Two - Phase Oil and Gas

Separation

Autor: Anyi Tatiana Sandoval Ramírez.

Código: 2145175.

Profesor: Nicolás Santos Santos.

MSc(c). En Ingeniería de hidrocarburos.
 CONTENIDO

 Introduction.
 Separation principles.
 Initial separation pressure.
 Functional sections of Gas-Liquid separator.
 Vessel internal.
 Selection Considerations.
 Equipment Description.
 Potential Operating Problems.
 Desing Theory.
 Separator Desing.
 Examples.
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 INTRODUCTION
The physical separation of these phases is one of the basic operations in the production,
processing, and treatment of oil and gas.
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 reduce the capacity of
the entire facility.

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Biphasic separation

P > Pb P = Pb P < Pb
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Kenneth E. Arnold
Engineer

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 SEPARATION PRINCIPLES

Principles

Gravity force Centrifugal Coalescence

force
 Gravity force

Buoyancy Friction force

If the flow is vertical upwards as in the vertical

separators, the liquid particles to be separated fall
backwards from the gas. These particles of liquid that
descend by the action of gravity are accelerated, until the
drag force is balanced with the gravitational force.

Gravity force
 Isaac Newton
Physicist
and
mathematician 

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Arquímedes de Siracusa
Physicist, engineer,
inventor, astronomer
and mathematician 

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 Centrifugal force

The centrifugal force that is induced to liquid particles

suspended in a gas stream, can be much larger than the
force of gravity acting on the same particles. This
mechanical principle of separation is used in a
separator as in some types of fog extractors.
 Changes in the momentum

Fluids with different densities have different Light particle

momentum. If a two-phase current is suddenly
changed direction, the strong momentum or the high Speed
speed acquired by the phases, do not allow the
particles of the heavy phase to move as quickly as
those of the light phase, this phenomenon causes
separation.
Heavy particle
 Coalescence

Very small droplets can not be separated by gravity.

These drops are joined by the phenomenon of
coalescence, to form larger droplets, which are close
enough to overcome the individual surface tensions
and can thus be separated by gravity.
INITIAL PRESSURE IN THE SEPARATOR

Liquid from separator Liquid from tank

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Selection of stages

Optimal number of stage

Liquid recovery for stages
for Initial pressure
Initial Separation Number of
Pressure (Psig) Stages

25 – 125 1
125 – 300 1-2
300 – 500 2
500 – 700 2-3

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 FUNCTIONAL SECTIONS OF
GAS-LIQUID SEPARATOR
Regardless of the size or shape of a separator, each gas-liquid separator contains four major
sections:

Inlet Diverter Section Liquid Collection

Section

Gravity Settling Section Mist extractor section

 Inlet diverter section
The inlet stream to the separator is typically a high-velocity turbulent mixture of gas and liquid.

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 Liquid collection section
The liquid collection section, located at the bottom of the vessel, provides the required retention time
necessary for any entrained gas in the liquid to escape to the gravity settling section.
.

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 Gravity settling section
As the gas stream enters the gravity settling section, its velocity drops and small liquid droplets that
were entrained in the gas and not separated by the inlet diverter are separated out by gravity and fall
to the gas liquid interface.

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 Mist extractor section
Gas leaving the gravity settling section contains small liquid droplets, generally less than 100 to 140
microns. Before the gas leaves the vessel, it passes through a coalescing section or mist extractor.

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 DESIGN THEORY

Droplet Size
Settling

Retention Liquid Re-

Time entrainment
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 Settling Droplet size

Liquid droplets are removed using the force

of gravity Liquid droplets, contained in the
gas, settle at a terminal or “settling”
velocity.  Settlement section gravity > 140 µm.

Drag coefficient its used for the drag force  The mist extractor will not become
on a droplet. flooded and will be able to perform its
job of removing those droplets between
10- and 140-micron diameters.

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 Retention time Liquid re-entrainment

To assure that the liquid and gas reach  Is a phenomenon caused by high gas
equilibrium at separator pressure a certain velocity at the gas-liquid interface of a
liquid storage is required. separator.

 Liquid re-entrainment should be

particularly considered for high-pressure
separators sized on gas-capacity
constraints.

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 DESIGN OF A HORIZONTAL
SEPARATOR
VARIABLE SIMBOLO UNIDADES VARIABLE SIMBOLO UNIDADES
Gas Flow  Qg MMSCFD Gas oil relation GOR SCF
Water Flow Qw BPD Water cut Cw
Oil Flow  Qo BPD
Gas Viscosity  µg cp
API Gravity °API  
Gas density ρg Lb/ft3 
Operation pressure  P psia
Volumetric factor of oil Bo Bbl/STB
Operation temperature  T °F
Operation temperature  T °F
Specific gravity of gas  (SG)g  
Oil density ρo BPD
Specific gravity of water  (SG)w  

Specific gravity of oil  (SG)o   Liquid flow  Ql BPD

Diameter of the droplet  dm micras Water density ρw Lb/ft3 

Retention time of liquid  tr min Liquid density ρl Lb/ft3

Basic data
Settling theory
Effective length of the vessel

Calculation considering the gas

capacity.

