Pipe separator inlet

• US 7,901,492 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Statoil Petroleum As (Asa Equinor)
• Original Assignee: Norsk Hydro Asa (Norsk Hydro)
• Inventors: Gramme, Per Eivind, Lie, Gunnar Hannibal
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Theisen; Douglas J
• Application Number:
  US11/886,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 962/04, 962/15, 961/82, 952/60, 952/43, 952/53, 210/537, 166/357, 166/105.5
• US Class Current: 96/182
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/0042 modifying the liquid flow B01D19/0021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/34 Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well

Abstract

A device in connection with a pipe separator. The pipe separator comprising an extended tubular body (1) with a diameter that is principally the same as or slightly larger than the diameter of the inlet pipe (3) of the pipe separator. A gas manifold (2) is arranged in connection with the inlet pipe. The manifold (2) includes a number of vertical degassing pipes (7), which are connected to the supply pipe (3) immediately ahead of the inlet to the separator and which end in an overlying, preferably slightly inclined gas collection pipe (6). The manifold is designed so that the gas will be diverted up through the vertical degassing pipes and collected in the gas collection pipe (6) for return to the outlet pipe after the separator or transported onwards to a gas tank or gas processing plant or the like.

Claims

1. A device in combination with a pipe separator, the pipe separator comprising an extended tubular body having a diameter, the device comprising:

an inlet pipe having a diameter that is equal to or less than the diameter of the pipe separator;

a gas manifold connected to the inlet pipe, the gas manifold including a plurality of vertical degassing pipes connected to the inlet pipe immediately ahead of the pipe separator; and

a gas collection pipe overlying and connected to ends of the vertical degassing pipes,

wherein the gas manifold is arranged such that, in use, gas is diverted up through the vertical degassing pipes and collected in the gas collection pipe for return to an outlet pipe downstream of the pipe separator or transport to a gas tank or a gas processing plant,

wherein the inlet pipe has an enlarged diameter portion in a region adjacent the pipe separator and at least a last one of the vertical degassing pipes with respect to a direction of flow through the inlet pipe.

2. The device in combination with the pipe separator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet pipe and the gas manifold are disposed at a level above the pipe separator.

3. The device in combination with the pipe separator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enlarged diameter portion has a diameter that is equal to the diameter of the pipe separator.

4. The device in combination with the pipe separator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas collection pipe is inclined with respect to the inlet pipe.