Separation Systems
Compact Total Separation Systems
Compact Total Separation Systems Compact Total Separation Systems from FMC Technologies provide state-of-the-art separation technologies for primary topsides and subsea separation. The compact separation equipment minimizes space
Benefits Optimize gas and oil quality Minimize foot-print area and weight Reduce impact of solids Increase gas and oil production Optimize produced water quality
Separation Systems The separation company major oil companies go to with their most challenging projects. Maximum return on investment through extensive experience and know-how. The only separation company with a proven track record with inline separation equipment. The leading company in subsea separation. Develops out-of-the-box solutions for the separation challenges of tomorrow.
and weight while optimizing
Cost-effective for subsea and high-pressure applications with limited space The minimum weight and space requirements of Compact Total Separation Systems help to make marginal fields commercially viable. For existing installations where space is limited, this compact equipment will provide separation solutions that lead to increased production. Since pressure vessels can be reduced in size, or sometimes even be eliminated when applying inline separation equipment, compact equipment is ideal for subsea separation and other high-pressure applications.
The challenges of compact separation systems The lack of slug volume makes operation under slugging conditions difficult. Other challenges are achieving sufficient separation efficiency, erosion problems due to high velocities and efficiency of inline equipment based on cyclonic technology declining as the flow rate is reduced. These challenges can be dealt with by applying Compact Total Separation Systems.
separation efficiencies. In e xisting installations, these s ystems make increased production possible.
To overcome the slugging challenges, a buffer volume equal to the maximum required slug volume in the system can be included. Using a design with one or more parallel units helps to handle a wider range of flow rates. Highly efficient desanding equipment combined with erosion resistant material minimizes the risk of erosion. Highly efficient liquid-liquid and gas-liquid equipment ensure that the required separation efficiency can be achieved.
Our equipment
The modern art of separation
At Separation Systems we have developed a line of highly efficient compact equipment based on cyclonic technology that covers all aspects of primary s eparation. The equipment can be combined to suit all conditions and separation requirements. Key characteristics: Ultra-compact separation in pipe segments Effective de-bottlenecking to increase production capacity for existing processes Compact separation skids for new-build production systems Combination of high G-forces and low shear rates result in increased separation efficiency
Inline Separation Systems Our inline separation equipment is based on compact cyclonic technology. The inline equipment in the table on the right is currently available.
InLine DeGasser
Gas-liquid
The operating ranges of the InLine DeGasser, InLine DeLiquidiser and InLine PhaseSplitter overlap to some extent. The space available and required boot size / scrubber size can restrict the use of the InLine DeLiquidiser and InLine DeGasser in which case an InLine PhaseSplitter should be used.
InLine DeGasser InLine DeLiquidiser InLine DeMister InLine PhaseSplitter
Liquid-liquid
Liquid-dominated gas/liquid stream
Swirl element
InLine Controls
Seperation Efficiency *
InLine PhaseSplitter One stage gas/liquid separation
100 %
100 %
80 %
80 %
Swirl element
40 % Gas from liquid
GVF % 30
40
50
60
70
InLine Deliquidiser Removes liquid from gas stream
100 % 80 %
Liquid from gas Gas from liquid
60 %
60 %
20
Gas extraction
Gas extraction
Gas-free liquid Separated liquid
InLine Degasser Removes gas from liquid stream
10
Separation chamber
InLine Desander
Controls
0%
Separation chamber Liquid-free gas
InLine DeWaterer InLine ElectroCoalescer Inline HydroCyclone
Solids
Gas-dominated gas/liquid stream
Separated gas
Inline portfolio overview
20 %
InLine DeLiquidiser
40 %
20 %
20 % Set Point
The purpose of the InLine DeLiquidiser is to separate liquids from a gas stream. The liquid stream containing gas enters the swirl element which causes a liquid film to form on the wall of the InLine DeLiquidiser. The liquid-free gas is discharged through the smaller diameter pipe in the centre of the InLine DeLiquidiser, while the liquid film is discharged to the vessel boot. The technology was developed and qualified with Statoil. The first unit, which was installed on Sleipner T in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, has been in operation since 2004.
InLine PhaseSplitter
InLine DeWaterer
60 %
40 %
0%
The purpose of the InLine DeGasser is to separate gas from a liquid stream. The liquid stream containing gas enters the swirl element which causes a gas core to form in the centre of the InLine DeGasser. The gas core then enters the smaller diameter pipe in the centre of the InLine DeGasser and is discharged to the scrubber section, while the gas-free liquid reaches the outlet. The technology was developed and qualified with Statoil. The first unit, which was installed on Statfjord B in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, has been in operation since 2003.
