Horizontal Liquid/Gas Separation Device and Separation Method, Intended in Particular for the Liquid and Gas Phases of Crude Oil
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Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid/gas separator device for separating liquid and gaseous phases of a fluid, in particular crude oil, the device comprising a network of first and second separator pipes disposed horizontally, said first and second separator pipes being connected together by vertical link third pipes. The first separator pipes are fed from and connected upstream to a horizontal cylindrical diffuser and are connected downstream to a first horizontal cylindrical manifold. The second separator pipes are connected upstream to the same diffuser and downstream to a second horizontal cylindrical manifold.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. An undersea liquid/gas separator device for separating liquid and gaseous phases of a fluid, in particular liquid and gaseous phases of crude oil, wherein the device comprises a structure resting on the sea bottom and supporting:
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a) at least one and preferably a plurality of first separator pipes extending from a horizontally-extending cylindrical first tank of elongate shape and circular section, the first separator pipes being connected thereto at their upstream ends, said first tank preferably being of diameter greater than the diameter of said first separator pipes, said first separator pipes being inclined at an angle α
lying in the range 1°
to 5°
relative to the horizontal with a gentle downward slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal first cylindrical manifold to which said first pipes are connected downstream, said first diffuser tank being fed by at least one fluid feed pipe, and said first manifold being connected to a first liquid evacuation pipe of downward slope, and preferably including downstream an export pump suitable for drawing said degassed liquid from said first manifold;b) at least one and preferably a plurality of second separator pipes disposed above said first pipes from and above said first tank with a gentle rising slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal second cylindrical manifold, said second separator pipes being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle β
greater than α
, preferably less than 10°
, said second manifold preferably being of diameter greater than the diameter of said second pipes and smaller than the diameter of said first tank, said second manifold being connected to a first gas evacuation pipe;c) a plurality of vertical link third pipes between each said first separator pipe and each said second separator pipe; and d) a system of preferably hydraulic actuators enabling the inclination of said first and second separator pipes to be adjusted accurately and enabling said first tank and said first and second manifolds to be positioned horizontally. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34)
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30. A method of separating liquid and gaseous phases of a fluid using a structure resting on the sea bottom and supporting
a) at least one and preferably a plurality of first separator pipes extending from a horizontally-extending cylindrical first tank of elongate shape and circular section, the first separator pipes being connected thereto at their upstream ends, said first tank preferably being of diameter greater than the diameter of said first separator pipes, said first separator pipes being inclined at an angle α - lying in the range 1°
to 5°
relative to the horizontal with a gentle downward slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal first cylindrical manifold to which said first pipes are connected downstream, said first diffuser tank being fed by at least one fluid feed pipe, and said first manifold being connected to a first liquid evacuation pipe of downward slope, and preferably including downstream an export pump suitable for drawing said degassed liquid from said first manifold;b) at least one and preferably a plurality of second separator pipes disposed above said first pipes from and above said first tank with a gentle rising slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal second cylindrical manifold, said second separator pipes being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle β
greater than α
, preferably less than 10°
, said second manifold preferably being of diameter greater than the diameter of said second pipes and smaller than the diameter of said first tank, said second manifold being connected to a first gas evacuation pipe;c) a plurality of vertical link third pipes between each said first separator pipe and each said second separator pipe; and d) a system of preferably hydraulic actuators enabling the inclination of said first and second separator pipes to be adjusted accurately and enabling said first tank and said first and second manifolds to be positioned horizontally; wherein the following steps are performed; 1) sending the fluid, preferably crude oil, via a fluid feed pipe to said first tank; 2) allowing the at least partially degassed liquid to flow from said first tank via said first separator pipe in order to be further degassed and to move down towards said first manifold, and then to said first liquid evacuation pipe; 3) allowing the gaseous phase, possibly still containing liquid, to rise and flow via said second separator pipes towards said second manifold, and then towards said first gas evacuation pipe in order to allow additional separation of any residual liquid contained in the gaseous phase prior to being evacuated via said second evacuation pipe; 4) allowing the gas phase from the first separator pipe to rise through said vertical link third pipes and flow via said second separator pipes towards said second manifold and then towards said first and second gas evacuation pipes; 5) allowing the liquid coming from gas separation in said second separator pipes, said second manifold, and said first gas evacuation pipe to flow towards said first manifold, where appropriate by passing via said first tank or said vertical link third pipes prior to rejoining said first liquid evacuation pipe; 6) recovering the substantially degassed liquid phase from the bottom end of said first liquid evacuation pipe and taking it via a said second liquid evacuation pipe that is taken to the surface or sent to a liquid separator device in order to separate the different liquids possibly contained therein, preferably in order to separate the water and the oil of degassed oil, and where appropriate any remaining gas still present in imperfectly degassed crude oil; and 7) recovering the gas phase substantially separated from said liquid from the bottom end of said second gas evacuation pipe and preferably sending it to the surface or into a well for injecting gas into the sea bottom via a said third gas evacuation pipe. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
- lying in the range 1°
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35. A method of placing a separator device on the sea bottom, the device for separating liquid and gaseous phases of a fluid, in particular liquid and gaseous phases of crude oil, wherein the device comprises a structure resting on the sea bottom and supporting:
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a) at least one and preferably a plurality of first separator pipes extending from a horizontally-extending cylindrical first tank of elongate shape and circular section, the first separator pipes being connected thereto at their upstream ends, said first tank preferably being of diameter greater than the diameter of said first separator pipes, said first separator pipes being inclined at an angle α
lying in the range 1°
to 5°
relative to the horizontal with a gentle downward slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal first cylindrical manifold to which said first pipes are connected downstream, said first diffuser tank being fed by at least one fluid feed pipe, and said first manifold being connected to a first liquid evacuation pipe of downward slope, and preferably including downstream an export pump suitable for drawing said degassed liquid from said first manifold;b) at least one and preferably a plurality of second separator pipes disposed above said first pipes from and above said first tank with a gentle rising slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal second cylindrical manifold, said second separator pipes being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle β
greater than α
, preferably less than 10°
, said second manifold preferably being of diameter greater than the diameter of said second pipes and smaller than the diameter of said first tank, said second manifold being connected to a first gas evacuation pipe;c) a plurality of vertical link third pipes between each said first separator pipe and each said second separator pipe; and d) a system of preferably hydraulic actuators enabling the inclination of said first and second separator pipes to be adjusted accurately and enabling said first tank and said first and second manifolds to be positioned horizontally; wherein the following steps are performed; 1) lowering a said separator device from the surface and placing it on the sea bottom; and 2) adjusting the horizontality of said first tank and of said first and second manifolds, and the inclination of said first and second separator pipes by actuating said system of actuators. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification