the area
clean will also make any repairs needed easier (Edwards, 2011).

4.2.2. Cathode Protection

This method of dealing with corrosion uses electric current. This prevents
deterioration of corrosion by neutralizing it. Cathodic protection is often used with
pipelines that are underground or in water. If done with a new pipeline, it can actually
prevent the formation of corrosion in general (Edwards, 2011).

4.3. Valve
Valves are components in a fluid flow or pressure system that regulate the flow or
pressure of a fluid. This duty may include stopping and starting the flow, controlling the
flow rate, deflecting the flow, preventing backflow, controlling the pressure, or releasing
the pressure. These duties are performed using the piston / disc and adjusting the position
in the valve. Valves are classified in many ways, but mostly manual and automatic valves.
Manual valves are used to stop and start flow, control flow, and divert flow, while automatic
control valves prevent backflow (check valves) and relieve pressure (Smith, 1995).

11
 4.3.1. Globe valves (gate valve)
Global valves are shut-off valves in which the closing element moves directly
to and from the seat. Usually, the covering element is called a disc regardless of its
shape (Smith, 2004).

Figure 11:Globe valve

When the valve is opened, the disc perpendicularly departs from the seat. This provides
less leakage, since when the valve is closed, the stopper has an angle close to 90 °. For low
temperature applications, Globe valves are usually installed so that pressure is under the disc
(see Figure 11). This facilitates operation and helps protect the seal, and for high temperature
steam applications, Globe valves are installed so that the pressure is above the disc. Otherwise,
the stock shrinks when cooled and tends to lift the disc from the saddle (Wermac, 2013).

4.3.2. Piston valves

Piston valves are closing valves in which the piston closing element enters or is
removed from the seat hole. In these valves, a seat seal is achieved between the side
surfaces of the piston and the seat hole. When the valve opens, the flow cannot start
until the piston has been completely removed from the bore. Therefore, any erosion
damage occurs away from the seating surfaces (see Figure 12). When the valve is
closed, the piston tends to wipe off any solids that might have settled on the seat. Thus,
piston valves can process fluids that carry solids in suspension. When some damage to
the seat occurs, the piston and seat can be replaced in place, and the valve as new
without any machining (Smith, 2004).

12
 Figure 12:Piston valve

4.3.3. Plug valves

Plug valves are rotary valves in which the closure shaped closure element is
rotated in 90 ° increments to engage or detach the porthole or openings in the plug with
openings in the valve body (Smith, 2004). The plug can have two shapes / forms,
cylindrical or conical. The port shape usually has rectangular parallel plugs and
truncated triangular shapes in conical plugs. These shapes allow a thinner valve design
with reduced weight, but at the expense of some pressure drop (see Figure 13).

Figure 13:Plug valve

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4.3.4. Ball valves
Ball valves are a type of plunger valves with a spherical locking element. The
seat, which coincides with the ball, is round, so that the landing voltage is uniform
around the circumference. Most ball valves are also equipped with soft seats that easily
fit the surface of the ball. Thus, in terms of sealing, the ball valve concept is excellent
(Smith, 2004). Because the ball moves through the seats with a wipe motion, the ball
valves will process liquids with solid particles in suspension. However, abrasive solids
will damage the seats and the surface of the ball (see Figure 14).

Figure 14:Ball valve

4.3.5. Butterfly valve

Butterfly valves are rotary valves in which the disk-shaped closing element is
rotated 90 ° or approximately to open or close the flow channel. The original butterfly
valve is a simple pipe damper that is not designed for hermetic closure. This valve is
still an important member of the butterfly valve family (Smith, 2004). Since the
butterfly valve disc is moved to the seat with a wiping motion, most butterfly valves
are capable of treating liquids with solid particles in suspension and, depending on the
strength of the seat, also powders and granules (see Figure 15).

Figure 15:Butterfly valve

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4.4. Check valves
The main function of the check valve is to protect the mechanical equipment in the
pipeline system by preventing the flow of fluid from reversing. This is especially important
in the case of pumps and compressors, where the reverse flow can damage the internal parts
of the equipment and cause unnecessary shutdown of the system, and in severe cases - the
entire installation (Smith, 2004). Check valves are automatic valves that open with direct
flow and close against reverse flow. This flow control mode is necessary to prevent
backflow, to maintain the charge after stopping the pump. Non-return valves may also be
required in lines supplying a secondary system in which pressure may rise higher than in
the primary system.

