TPG 4105 NTNU

PROCESSING OF PETROLEUM
Separation

Professor Jon Steinar Gudmundsson

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Trondheim

November 6, 2013
 Outline

• Main operations in processing

• Flow diagrams (general oil, Kristin, Ormen Lange)
• Separation, separator internals
• Droplet and bubble mechanics
• Sizing of vertical separator
 Main Operations

• Separators (gas-liquid, oil-water)

• Compressors and pumps
• Heat exchangers and water treatment
• Hydrate prevention (antifreeze)
• Water (drying) and hydrocarbon dew point
• Sour gas (CO2 and H2S) separation
• Metering, specifications and HSE
 PHASE DIAGRAM

Pedersen et al. (1989) Properties of Oils and Natural Gases, Gulf Publishing Company
 Production Well, Manifold and Separation

Wellhead Valves, Wing Valve, Choke Valve, Manifold, Production Line,

Test Line, Three-Phase Separation
A: Recompression, B: Gas Drying, C: Fuel Gas, D: Export Compression,
E: Gas Pipeline, F: Injection Compression, G: Injection Well
 6

Kristin Prosess
18.3 MSm³/sd
Fuel Gas 210 bar
Scavenger, back-up
Meter
50°C
31°C Pcric <105 barg
GT Åsgard Transport
25°C

26°C

30°C 30°C 30°C

Kristin
87 bar
121°C
20000 Sm3/sd
67 bar
26 bar
70°C
2 bar Meter TVP 0.965bar @ 30°C
Åsgard C
 Main Types of Separators

• Slug catcher (væskefanger), large

• Three phase tank separator, H (0°)
• Two phase tank separator, H (0°)
• Scrubber (dråpeutskiller), V (90°)
• Hydrocyclone (small diameter)
• Electrostatic coalescer
Slug Catcher Melkøya
Three Phase Horizontal Tank Separator
Schlumberger 2013
Horizontal and Vertical Tank Separators
 Droplet and Bubble Mechanics
•Gravitational force (g)
•Buoyancy force (b)
•Frictional (drag) force (f)
•Force balance

L = Liquid, D = Droplet (B = Bubble), G = Gas

Fg   L g VD

Fb  G g VD
1
Ff  f D AD G u D2
2
F f  Fg  Fb
 Stokes’s Law
Terminal Settling Velocity of Droplet and Terminal Rising Velocity of Bubble

f D AD  G u D2  g VD  L   G 
1
2

d 3 d 2
VD  AD 
6 4

4 gd  L  G
uD 
3 fD G

G u D d
Re D 
G
George G. Stokes
Re D  1 24
1819-1903 fD 
Re D

gd 2   L  G  gd 2   L  G 
uD    uB   
18  G  18   L 
Experimental Drag Coefficient
 Separators in Oil and Gas Industry
• Theoretical terminal settling velocity equation
• Practical terminal settling velocity equation
• Separation constant ks
• Vertical separator, API, 0,05 m/s < ks < 0.11 m/s
• Horizontal separator, API, 0.12 m/s < ks < 0.15 m/s
• Horizontal separator, NORSOK, ks = 0.137 m/s

4 gd  L  G  L  G
uD  uD  ks
3 fD G G
 Stokes’s Law
Example Calculation 200 µm Droplet

Property Pressure Pressure

10 [bara) 20 [bara]

ρG [kg/m3] 9.4 18.0

ρL [kg/m3] 651 637

µG [mPa.s] 0.011 0.011

uD [m/s] 1.4 1.2

Hansen (2004)
Hansen (2004)
 Main Design Methods

• Theoretical droplet and bubble mechanics

• Separation constant (API & NORSOK)
• Residence time (company specific)
 Recommended Residence Time
Horizontal Tank Separator

• °API >35 = 1 min; ( < 850 kg/m³)

• °API 20 – 30 = 1-2 min; (876 – 934 kg/m³)
• °API 10 – 20 = 2-4 min (934 – 1000 kg/m³)

Figure: Hydrocarbon Processing (2009)

Gass-væske separasjon

Vertikal separator
Figur 7.3 fra Rojey
Local and Standard Conditions

pV  znRT
n  ns.c. and z s.c.  1
pV ps.c.Vs.c

zRT RTs.c.
p Ts.c. 1
Vs.c. V( )( )( )
p s .c . T z
q V
 Volume Rate at s.c. to Mass Rate

• Volume rate q = 7 MSm3/d

• Molecular weight M = 20.43 kg/kmol
• Standard temperature 15 C (=288.15)
• Atm. pressure 1.01325 bara
• At s.c., ρ = 0.864 kg/Sm3
• Mass flow rate 7∙106∙0.864 = 6.05∙106 kg/d
• Mass rate m = 70 kg/s
pM

zRT
GPA (1998)
 Vertical Separator Diameter

• Velocity of gas flow upward

• Terminal settling velocity of oil droplet downward
• Maximum gas velocity equal droplet terminal settling velocity
• Capacity in terms of mass rate
• Capacity in terms of volume rate
• Calculate flow area and hence separator diameter
• Typical slimness factor L/d = 3

uG 
qG

mG  L  G uG  uD
AG AG G uD  ks
G

 L  G  L  G
mG  uG G AG  G AG ks qG  uG AG  AG ks
G G

 L  G  p  Ts.c.  1
qG s.c.  AG ks   
G  ps.c.  T  z
 Main Types of Internals

• Inlet diverter
• Perforated baffle
• Vane pack
• Coalescing pack
• Wire mesh
• Vortex breaker
Vane Pack

Figur fra Kidnay

Demister – knit mesh

Figur fra www.demisterasia.com

Demister – wire mesh

Figur fra www.knitted-mesh.com

Effektiviteten til ulike demistere

10 ft/sec = 3,048 m/s

Figur fra Kidnay

 Main Operational Problems

• Emulsion
– Water-in-oil & oil-in-water
– Surfactants (asphaltenes)
• Foam
• Sand, sediments and corrosion products
Gramme (2004)
Gramme (2004)
Hansen (2004)
Sand Separation in Tank Separator
Hedne (2013)
 Summary
– List of main operations in oil and gas processing
– Flow diagrams of typical oil production, offshore gas-
condensate processing and on-land processing of gas-
condensate.
– Presentation of main types of separators used
– Droplet and bubble mechanics (theoretical), Stokes’s Law
– Design methods in oil and gas industry, separation constant
and residence time
– Vertical separator (scrubber) used to illustrate calculations to
determine diameter (horizontal separator not discussed; the
calculations more involved)
– Internals in separators
– Operational problems: emulsion, foam and sand
– Separation in subsea compression