Calculation considering the liquid

capacity.
Diameter of the vessel

According to the API 12J the rating

of diameters are:

Diameter Diameter
12 3/4 30
16 36
20 42
24 48
54
60
 Seam to sean length

Without deflector and extractor.

For diameters greater than or equal.

to 36

With deflector and extractor.

3<SR<4
 EXAMPLE OF THE DESIGN OF A
HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR
VARIABLE SIMBOLO VALOR UNIDADES VARIABLE 3 SIMBOLO VALOR UNIDADES
Gas Flow  Qg 10 MMSCFD Gas oil relation GOR SCF

Water Flow Qw BPD Water cut Cw

Oil Flow  Qo 2000 BPD Gas Viscosity  µg 0,013 cp

API Gravity °API 40   Gas compresibility factor Z 0,84

Operation pressure  P 1000 psia Gas density ρg Lb/ft3 

Operation temperature  T 60 °F Volumetric factor of oil Bo Bbl/STB

Specific gravity of gas  (SG)g 0,6   Operation temperature  T °F

Specific gravity of water  (SG)w   Oil density ρo 51,5 BPD

Specific gravity of oil  (SG)o   Liquid flow  Ql BPD

Diameter of the droplet  dm 140 micras Water density ρw Lb/ft3 

Retention time of liquid  tr 3 min Liquid density ρl 51,5 Lb/ft3

Basic data
 Settling theory

It is assumed CD =0,34 to start the

iteraction.

ITERACIÓN Vt Re Cd
1 0,860 170,8 0,710
2 0,595 118,2 0,819
3 0,554 110,0 0,844
4 0,546 108,4 0,850
5 0,544 108,0 0,851
 Seam to seam lenght

Calculating, considering Calculating, considering Without deflector and

3<SR<4
the gas capacity. the liquid capacity. extractor.

Lss  ft 
16 2,5 33,5 34,8 26,1
20 2,0 21,4 23,1 13,9
24 1,6 14,9 16,9 8,4
30 1,3 9,5 12,0 4,8
36 1,1 6,6 9,6 3,2
42 0,9 4,9 8,4 2,4
48 0,8 3,7 7,7 1,9
 DESIGN OF A VERTICAL
SEPARATOR
VARIABLE SIMBOLO UNIDADES VARIABLE SIMBOLO UNIDADES
Gas Flow  Qg MMSCFD Gas oil relation GOR SCF
Water Flow Qw BPD Water cut Cw
Oil Flow  Qo BPD
Gas Viscosity  µg cp
API Gravity °API  
Gas density ρg Lb/ft3 
Operation pressure  P psia
Volumetric factor of oil Bo Bbl/STB
Operation temperature  T °F
Operation temperature  T °F
Specific gravity of gas  (SG)g  
Oil density ρo BPD
Specific gravity of water  (SG)w  
Liquid flow  Ql BPD
Specific gravity of oil  (SG)o  

Diameter of the droplet  dm micras Water density ρw Lb/ft3 

Retention time of liquid  tr min Liquid density ρl Lb/ft3

Basic data
Settling theory
 Diameter of the vessel

According to the API 12J the Minimum internal diameter

rating of diameters are: required (by gas capacity).
Diameter Diameter
16 30
20 36
24 42
48
54
60
 Seam to seam lenght
Calculating considering the liquid capacity.

Calculating Lss.
For diameters smaller For diameters greater
than or equal to 36. than 36.

Lss3<SR<4
 EXAMPLE OF THE DESIGN OF A
VERTICAL SEPARATOR
VARIABLE SIMBOLO UNIDADES VARIABLE 3 SIMBOLO UNIDADES
Gas Flow  Qg 10 MMSCFD Gas oil relation GOR SCF

Water Flow Qw BPD Water cut Cw

Oil Flow  Qo 2000 BPD Gas Viscosity  µg 0,013 cp

API Gravity °API 40   Gas compresibility factor Z 0,84

Operation pressure  P 1000 psia Gas density ρg Lb/ft3 

Operation temperature  T 60 °F Volumetric factor of oil Bo Bbl/STB

Specific gravity of gas  (SG)g 0,6   Operation temperature  T °F

Specific gravity of water  (SG)w   Oil density ρo 51,5 BPD

Specific gravity of oil  (SG)o   Liquid flow  Ql BPD

Diameter of the droplet  dm 140 micras Water density ρw Lb/ft3 

Retention time of liquid  tr 3 min Liquid density ρl 51,5 Lb/ft3

Basic data
 Settling theory

It is assumed CD =,34 to start the iteraction.

