Oil and Gas Separation Design

Hopefully, phase term is obvious with the other names such as solid, liquid or gas. If you have some ice floating in water, you have a solid phase present and a liquid phase. If there is air above the mixture, then that is another phase. Phase diagrams lets us work out exactly what phases are present at any given temperature and pressure.

Phase diagrams plot pressure (typically in atmospheres) versus temperature (typically in degrees Celsius or Kelvin). The labels on the graph represent the stable states of a system in equilibrium. The lines represent the combinations of pressures and temperatures at which two phases can exist in equilibrium. In other words, these lines define phase change points.

Modeling and design of many types of equipment for separating gas and liquids such as flash separators at the well head, distillation columns and even a pipeline are based on the phases present being in vapor-liquid equilibrium. This lecture covers the significant elements of vapor-liquid equilibrium.

After learning vapor-liquid equilibrium theory, the integration of Raoult's law and Antonie equation becomes essential. In this video lesson, you will learn how vapor-liquid equilibrium theory and these two essential phenomenon are implemented to ease out the engineering calculations.

The limits in the case of gas-liquid phase changes are called the bubble point and the dew point. The names imply which one is which: The bubble point is the point at which the first drop of a liquid mixture begins to vaporize. The dew point is the point at which the first drop of a gaseous mixture begins to condense. In this lecture, we will cover bubble and dew point theory and pressure/temperature-composition diagrams.

This video is considered as the first practice session. In this lecture, we will talk about the steps of calculating bubble point pressure and implement all procedure elements in the provided example.

This video is considered as the second practice session. In this lecture, we will talk about the steps of calculating dew point pressure and implement all procedure elements in the provided example.

A mixture when flashed to conditions between bubble and dew point separates in vapor and liquid phases. Flash calculation is done to determine vapor fraction and composition of liquid, vapor formed when a mixture is flashed at a given pressure and temperature.

Joule–Thomson effect (also known as the Joule–Kelvin effect or Kelvin–Joule effect) describes the temperature change of a real gas or liquid (as differentiated from an ideal gas) when it is forced through a valve or porous plug while keeping it insulated so that no heat is exchanged with the environment. This procedure is called a throttling process or Joule–Thomson process.

The overhead vapor product and bottoms liquid product leave the flash drum as separate streams and they are assumed to be in equilibrium with each other. In this way, more-volatile components can be separated from less-volatile components. Separation of liquid feed into vapor and liquid phases requires a sudden decrease of the pressure of the feed stream as it enters the flash drum. This is accomplished by a throttling valve. This video covers the flash calculation procedure before getting into the third practice session.

This video is considered as the first part of the third practice session. In this lecture, we will talk about the steps of carrying out flash calculation on high-pressure well compositions and operating conditions.

This video is considered as the second part of the third practice session. In this lecture, we will continue our calculations on the completion of flash procedure on high-pressure well compositions and operating conditions.

The choice between vertical or horizontal vessel depends on the gas to liquid ratio and the advantages one orientation over the other gives to reduce costs generated through operational problems. In this video, we will cover all those advantages and disadvantages for classification of separators from orientation criteria.

In this lecture, we will get into the other categories for separator classification, such as, phase and pressure.

Internals vary, but there are three key elements common to all separators; the inlet deflector, vortex breakers and the mist eliminator pad. Other more specific internals include de-foaming packs, sand wash systems and are more a result of technology development. In this video, you will learn about all essential elements of separator internal structure.

This video covers one of the inlet devices called "plate diverter" or "baffle".

This video covers one of the inlet devices called "half-open pipe".

This video covers the other essential type of the inlet devices called "vane distributor".

This video covers the second and third essential elements of separator internals, called "demister" and "vortex breaker".

This video covers importance of level and pressure control during gravity separation operation.

Characteristics of the flow stream will greatly affect the design and operation of a separator. The following factors must be determined before separator design:

• Gas and liquid flow rates (minimum, average, and peak)

• Operating and design pressures and temperatures

• Surging or slugging tendencies of the feed streams

• Physical properties of the fluids such as density and compressibility

• Designed degree of separation (e.g., removing 100% of particles greater than 10 microns)

• Presence of impurities (paraffin, sand, scale, etc.)

• Foaming tendencies of the crude oil

• Corrosive tendencies of the liquids or gas

This lecture is dedicated to the process considerations that must be taken into account when designing separators using API 12J guidelines. This is the first part for process considerations.

This lecture is dedicated to the process considerations that must be taken into account when designing separators using API 12J guidelines. This is the second part for process considerations.

This lecture is dedicated to the process considerations that must be taken into account when designing separators using API 12J guidelines. This is the third part for process considerations.

This lecture is dedicated to the corrosion considerations that must be taken into account when designing separators using API 12J guidelines.

This lecture covers the separator design deliverables and illustrates which parameters must be defined to complete separator sizing procedure.

This video is considered as the first part of the fourth practice session. In this lecture, we do work on the first two steps of vertical separator sizing.

This video is considered as the second part of the fourth practice session. In this lecture, we continue our calculations on the further stages of vertical separator sizing.

The Oil and Gas Separation Design training course is designed to provide the harmony of theoretical knowledge behind oil and gas separation principles and practical guidelines (specifically, API 12J) for vertical and horizontal separator design.

Oil and gas separation is a common technique in upstream oil and gas wells, where crude oil and natural gas are often found in the same well. Oil and natural gas have different density levels, so mixing them together can cause problems down the road. Oil and gas separation allows for these two products to be distinct from one another. Process equipment companies in the oil and natural gas industry use a number of equipment units designed to separate, or "separate," crude oil from fluids involved in the production of oil. Oil and gas separation is done by physical means, not chemical means.

The training course goes over the practical topics in 40 lectures and 5 practice sessions with 4 hours of video training material:

The above essential topics have clearly been discussed during the course. This training can be really helpful for students, engineers, and even teachers aiming to deliver the essentials of multicomponent distillation from the engineering point of view. By spending only 4 hours, you can really understand the whole topic and further do practical calculations.

The course instructor does also provide the service of answering questions for all course participants for free.

This video is considered as the fourth part of the practice session-4. In this lecture, we continue our calculations on the further stages of vertical separator sizing.

This video is considered as the fifth part of the practice session-4. In this lecture, we continue our calculations on the further stages of vertical separator sizing.

This video is considered as the sixth part of the practice session-4. In this lecture, we continue our calculations on the further stages of vertical separator sizing.

This video is considered as the last part of the practice session-4. In this lecture, we complete our calculations by the last steps of procedures for vertical separator sizing.

This video is considered as the first part of the practice session-5. In this lecture, we do work on the first calculation steps of horizontal separator sizing.

This video is considered as the second part of the practice session-5. In this lecture, we continue our calculations on the further stages of horizontal separator sizing.

After completion of theoretical sessions and vertical/horizontal separator sizing procedures, we can get into the common separator design errors that are really essential to know before carrying out sizing calculations.

In terms of successfully operating a separator, the designer should be aware of factors which make themselves apparent during production. As process engineers, you should be aware of the operating challenges, such as, foamy crude, wax, liquid carry-over, gas blow-by, etc.