HAPTE

5. Production Separation
R
5.1 Types of Separator

Separator Components and

5.2 Principles

5.3 Sizing of Two-Phase

Separator

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 Able to
1. Describe the types of production
separator including its uses,
advantages and disadvantages.

2. Describe the important

components/sections of a
production separator and its
physics principles behind the
separation process.

3. Perform separator sizing

calculations.

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 Types of Separator

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 Introduction

Phase separation of the production stream is

a crucial processing operation at any surface
production facility.
Separating vessels are referred to by many
names (separator, scrubber, knockout, flash
chamber, filter)

THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Why is it important to separate the
production stream into its phases
(oil/gas/water) as soon as conveniently
possible?

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 Types of Separator

Wellhead separators are classified by:

Geometrical configuration

Vertical, Horizontal, Horizontal double-

barrel
Function

Two-phase (vapour-liquid), three-phase

(gas-oil-water)

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 Common Components of Separator

THINK-PAIR-SHARE
What do you think are
the 4 most important
components and/or
sections in a separator?

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 THINK-PAIR-SHARE

Can you think of other

common components in a
separator?

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Petroleum
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 HORIZONTAL, 2-PHASE Separator

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 HORIZONTAL, 3-PHASE Separator

W eir Plate

Bucket and W eir Plate

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 VERTICAL, 2-PHASE Separator

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 VERTICAL, 3-PHASE Separator

W ith D ow ncom er and Chim ney

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 VERTICAL, 3-PHASE Separator

W ith O ilCham ber W ith W ater Leg

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 15 minutes GROUP DISCUSSION

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of

a horizontal and vertical separators.

2. Contrast the use of a horizontal and a

vertical separator.

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 Separator Components and Principles

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 Common Components of Separator

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 4 important sections:

Inlet diverter (or primary separation section)

Gravity-settling (or secondary section)

Mist extraction (or coalescing section)

Liquid collection (or sump section)

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 Inlet diverter

Collecting and removing the bulk of the liquid in

the inlet stream.

Use inlet baffles to separate the liquid and gas

phases.

Gravity-settling section

Gas velocity and turbulence is reduced, making the

entrained liquid drops settled out by gravity.

Use internal baffles such as foam breaker. THINK

ABOUT IT: WHY?

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 Mist extractor

Remove small droplets from the gas stream.

Mist extractor can be a series of vanes, or a

woven wire mesh pad.

Liquid collection section

Collect the liquids removed from the gas and

provide sufficient capacity to handle surges in
the liquid low.

Important to have adequate RETENTION TIME of the

liquid. THINK ABOUT IT: WHY?

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 Physics principles of the separation process

MOMENTUM

GRAVITY

COALESCENCE

EQUILIBRIUM

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 MOMENTUM GRAVITY

Occurs at inlet Occurs at gravity

diverter settling section

Initial separation of As gas flows through

gas phase from the the section,
free liquid phase gravitational force
gross separation causes small liquid
droplets to fall out
Fluid stream hits from the gas stream
diverter, changes its
flow direction, Droplets then fall to
fluids at different the gas-liquid
momentum are interface below
separated droplet settling
section

100 to 400 micron

droplet removal
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 COALESCENCE EQUILIBRIUM

Occurs at mist extractor Occurs at liquid

collection
Before gas leaves
vessel, it flows through Provide retention time
mist extractor 99% required to allow
droplets >10 micron entrained gas to evolve
removed out from the liquid
phase and rise to the
Refine gross separation vapour space
by removing the
remaining entrained mist After a certain period
(very small liquid of retention time,
droplets) from gas phase phases become
equilibrium with each
Mist extractor uses other and separated
vanes, wire mesh or naturally due to
plates density differences

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 Sizing of a Two-Phase Separator

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 Introduction

Separator sizing is essentially an

engineering process based on basic physics,
judgements from real operating experience
and simple engineering innovations.
Adequate oversizing has been the
engineering design approach for decades
since it the most practical from the
operation and business point of view
(separators are relatively cheap compared to
other facilities equipment)

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 Separator sizing

Design objective: specify the separator that

will achieve the desired, optimum separation
of liquid and vapour, and yield the most
profitable compositions for all phases gas,
crude oil, produced water.
This goal should be achieved throughout the
entire field life!

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 Separator sizing

Characteristics of the flow stream greatly affect

the separator design and operation. The following
factors must be determined before separator
design:
Gas and liquid flow rates (minimum, average, peak)

Operating and design pressures and temperatures

Surging or slugging tendencies of the feedstream

Physical properties of the fluids (density,

compressibility)

Designed degree of separation (e.g. 100% removal of

particles greater than 50 micron)

Presence of impurities, foaming and corrosive

tendencies

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 Separator sizing

Apart from that, designer must know:

How reliable are the customers data and

specification?

How much spare capacity should be provided?

(extra capacity means extra size, weight,
space and cost).

What is the minimum separation that will not

upset the downstream equipment?
How much liquid can be accepted in the gas? How
much water can be accepted in the oil? How much
oil can be accepted in the water?

Safety and control requirements. Instrumentation

must be easily accessible and properly located to
get correct data.

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 Separator sizing

The main factors are space and weight

constraints, the ability to handle solids and
the effect on a three-phase separation.
Vertical separators are often preferred for
small flows and low GLRs because the
separation efficiency does not depend on
liquid level. They are also best at handling
solids.
Horizontal separators are used when they
offer a clear size advantage (i.e. for large
flows, high GLRs, foamy crude oils, and
three-phase separations).

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 Separator sizing

For the separator sizing calculations, refer to

the Separator Sizing lecture notes.

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