Multiphase separator, and method of separating a multiphase fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11458422-B2
Application number	US-201816759111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2018
Priority date	Oct 26, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

The present invention provides a multiphase separator for separating a multiphase fluid produced by one or more oil wells, the multiphase separator comprising: a separating vessel, comprising an inlet chamber and an oil chamber for collecting oil at least partially separated by a barrier; an inlet for introducing the multiphase fluid into the separating vessel; wherein the oil chamber is positioned on the opposite side of the barrier to the inlet; a gas outlet configured to collect gas separated from the multiphase fluid; an oil outlet configured to collect oil, separated from the multiphase fluid, from the oil chamber; a water outlet configured to collect water separated from the multiphase fluid; and a gas and water mixture injector configured to inject a mixture of pressurized gas and water in a lower portion of the separating vessel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Multiphase separator for separating a multiphase fluid produced by one or more oil wells, the multiphase separator comprising:
a separating vessel, comprising an inlet chamber and an oil chamber for collecting oil at least partially separated by a barrier;
an inlet for introducing the multiphase fluid into the separating vessel; wherein the oil chamber is positioned on the opposite side of the barrier to the inlet;
a gas outlet configured to collect gas separated from the multiphase fluid;
an oil outlet configured to collect oil, separated from the multiphase fluid, from the oil chamber;
a water outlet configured to collect water separated from the multiphase fluid;
a gas and water mixture injector configured to inject a mixture of pressurized gas and water in a lower portion of the separating vessel;
a solids collection system for collecting solid material deposited at the bottom of the separating vessel; and
a cleaning system configured to inject pressurized water in a downward angled direction towards the bottom of the separating vessel to direct a swept flow of water to the solids collection system;
wherein the gas outlet comprises a gas recycling line connected to the gas and water mixture injector;
wherein the gas recycling line comprises a gas recycling valve configured to control the flow of recycled gas to control the volume of gas to be fed back into the separating vessel;
wherein the gas outlet comprises a gas outlet line; and
wherein the gas outlet line comprises a gas outlet control valve configured to control the internal pressure of the separating vessel.

2. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , further comprising a water recycling line configured to receive water from the water outlet and to supply the received water to the cleaning system.

3. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , wherein the barrier extends from the bottom of the separating vessel up to an intermediate height within the vessel.

4. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , wherein the water outlet comprises a water outlet line.

5. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , wherein the water outlet comprises a water recycling line configured to recycle water to the gas and water injector.

6. Multiphase separator according to claim 5 , wherein the water recycling line comprises a water recycling control valve.

7. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the gas outlet comprises a gas recycling line connected to the gas and water mixture injector;
wherein the water outlet comprises a water recycling line configured to recycle water to the gas and water injector; and
further comprising a pump connected to the gas recycling line and to the water recycling line.

8. Multiphase separator according to claim 7 , wherein the pump is configured to impart pressure to flows intended for the gas and water mixture injector, and for the cleaning system.

9. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , wherein the gas and water mixture injector comprises sprinklers and/or injector nozzles.

10. Multiphase separator according to claim 9 , wherein the gas and water mixture injector comprises at least one line of sprinklers.

11. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , further comprising a mixture flow control valve configured to control the flow supplied to the gas and water mixture injector.

12. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning flow control valve configured to control the flow supplied to the cleaning system.

13. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system comprises at least one pipeline provided with a plurality of injector nozzles angled downwards for injecting high-pressure water.

14. Multiphase separator according to claim 1 , wherein the solids collection system comprises a collecting channel.

15. Multiphase separator according to claim 14 , wherein the collecting channel comprises one or more injector nozzles for propelling solids collected in the channel.

16. Method of separating a multiphase fluid produced in one or more oil wells with the multiphase separator according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
introducing the multiphase fluid into a separating vessel; collecting gas, separated from the multiphase fluid, from an upper part of the separating vessel;
separating oil from the multiphase fluid into an oil chamber, and collecting the oil; and
collecting water separated from the multiphase fluid;
injecting a pressurized mixture of gas water in a lower portion of the separating vessel.

17. Method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of injecting comprises injecting a pressurized mixture of at least some of the collected gas and at least some of the collected water.

18. Method according to claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
injecting pressurized water in a downward angled direction towards a bottom of the separating vessel; and
collecting solid material deposited at the bottom of the separating vessel.

19. Method according to claim 18 , wherein the water injected in a downward angled direction is at least some of collected water.

20. Method of separating a multiphase fluid produced in one or more oil wells with the multiphase separator according to claim 1 , comprising:
introducing the multiphase fluid into the separating vessel; collecting gas, separated from the multiphase fluid, from an upper part of the separating vessel;
separating oil from the multiphase fluid into the oil chamber, and collecting the oil; and
collecting water separated from the multiphase fluid; and
injecting a pressurized mixture of gas water in a lower portion of the separating vessel;
wherein the separating vessel is part of the multiphase separator.

Assignees

• Petroleo Brasileiro S A —Petrobras

Inventors

• Soares Da Silva Fabricio
• Sampaio Monteiro André

Classifications

• B01D21/00

  Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation ({separation of ores or the like by sedimentation B03B5/48 - B03B5/60} ; differential sedimentation B03D3/00; {purification of water, waste water, sewage or sludge C02F, e.g.} devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material from water, waste water or sewage C02F1/40) · CPC title

• B01D17/0211 Primary

  with baffles · CPC title

• B01D17/0205

  by gas bubbles or moving solids · CPC title

• B01D21/2444

  Discharge mechanisms for the classified liquid · CPC title

• B01D21/0006

  Settling tanks provided with means for cleaning and maintenance · CPC title