Diverter Gas Separator

Jim McCoy

Lynn Rowlan, Dieter Becker, Ken Skinner - Echometer Company

Tony Podio - University of Texas – Austin

Jim@echometer.com
 Gas Separation from Liquid
Gas Separator Liquid
Capacity is based on
the principle that gas
is lighter than liquid
and tends to rise.
Gas Rise Velocity in oil and
water is approximately 6
inches per second. If the
downward liquid velocity is
greater than 6 inches per
second, gas is pulled
downward.

GAS BUBBLES FLOW UPWARD IN OIL OR WATER AT A RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 6

INCHES PER SECOND. THUS, GAS BUBBLES WILL BE RELEASED FROM A LIQUID
COLUMN IF THE DOWNWARD LIQUID VELOCITY IS LESS THAN 6 INCHES PER
SECOND.

A LIQUID COLUMN HAVING AN AREA OF 1 SQUARE INCH TRAVELLING AT A

VELOCITY OF 6 INCHES PER SECOND IS A RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 BPD.
 Natural Gas
Separator
The most efficient
downhole gas separators
locate the pump intake
below the lowest gas
entry point.

Gas is not pulled down to

the pump perforations
unless the liquid velocity
is greater than 6 inches
per second.

Maximum capacity is
obtained using casing
annulus.
Natural Gas Anchor

Liquid Capacity
for Various
Annular Areas
Basic Principles of Downhole Separator System

pump
Gravity separation is
the governing principle
for downhole gas slip
separators.

Less capacity than

using casing ID. liquid in
separator
Downward Liquid
velocity greater than 6 gas in
inches per second in separator
separator pulls gas into
pump.
 “Poor Boy” Gas Separator
Limited Flow Area Seating Nipple
and Small
3/8 inch holes in Collar
perforated sub limit
gas exit flow and Casing
liquid entry thus
reducing separation
efficiency Perforated Sub

Dip Tube
Tubing Collars Collar
prevent perforated
sub from laying Joint of Tubing
against casing wall
where liquid
accumulates
“Poor Boy” Gas Separator
Liquid Capacity
 Collar Size Separator
Increases Liquid Capacity

A good separator must

strike a balance between
annular flow area,
separator flow area, dip
tube diameter and
pressure drop.

Outer barrel OD same as collar OD.

Thin wall outer barrel and dip tube.

Short flow conduits.

Large inlet ports.

To get gas capacity of a specific installation multiply the
table value by the Pressure at the Pump Intake (psi)
and divide by 14.7
Packer Gas Separator
Uses gravity separation
like the “Poor Boy” except
much more separation
area and capacity.

Higher cost and higher risk

of mechanical and sand
problems.

Page Oil Tools 1957

Concentric Packer Gas Separator

A concentric packer type gas

separator offers additional liquid
and gas capacities.
 Pump

Diverter Gas Separator

Animation
Pump

Reservoir Fluid
Discharge
Above Diverter
5 – 10 Feet
Liquid Inlet Ports
The liquid falls to these
ports and is directed into
the pump inlet using large
ports and short tube to
minimize pressure drop
from inlet ports to pump
inlet.
Diverter Cups
The diverter cups are
constructed from high
temperature, flexible,
wear-resistant, premium
elastomer.
Diverter Cups

Multiple cups can

be utilized as
desired
Pump

Shear Pins
Shear pins are located below the
diverter cups. The force required to
shear the shear pins is operator
selectable. Factory setting is 8000
pounds.

If the diverter cups are not

retrievable with the gas separator,
the cups will be left in the well with
the shear pins and shear collar.
Pump

Sand Accumulation
Sand or debris may deposit above the swab cup
flow diverter. If 5 inches of sand accumulates over
the diverter between the gas separator and the
casing wall, the flow of liquid into the gas separator
and production from the well will cease.

When sand or debris is blocking the gas separator

liquid inlet ports, a fluid level test will indicate a high
fluid level in the casing annulus and a
dynamometer pump card will indicate low or no
pump fillage. The well will require servicing.

When the pump is unseated, liquid in the tubing will

flow down the tubing and discharge out of the gas
separator through the gas separator liquid inlet
ports removing the sand.
Pump
Fluid Pressures
Surrounding Separator
58 psi Fluid Discharge Pressure

60.5 psi Liquid Inlet Pressure

60 psi Separator Inlet Pressure

 Gas Separator Capacity

A good Gas Separator will separate liquid from gas in the

casing annulus and cause the liquid to enter the pump if
sufficient liquid exists in the casing annulus.

If a well has a high fluid level and the pump is not full, the
separator capacity is not sufficient.

The pump is not at fault when gas is present in the pump and
liquid exists in the casing annulus. Do not blame the pump. It
is a separator problem and cannot be fixed by pump design.
 Diverter Gas Separator Configuration
Tubing String Bottom Hold-Down Pump
Tubing Anchor

1 joint of tubing

Pump

Fluid Seating Nipple

Outlet
Diverter Gas Separator
Liquid
Inlet Diverter cups

A 2 foot sub is needed below the seating nipple

Separator
if a short strainer nipple is run below the pump.
Fluid Inlet
 Diverter Gas Separator Configuration
Tubing String Top Hold-Down Pump
Tubing Anchor

Seating Nipple

Top Hold-down Pump

1 joint of tubing

Fluid
Outlet
Diverter Gas Separator
Liquid
Inlet Diverter cups

Separator
Fluid Inlet
PCP Gas Separator Configuration
Diverter Cups – After Roundtrip
The Diverter Gas Separator was run
to 7500 feet. The pump and rods
were installed. The rods unscrewed
from the pump. The tubing and
separator were pulled to retrieve the
pump. Shown are the diverter cups
in good shape.