4.4.1. Lift check valves

The closing element moves in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the
seat. They have an advantage over most other types of check valves in that they only
require a relatively short lift to fully open the valve (see Figure 16). This lift is
minimal for lift check valves, in which the flow passage at the saddle is ring-shaped
(Smith, 2004).

Figure 16: lift check valve

4.4.2. Swing check valves

The closing element swings around the hinge, which is installed outside the seat.
All access to the internal parts through the top cover. The valve has a replaceable seat.
The hinge pin is positioned so that gravity holds the disc against the saddle (see Figure
17). Some of these valves are suitable for vertical operation (Nesbitt, 2007).

15
 Figure 17:Swing check valves

4.4.3. Ball check valves

The ball non-return valve, is suitable for the most arduous, dirty or clean
applications. Great attention must be paid to the details of the design so that the ball
realizes its real potential (see Figure 18). Failure to solve these working design
problems will lead to large fluid losses and rapid wear and tear (Nesbitt, 2007).

Figure 18: ball check valves

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5. Flow sheet
5.1. Well specification
The project is to design a separation plant with the following specifications:

Task is to produce 35000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD). Another specification is that
45 % of incoming crude oil from nearby field in a rather steady flow (1), while the
remaining 55% is coming from a satellite field as a sluggish flow (2) with a typical period
of 25 min, minimum and max/min ratio of 2.5. The water inlet in the crude oil will be 55%
of the crude oil. Over a decay of 9 years, these numbers might be doubled due to increased
water injection to the reservoir. Design a suitable separation facility and pipeline with a
length of 25 km and receiving pressure of 5 bar. Flow line pressure= 80 bar temperature=
40 C.

The molar components and fractions are as follow:

Table 1:mole fraction

No. Methane 0.14726

1 Ethane 0.05007
2 Propane 0.0096
3 i-Butane 0.0227
4 n-Butane 0.1018
5 i-Pentane 0.1204
6 n-Pentane 0.0112
7 n-Hexane 0.0225
8 n-Heptane 0.0048
9 n-Octane 0.0084
10 n-Nonane 0.0024
11 n-Decane 0.0803
12 n-C11 0.0594
13 n-C12 0.0205
14 n-C13 0.0449
15 n-C14 0.0004
16 n-C15 0.0003
17 n-C16 0.0002
18 Nitrogen 0.0021
19 CO2 0.0007
20 H2O 0.2720
21 H2S 0.0183

17
 5.2. Facility specification

Figure 19:

Two streams enter the facility as sluggish and steady flow with a combined flow of 35,000
BOPD with the sluggish flow consisting 55% of total flow and the remaining 45% as steady
flow, as they enter the facility they are directed through valves to control the flow and decrease
pressure by 10 KPa each, the components and mole fractions of both flows are shown below:

Table 2:Slug composition

18
Table 3:Steady composition

Figure 20:

19
 In order to remove the vapor phase from liquid phase the two flows had to be heated, the
use of heaters resulted in large amounts of utility cost that was close to capital cost hence, 4
shell and tube heat-exchangers were used to heat the flow from 40C to 137C, in order to heat
the crude a steam stream with 350C in temperature and a flow rate of 200 m3/h and pressure
relative to both streams introduced to shell side inlets of exchangers was introduced.

Figure 21:

Vapors from two vertical separators having same pressure (4950 KPa) were mixed so they
can have a total molar flow rate of 481.2 Kgmole/h (steady = 256.6 and slug = 224.6 Kgmole/h)
so as to they can be handled more easily later on.

Table 4:

20
 Figure 22:

After both streams heated using exchangers they were directed to two vertical separators
through valves decreasing pressure by 2980 and 10 KPa respectively to separate light fractions
from heavy fractions, resulting in both liquid flows to have 4940 KPa, after going through
valves and a pressure drop of 10 KPa they are to be mixed in a mixer so they can be directed
to a horizontal three phase separator.

Figure 23:

21
 After dropping a pressure by 10 KPa in VLV-101 the controlled mixed liquid from the
previous two vertical separators had to be heated again in order to achieve a ΔT of 50C (having
a temperature of 191.5C), same as the beginning two shell and tube heat-exchangers were used
and another steam stream to the shell side inlet, going through another valve to control flow
then it was directed to a horizontal three phase separator (HP 1) having a molar flow of 1940
Kgmole/h, this horizontal separator has three outlets as vapor-1, oil-1, and water.

