High efficiency gas-liquid separation system for pumped wells

Abstract

Gas-liquid separation is a very common process in industrial plants, where often high Efficiency of Gas Separation (EGS) is demanded. In the upstream oil industry, gas separation is also crucial for the proper operation of Electrical Submergible Pumps (ESP). Recent studies report the excellent performance of a gravitational separator known as Inverted-Shroud separator (IS-separator). Laboratory results indicate that this kind of separator can achieve total gas separation for a wide range of operation conditions under continuous two-phase flow. The original intent is to use the IS-separator for downhole gas separation in oil production wells. However, by account of its simple design and relatively compact size, it may be suitable for using in industrial plants. In this paper, we present the IS-separator in details, including geometry characteristics and phenomenology. The equipment performance is also discussed. In addition, the challenges related to the deep understanding of the gas separation process inside the IS-separator and the possible practical solutions are outlined.

Acknowledgments

The Authors acknowledge ANP, Petrobras and CNPq (contracts 164211/2015-2, 501443/2014-2 and 151317/2014-3) for the financial support. L. Enrique Ortiz Vidal is also grateful to FIPAI.

References

[1] P. Rondy, H.J. Cholet, I. Federer, Optimization of heavy oil and gas pumping in horizontal wells, in: SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Houston, Texas, 1993, pp. 417-427.

[2] F.J.S. Alhanati, S.R. Sambangi, D.R. Doty, Z. Schmidt, A simple model for the efficiency of rotary separators, in: Proceedings of SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Society of Petroleum Engineers, New Orleans, LA, USA, 1994, pp. 67-82.

[3] A.F. Harun, M.G. Prado, J.C. Serrano, D.R. Doty, A simple model to predict natural gas separation efficiency in pumped wells, SPE Prod. Facil. 18 (1) (2003) 5-12.

[4] L.E. Ortiz-Vidal, O.M.H. Rodriguez, V. Estevam, D. Lopes, Experimental investigation of gravitational gas separation in an inclined annular channel, Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci. 39 (0) (2012) 17-25.

[5] J.C. Serrano, Natural Separation Efficiency in Electric Submersible Pump Systems, University of Tulsa, 1999.

[6] R. de O. Souza, D. Lopes, R. de O. Cosa, V. Estevam, Separador de gás de fundo de poço de alta eficiência, in: Seminario de elevaç-ao artificial, escoamento e mediç-ao, PETROBRÁS -Petróleo Brasileiro S.A, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 2003.

[7] L.E. Ortiz-Vidal, O.M.H. Rodriguez, V. Estevam, D. Lopes, Modeling of gas separation in an inclined annular channel, in: Proceedings of the 9th Iberoamerican Congress of Mechanical Engineering, ULPGC/FeIbIM, 2009. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Islas Canarias, p. 05/10-17.

[8] F.A.A. Mendes, Estudo experimental, simulaç-ao numérica e modelagem fenomenológica da separaç-ao gravitacional de gás no fundo de poços direcionais, University of S-ao Paulo, 2012.

[9] M.C. Barbosa, Investigaç-ao da Distribuiç-ao de Tamanho de Bolhas em um Separador Gás-Líquido do Tipo Shroud Invertido, University of Sao Paulo, 2015.

[10] L.E. Ortiz-Vidal, Gravitational Gas Separation in an Inclined Annular Channel: Experimental Study and Phenomenological Modeling, Thesis (MSc), Sao Carlos School of Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, 2010.

[11] L.E. Ortiz-Vidal, O.M.H. Rodriguez, V. Estevam, D. Lopes, Downhole total gas separation in pumped directional wells, Bol. técnico da Produç-ao Petróleo 5 (2) (2011) 45-62.

[12] M.C. Barbosa, L.E. Ortiz-Vidal, O.M.H. Rodriguez, V. Estevam, D. Lopes, Investigation of gas separation in inverted-shroud gravitational separators of different geometries, in: 15th Brazilian Congress of Thermal Sciences and Engineering (ENCIT), ABCM, Belém, PA, 2014.

[13] L.E. Ortiz-Vidal, O.M.H. Rodriguez, V. Estevam, D. Lopes, Energy dissipation and bubbles generation in a gravitational gas separator, in: Proceedings of the 2^nd Brazilian Meeting on Boiling, Condensation, and Multiphase Flow, ABCM, S-ao Carlos, S-ao Paulo, 2010.

[14] L.E.L.E. Ortiz Vidal, O.M. H.O.M.H. Rodriguez, A new approach for gas separation in pumped directional wells, in: SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Lima, Peru, 2010.

[15] J.S. Gulliver, J.R. Thene, A.J. Rindels, Indexing gas transfer in self-aerated flows, J. Environ. Eng. 116 (3) (1990) 503-523.

[16] B.J. Azzopardi, Measurement of drop sizes, Int. J. Heat Mass Tran. 22 (9) (1979) 1245-1279.

[17] J. Lovick a. a. Mouza S.V. Paras G.J. Lye, P. Angeli, Drop size distribution in highly concentrated liquid-liquid dispersions using a light back scattering method, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 80 (5) (2005) 545-552.

[18] N.H. Yusoff,Stratifying of Liquid-liquid Two Phase Flows through Sudden Expansion, Thesis (PhD), University of Nottingham, 2012.

[19] H. Li, A. Afacan, Q. Liu, Z. Xu, Study interactions between fine particles and micron size bubbles generated by hydrodynamic cavitation, Miner. Eng. 84 (2015) 106-115.

[20] G.M. Evans, G.J. Jameson, B.W. Atkinson, Prediction of the bubble size generated by a plunging liquid jet bubble column, Chem. Eng. Sci. 47 (13-14) (1992) 3265-3272.

[21] H.F. Velasco Pe-na, O.M.H. Rodriguez, Applications of wire-mesh sensors in multiphase flows, Flow Meas. Instrum. 45 (2015) 255-273.

[22] P.H.F. Velasco, L.E. Ortiz-Vidal, D.M. Rocha, O.M.H. Rodriguez, Slug to churn transition analysis using wire-mesh sensor, in: 13th International Conference of Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics (ICNAAM 2015), 2016, p. 340004.

[23] H.F. Velasco Pe-na, Topologic Study of Three-phase Pipe Flow by Means of Fastresponse Wire-mesh Impedance Sensor, University of Sao Carlos (USP) at Sao Carlos, 2015.

[24] C. Bongiovanni, J.P. Chevaillier, J. Fabre, Sizing of bubbles by incoherent imaging: defocus bias, Exp. Fluid 23 (3) (1997) 209-216.

[25] P. Marmottant, E. Villermaux, On spray formation, J. Fluid Mech. 498 (2004) 73-111.

[26] M.S. de Castro, C.C. Pereira, J.N. dos Santos, O.M.H. Rodriguez, Geometrical and kinematic properties of interfacial waves in stratified oilewater flow in inclined pipe, Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci. 37 (2012) 171-178.