Water was discharged at a show

rate into the casing annulus while
the separator was run into the well.
The liquid level was at 3000 feet.
Evaluating Gas Separator Performance
is Difficult
Evaluating the performance of a downhole
gas separator is difficult. The size of the
casing/annulus is important, the gas flow
rate in the casing annulus at the pump is
important and the liquid rate is very
important.
Lab and Field data were used to evaluate
gas separator performance.
ESP Producing 5 MMCF/d of CO2 Gas

Where is the gas

flowing from ?

Tubing ?
Casing Annulus ?

Evaluating a separator is difficult

ESP Producing 5 MMCF/d of CO2 Gas

The volume of gas

produced by the well
does not indicate the
amount of free gas
that exists at the
pump.

Gas Separator not needed – NO Free GAS

Diverter Gas Separator
Laboratory Test
System

Water/Air Outlet

Water Inlet to Pump

Water & Air mixture

Injected

Available for demonstration on request.

 No Gas at Separator
No gas was flowing with the water
in this slide. The liquid enters the
separator and falls to the diverter
water inlet to the pump.

The rate is 400 BPD with no gas.

 Max Gas & Liquid Flowing
With Fluid Level At Separator

The top of the gaseous column at 1 to 3 feet

above the top of the diverter gas separator
was used to determine maximum gas flow
rate for a certain water rate in these tests
and these numbers were used in the
calculation of the Diverter Performance
Calculator.

The water rate was 400 BPD with a gas rate

of 45 MCF/D in this slide.
 Excessive Gas & Liquid Flowing
Fluid Level above Separator

The casing above the diverter separator

is full of gaseous liquid column up to the
top of the test fixture. This rate is 400
BPD with 90 MCF/D

The gas rate is greater than is used in

the Performance Calculator
Spreadsheet.
Pressure Across Diverter Cups

At 400 BPD
and 75 MCF/D
Diverter Gas Separator Performance Calculator
Diverter Calculator Input and Analysis
Data on 27 Wells – 66 tests
Cobra Oil and Gas - Thanks
Echometer Test Equipment
Allows the operator
to measure and
analyze pressures,
flow rates, liquid
level depths, plunger
loads and
movement, casing
annulus gas flow
rate and other
important
performance factors.

Wireless Equipment
Fluid Level Test and Analysis
Packer Type Separator

Cobra Oil and Gas

Surface Dynagraphs and Pump Card
Packer Type Separator

Cobra
Position and Velocity of Plunger
Maximum Rate is 1258 BPD

Position
Velocity
Pump Fillage Data on 66 Tests

Acceptable

Questionable
% liquid in Gaseous Column Vs. Pump Fillage

Or blocked
intake?
13 Wells with Packer Type Separators
Most Recent Tests

17 Variables were Studied

Pump Fillage for Packer-type

Acceptable 4

Questionable 5

Average
Collar

Diverter

No fluid
above pump
Gaseous Column Height Vs. Pump Fillage
% liquid in Gaseous Column
Vs. Pump Fillage
Packer Type

Collar
Other Pump Fillage Factors
These conditions will fill the pump

Variable Diameter Pump Barrel

Hole/Holes in Pump Barrel
High Clearance Plunger
Lynn Rowlan Presentation
Poor-Boy Gas Separator Installed
Poor-Boy Gas Separator Installed
Collar-Size Gas Separator Installed
Collar-Size Gas Separator Installed
Wireless Well Analyzer Equipment
Wireless PRT

Wireless Gas Gun

Wireless Software with Pump Animation

Wireless Polished Rod Dynamometer
Wireless Remote Fire Gun

Wellhead control
Solenoid Remote Fire
Gas Gun
Acoustic Microphone
Pressure Transducer
Chamber Pressure Gauge
Wireless Software
Wireless Software Pump Animation
Final
 High Fluid Level
High Casing-Annulus Gas Flow Rate
78% Pump Fillage
Pressure and Fluid Distribution in Well
Tp=150
The oil column in the casing
annulus is not moving upward.

The load on the plunger of

approximately 2000 # causes an
increase of approximately 1000 psi
pressure change at the plunger.

In the tubing, gas is not released

until the pressure drops to 800 psi.
800 psi
A 20 psi pressure drop in 1 volume
1800 psi of saturated oil causes 1 volume of
gas to be liberated.

Rod buoyancy measurements often

show a lot of gas in the tubing.
 Improved
Natural Gas
Anchor

Maximum flow
area in casing
annulus below
pump.
Packer and Diverter Separators
 “Poor Boy”
Gas Separator
above perforations

A small, long dip tube

within a small
diameter separator.

Very poor design with

a small outer tube ID
and long flow paths.

Only acceptable for

low volume wells.
 Pump

Diverter Gas Separator

Animation
Gas Free Column Height Vs. Pump Fillage