Figure 24:

Oil separated in the three phase separator (HP 1) contained a gas fraction that could become
problematic during pumping and transportation, so they had to be removed from the oil using
a shell and tube heat-exchanger, the shell inlet was provided by the same stream used to heat
the mixed liquid before entering (HP 1), the heated oil then entered a vertical separator (VS-
3), the separator lowered the pressure by 1200 KPa, now both outlets; vapor-2 (332.3
Kgmole/h) and oil-2 (367.5 Kgmole/h) leave VS-3 having a pressure of 160 KPa both valves
(VLV-103 and VLV-117) have a pressure drop of 10 KPa each.

22
 Figure 25:

Vapor-1 having left HP 1 with a specification of 154.4C, 1400KPa, and 1060 Kgmole/h
had to be mixed with other gases from first two vertical separators (4940 KPa) and VS-3(160
KPa), but due to low pressure a compressor had to be introduced so vapor-1 can meet required
pressure of 4940 KPa for mixing, same condition for vapor-2 with the addition of cooler
because the amount of pressure increased resulted in an increase of temperature to 290C, the
cooler lowered temperature by 100C cooling vapor-2 to 189.9C. now all gases from all four
separators having same pressure are mixed and named mixed gas-2, going through a valve with
10 KPa of pressure drop the controlled mixed gas-2 has a temperature of 143.6C, 4930 KPa of
pressure with a molar flow of 481.2 Kgmole/h.

23
 Figure 26:

Now all gases combined enter one final vertical two phase separator to remove valuable
HC from the gas and sell it among liquids, the separator has a pressure decrease of 4555 KPa
resulting the sour gas leaving with a molar flow of 1865 Kgmole/h and light oil with 7.881
Kgmole/h both having temperatures and pressure of 149.5C and 365 KPa respectively.

Figure 27:

Oil-2 having left VS-3 and lowered its pressure by 10 KPa through VLV-104 having a
temperature and pressure of 174.5C and 150 KPa respectively had to be mixed with light oil
from VS-4 with a pressure drop of 315 KPa to prevent backflow, but due to differences in both
temperature and pressure a cooler was added to lower temperature by 135C and lower pressure
by 100 KPa resulting in a cooled oil-2 with 39.49C and 50 KPa, having the same pressure

24
 Table 5:Mixed oil

as light oil which had decrease of pressure from 60 to 50 KPa through VLV-124 is now
ready to be mixed resulting in a stream named mixed oil with a temperature of 41.99C, 50 KPa
of pressure and a flow rate 375.4 Kgmole/h.

Figure 28:

After a pressure drop of 10 KPa through VLV-105 the mixed oil has a pressure of 40 KPa
which is lower than standard atmospheric pressure of 101 KPa, so a pump introduced to give a
pressure boost of 3000KPa to pump oil along the 14.5Km of pipeline.

25
 Figure 29:

The final destination of oil to be transported which was 14,500m long and with geological
problems (Fig.30) had to be carefully designed and setting valves to maintain flow rate and
pressure along the pipeline, before entering the pipeline a valve was set to prevent backflow
that has a pressure drop of 2174 KPa.

Figure 30:

Figure 31:

26
 The water contained in both flows were only removed from the three-phase horizontal
separator with a flow rate of 180.9 Kgmole/h having temperature and pressure of 154.4C and
1400 KPa respectively.

Table 6:Water

Amine Unit

The sour gas which had left VS-4 with composition and conditions shown below had to be
made H2S and CO2 free so it can be safely disposed of.

27
 Table 7:sour gas composition

Table 8:condition of sour gas

The sour gas had to be introduced to an absorber to remove toxic gases to lower the costs
and save energy the rich amine has been reused. With an addition of 52 m3/h of DEAmine. The
flow of rich amine leaving absorber from lower outlet and the addition of DEAmine both enter
a flash tank to further remove gases from the heavier liquid fraction.

28
 Figure 32:

The liquid from flash tank named as to F-01 has to be given a boost using a pump by
110KPa having a molar flow 1590 Kgmole/h, after going through an exchanger the liquid will
be entering a regenerator that has built-in condenser and reboiler, the reboiler outlet serves as
the shell side inlet for the exchanger then to be cooled with a cooler having dropped 10 KPa of
pressure and 32C in temperature.

Figure 33:

Leaving the cooler, the with a pressure of 65 KPa a pump was necessary to increase the
pressure by 250 KPa for recycling, which later was used inlet for the absorber.

29
 Figure 34:

6. Safety
The main protection concepts required for the safe design and operation of a production
facility are to develop a system for a common manufacturing facility, and then illustrate how
hazard analysis can be used to identify, evaluate, and reduce process risks. Most safety hazards
from production are related to the release of hydrocarbons; therefore, the analysis and design
of a safety system at a production facility should focus on preventing such emissions, stopping
the flow of hydrocarbons before leakage, if this happens, and minimizing the impact of
hydrocarbons in the event of their release.