0%
Liquid from gas
GVF % 90
92
94
96
98
Inlet
Separated gas
100
*Efficiencies achieved with actual applications, results may vary depending on flow conditions
gas/liquid stream
Separation chamber
liquid stream
Separated oil
Separated water
InLine DeSander The InLine DeSander removes sand from single and multiphase fluids and can be customized to suit any application. It is a compact cyclonic unit without any reject streams that can handle a wide range of flow rates and achieve efficiencies up to 99 %. Particle sizes down to 1 micron can be removed depending on the size of the unit. Liquid/gas stream with sand particles
Separation chamber
The technology was developed and q ualified with Statoil. The first unit, which was installed on Heidrun in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, has been in operation since 2009. 100 %
Sand-free liquid/gas
96 %
Sand stream
Sand Removal Efficiency
92 %
Swirl Sand element extraction
88 %
84 %
0%
Swirl element
Solid particles from: 1 - 100 microns
1" 4" 6" Diameter of InLine DeSander
10"
12"
The purpose of the InLine PhaseSplitter is to split a multiphase stream into two single phases – a gas and a liquid phase. The InLine PhaseSplitter was designed to cover the gap between the InLine DeGasser and InLine DeLiquidiser. The principle of operation is the same as that of the InLine DeGasser and the InLine DeLiquidiser, while the InLine DeLiquidiser and InLine DeGasser can be considered to be polishing units, the PhaseSplitter is in general for bulk separation. The technology was developed and qualified with Statoil. The first unit, which was installed on Veslefrikk in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, has been in operation since 2006.
The InLine DeWaterer is a compact cyclonic unit designed for efficient separation of bulk oil from water which combines high efficiency with low pressure-drop in a compact design. It is an axial flow cyclone that uses a fixed swirl element. The technology has been developed and qualified with Statoil and, during testing, efficiencies exceeding 99 % have been achieved. In December 2010 a successful offshore test was carried out by Statoil at Gullfaks C.
InLine ElectroCoalescer Compact electrostatic coalescence technology meets the challenges involved in applications with heavy oils and highly emulsifying oil-water mixtures. The InLine ElectroCoalescer uses electric fields to promote water-in-oil droplet growth and emulsion breakdown to facilitate effective oil-water separation. This technology is one of the most important parts of a process when complete oil-water separation is carried out topsides or on the seabed in combination with advanced separation technology.
Improved axial flow InLine HydroCyclone: – High separation efficiency performance – Low pressure-drop – Low differential pressure-drop ratio – Erosion resistant – Resistant to clogging Suitable for installation in existing hydrocyclone v essels. The world’s first subsea InLine HydroCyclone was installed at the Petrobras Marlim Subsea Separation Project in 2011
InLine DeWaterer
InLine DeWaterer Compact three phase separation system based on use of InLine technology Slug Catcher Gravity Separator InLine LP Phase Splitter
Petrobras inline three-phase separation system
B
C A
Integrated Inline System Shell PDO Al-Huwaisah, Oman D
oil gas water Gasunie cyclone (A - gas/liquid) InLine DeWaterers (B&C - dirty water cleaners) Hydrocyclones (D - recently optimized)
Our skid replaced an installation in the desert of 135 T. and 12x20x10 m. (LxWxH). It weighs 24 T. and measures 5x6x10 meters. InLine HydroCyclone
The advantage of the primary liquid-liquid separation is that it replaces large vessels with compact technology (to reduce size and weight). It can also be used anywhere in a processing stream where compact bulk liquid-liquid separation is required.
Conventional gravity separator
Cyclonic L/L Separator
For large pressure vessels, the movement of the FPSO can often cause operational problems such as spurious alarms and shutdowns. Designing around this problem often means increased margins and therefore larger pressure vessels which lead to increased cost. As inline equipment is not affected by movement, compact total separation systems are ideal for installation on FPSOs. The potential savings in space and weight can be substantial: up to 8 x smaller footprint and 5 x lower weight. Similar savings can also be implemented at other offshore facilities.
InLine ElectroCoalescer
Cyclonic Liquid-Liquid Separation
Size comparison, gravity vs. cyclonic liquid-liquid separation
InLine HP PhaseSplitter
Integrated Separation Systems Outlet
Integrated InLine Systems – Ultra Compact Separation Systems, Subsea and Topside
Inline HydroCylone
InLine PhaseSplitter with slug catcher
Coalescing chamber
The InLine DeWaterer is a compact centrifugal inline separator, which removes hydrocarbon liquid from waterdominated streams that can handle up to 30 % ‑ 50 % of gas volume and water cuts of 50 % and higher. It is installed (for debottlenecking purposes and upgrading existing production facilities) in the following ways: upstream of an existing gravity separator to remove the bulk of the water in parallel with an existing gravity separator to increase plant capacity downstream of an overloaded gravity separator to clean the water The InLine DeWaterer can also be used to remove water droplets from oil if the water cut is