Apparatus and method for gravity separation and contained oil and natural gas production systems and methods

• US 10,639,563 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vetco Gray Scandinavia AS (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Vetco Gray Scandinavia AS (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Xiong, Rihua, Xia, Jiyang, Zhang, Chenqian, Zhou, Ying, Lei, Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Upton, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/755,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20180250611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 210800, 210801, 210521, 210522, 210539, 210540, 166267, 166 7512, 95267, 96182
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0208 by sedimentation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0214 with removal of one of the phases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/0042 modifying the liquid flow B01D19/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0051 Plurality of tube like channels
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/02 Settling tanks with single outlets for the separated liquid
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/35 specially adapted for separating solids down-hole drilling fluid separation systems E21B21/002; separating solids from drilling fluids E21B21/065
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/36 Underwater separating arrangements E21B43/38 takes precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for gravity separation, which comprises a plurality of gravity separation modules. Each of the gravity separation modules comprises an inlet, a first outlet, a first conduit connecting the inlet and the first outlet, a second outlet located vertically different from the first outlet, a second conduit in communication with the second outlet, and a plurality of third conduits connecting the first conduits and the second conduits. The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for gravity separation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for gravity separation, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of gravity separation modules, each gravity separation module comprising;

an inlet,

a first outlet,

a first conduit connecting the inlet and the first outlet,

a second outlet located vertically different from the first outlet,

a second conduit in communication with the second outlet, and

a plurality of third conduits connecting the first conduit and the second conduit,

wherein the first conduit of one of two adjacent gravity separation modules extends from the corresponding inlet in a first direction, and the first conduit of the other of two adjacent gravity separation modules extends from the corresponding inlet in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all of the first conduits extend in parallel from the corresponding inlets.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inlets of the plurality of gravity separation modules are in communication with each other and the corresponding first conduits.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second outlets of the plurality of gravity separation modules are in communication with each other and the corresponding second conduits.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second outlets of the plurality of gravity separation module are in communication with each other and the corresponding inlets.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first product outlet, and

a fourth conduit in communication with the first outlets and the first product outlet.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first product outlet is in communication with all of the first outlets.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a separation inlet in communication with the second outlet of the last of the gravity separation modules, and a first separation outlet in communication with the separation inlet and the first product outlet.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a second product outlet in communication with the second outlet of the last of the gravity separation modules.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second product outlet is in communication with at least one of the first outlets.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a separation inlet in communication with the second outlet of the last of the gravity separation modules, and a second separation outlet in communication with the separation inlet and the second product outlet.

12. An oil and gas production system comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

13. An apparatus for gravity separation, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of gravity separation modules, each gravity separation module comprising;

an inlet,

a first outlet,

a first conduit connecting the inlet and the first outlet,

a second outlet located vertically different from the first outlet,

a second conduit in communication with the second outlet, and

a plurality of third conduits connecting the first conduit and the second conduit,

wherein the first conduits of some adjacent gravity separation modules extend in parallel from corresponding inlets along a first direction and the first conduits of some adjacent gravity separation modules extend in parallel from corresponding inlets along a second direction that is different from the first direction.