6.1. Basic concepts of protection.

6.1.1. Prevention
Ideally, hydrocarbon emissions should never occur. Each process component is
protected by two levels of protection: primary and secondary. The reason for the two
levels of protection is that if the first level does not function properly, a secondary level
of protection is available.

6.1.2. shut in
If hydrocarbon emissions occur, the flow to the place of release should be closed
as soon as possible. The problem should not be exacerbated by the continued release of
additional hydrocarbons. Protective closure is achieved by both ground safety system
(SSS) and emergency support system (ESS).

30
6.1.3. Minimization
When hydrocarbons are released, their effects should be minimized to the
maximum. Unfortunately, some problems can lead to serious and dangerous
consequences, such as injuries, environmental pollution and loss of company assets.
Understanding, preventing, or minimizing possible negative consequences requires a
fundamental understanding of the basic concepts of protection and security analysis
(Walker, 2014).

Some of the major incidents that may occur are discussed below.

• Oil pollution.

Oil pollution comes from an oil spill. In the event of an oil spill, contamination can
be avoided by installing an adequate containment shell. Requirements for tanks, pallets
(in the open sea) and septic tanks reduce the likelihood of oil contamination due to small
spills (Maurice, 2007).

• Explosions and Fires

Workers in the oil and gas industry face the risk of fire and explosion due to the
ignition of flammable vapors or gases. Flammable gases, for example well gases,
vapors and hydrogen sulfide, can be out from wells, trucks, production equipment, or
surface equipment such as tanks and shakers. Ignition sources may include static,
electrical energy sources, open flames, lightning, cigarettes, cutting and welding tools,
hot surfaces and heat from friction (OSHA, 2018).

• Injury

An injury can occur directly as a result of an explosion, an uncontrolled fire, or one

of the other conditions shown in fig. 10.1. If there is sufficient warning before a fire
occurs, there must be enough time to escape before injury occurs. If the fuel can be
turned off and there is sufficient fire control equipment to control the fire before it
becomes large, the likelihood of injury is small. Inability to escape increases the
likelihood of injury from any of these conditions All conditions are more likely to cause
injury, the longer personnel are exposed to the situation; consequently, escape routes,
lighting, appropriate rescue capsules / boats (if at sea), and fire barriers all reduce the
likelihood of injury (Maurice, 2007).

31
 • Personal Protective Equipment

When risk is not based on geographical factors, other standards must be adopted.
These rules must still contain key controls that apply regardless of location or
geographic operation; however, risk-based controls should primarily focus on
operational activities, specific additional requirements depending on the characteristics
of the place, and not geographic location. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guides
ensure proper use according to the following key management tools (Woodward, 2010).

7. Economy
Like many other sectors petroleum industry is about profit, the two crude flows entered the
facility were run in many scenarios designed using Aspen Hysys V9 that is mainly used as a
designing conduit for separation facility and estimates both capital and operating expenses
many cases were run the best chosen based on cost and separation process. There were
scenarios that effectively separated all the faces for purchaser’s specification but with high
OPEX that did not seem to be economical and there were scenarios as well that could be set
with minimum funds but in exchange for low separation quality.

The facility design which has been chosen as it has been seemed to be the most cost
effective and best separation quality, needs a funding of 8,514,970 USD to build the facility
and 294,335 USD each year to effectively run the facility. For the gas treating which was
introduced to amine unit in order to remove the harmful/toxic gases such as H2S and CO2 due
to environmental concerns an amount of 5,127,520 USD is needed to set the units and
2,349,520 USD for every year, meaning the Capex to Opex is 5.16.

Table 9:Facility design cost

32
 Table 10:Amine unit

8. Results and Conclusion

Two separate streamlines of sluggish and steady flow with a combining flow rate of
35,000bbl/D were mixed and a separation facility designed so as to separate the oil for sale
with specifications [gas and water content ≤ 5ppm], treat vapor, and water fractions for disposal
using 1 Horizontal separators and 4 vertical separators with valves to reduce the pressure,
pumps to increase pressure, heat exchangers to increase the temperature, cooler to decrease
temperature along the facility. The design capital cost reached 13647840 USD while utility
cost reached 2644275 USD. The vapor fraction introduced to an absorber for gas-sweetening
process (Amine Unit) for environmental concerns, the oil then transported through a pipeline
of 828.6 mm in inner diameter and a length of 14.5 Km with a geometry indicated in Figure 30
and valves set to control the flow rate.

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35