separators

Separations technology-related content has been expanded and made available to SPE members through the efforts of the Separations Technology Technical Section.

Recent activities around career planning for facilities engineers led me to a list of "must read" books. The recent ATCE generated two revelations. As an industry, we do a poor job of managing major capital projects, and we do not know how to design separators.

At the end of the day, when you are working with heavy oil, the question is how to design your system, including both the layout and the functional aspects of various equipment.

A realistic computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of a field three-phase separator has been developed. Further, a useful approach to estimating the particle size distribution in oilfield separators was developed. The predicted separation efficiencies are consistent with oilfield experience.

ATCE included expanded content for project, facilities and construction professionals. Panels discussed our performance in managing megaprojects and our challenges in designing separation equipment. Two technical paper sessions were also included.

Fluid flows in separation vessels are key to effective performance. The flow distributions are affected by the vessel, the configuration of its internals, and the layout of the upstream piping connecting to the vessel’s inlet nozzle.

The OTC 2012 Spotlight on Technology awards highlighted subsea separation and boosting and subsea heavy oil and water separation technologies in deep water.

A Separations Technology Technical Section was recently created to allow SPE members to share knowledge about emerging separations technology and its challenging applications. Interested members are encouraged to join.