ITERACIÓN CD
1 0,860 170,8 0,710
2 0,595 118,2 0,819
3 0,554 110,0 0,844
4 0,546 108,4 0,850
5 0,544 108,0 0,851
 Seam to seam lenght
Minimum internal diameter required (by gas capacity). Liquid level height.

22 in

For diameters smaller For diameters greater

Lss3<SR<4
than or equal to 36. than 36.

d  pu lg 
24 86,8 13,6 6,8
30 55,6 11,0 4,4
36 38,6 9,5 3,2
42 28,3 9,2 2,6
48 21,7 9,1 2,3
 HORIZONTAL SEPARATORS SIZING
OTHER HALF FULLL
• Calculation considering the gas capacity.

Calculation considering the liquid

capacity.
 Equipment
description

Horizontal Vertical Spherical

separators separators separators
Horizontal separators

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Vertical separators

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Spherical separators

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 POTENTIAL OPERATING
PROBLEMS

Foamy crude

 CO2 causes the formation of foam.

 It affects the performance of the separator to handle gas-liquid mixtures.

 The foam does not present problems inside a separator if the internal design
guarantees the adequate time or the sufficient fusion surface so that the foam
"breaks“.
 POTENTIAL OPERATING
PROBLEMS

Paraffin

 The coalescence plates in the liquid accumulation section and the mesh type fog
extractors are affected due to the accumulation of paraffin.

 For these cases it is recommended to use centrifugal fog extractors.

 POTENTIAL OPERATING
PROBLEMS

Sand
 The sand can cause clogging of the
internal parts of the separator and
accumulation in the lower part of the
separator.

 The clogging of the internal parts of the

separator is a problem that must be
considered in the design of the separator.

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 POTENTIAL OPERATING
PROBLEMS
Liquid carryover

 It occurs when the liquid comes out of the separator along with the gas.

 It can be prevented by installing a high level safety sensor (LSH) which closes the
flow inlet to the separator if the liquid level exceeds the maximum liquid level in the
separator.
 POTENTIAL OPERATING
PROBLEMS

Gas blowby

 Occurs when the free gas escapes with the liquid phase and may be a sign of low
liquid level, vortex or level control failure, this could lead to a very dangerous
situation.

 Gas leakage can be avoided by installing a low safety level sensor (LSL) that closes.
SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS

 Horizontal separators are not as good as vertical separators in

handling solids.

 In a horizontal vessel, it is necessary to place several drains along the

length of the vessel.

 Horizontal vessels require more plan area to perform the same

separation as vertical vessels.

 Smaller horizontal vessels can have less liquid surge capacity than
vertical vessels sized for the same steady-state flow rate.
 VESSEL INTERNALS
Inlet diverters
The inlet deviators serve to impart the direction of flow of the incoming vapor / liquid stream and
provide a primary separator between the liquid and the vapor.

baffle plates centrifugal Elbow

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 VESSEL INTERNALS
Wave breakers
Wave breakers are nothing more than perforated baffles or plates that are placed perpendicular to the
flow located in the liquid collection section of the separator.

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 VESSEL INTERNALS
Defoaming plates
These closely spaced, parallel plates or tubes provide additional surface area, which breaks up the foam
and allows the foam to collapse into the liquid layer.

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 VESSEL INTERNALS
Vortex breaker
This element eliminates the generation of a vortex in the lower part of the separator when the valve for
the extraction of the liquid is opened.

The generation of a vortex can generate that by the valve to extract liquid not only the liquid passes but
also the gas, thus decreasing the efficiency of the separator.

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 VESSEL INTERNALS
Sand jets and drains

 Accumulation of solids and sand in the

background Separator.

 Pump high pressure fluid (production water).

 Speed: 20 ft / s.

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 VESSEL INTERNALS
Mist extractors
This device generates numerous changes direction in the flow of the gas, causing that the small drops of
liquid (less than 100 microns) are captured by elements that generate the coalition and fall by gravity.

Impingement-Type Baffles

Wire-Mesh Micro-Fiber
 VESSEL INTERNALS
Mist extractors

Impingement - Type Baffles

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 VESSEL INTERNALS
Mist Extractors

Wire - Mesh Micro - Fiber

The fiber diameters are very small,

generally less than 0.02 mm to capture
the smallest drops.

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Thank you!