PCB 1052

INTRODUCTION to OIL & GAS

SURFACE FACILITIES

PETRONAS Management Training Sdn Bhd © 2006.

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SURFACE FACILITIES – SUBSEA DEVP CONCEPT
INTRODUCTION

The basic equipment common to many surface

processing facilities include:
 Wellhead and manifold
 Separators
 Oil treaters
 Water treaters
 Pumps
 Compressors
 Gas dehydrator
 Condensate stabilization
 Acid gas treater
 Well testing equipment
 Lease automatic custody transfer (LACT)
SURFACE FACILITIES – SUBSEA DEVP CONCEPT
INTRODUCTION – SUBSEA HARDWARE

The fluids
produced from
wells are usually
directed through
flow lines and
manifolds
(gathering
system) to a
central location
for processing
and treatment.
 SURFACE FACILITIES – SUBSEA DEVP CONCEPT
Well Head

•The gathering system begins at the

wellhead

•The wellhead should include at least one

choke used to control the well production

•If the upstream pressure is too high it is

recommended to use a positive choke in
series with an adjustable choke. In case the
adjustable choke fails, the positive choke
keep the production limited

•An automatic shut-down valve can quickly

interrupt production in case of an event

•Block valves are also required to perform

regular maintenance on the choke
SURFACE FACILITIES – SUBSEA DEVP CONCEPT
SUBSEA HARDWARE – Xmas TREE
 SURFACE FACILITIES – SUBSEA DEVP CONCEPT
SUBSEA HARDWARE – WET TREE

Cluster
SURFACE FACILITIES – SUBSEA DEVP CONCEPT
SUBSEA HARDWARE – MANIFOLD

When the production of two or more wells is commingled in a central

facility it is necessary to install a manifold to allow the production of the
wells into the common production line or the well test line
Christmas Tree Components - 1
Christmas Tree Components - 2
SURFACE FACILITIES
SURFACE FACILITIES – PROCESS DESIGN
Flow Diagram

Process Flow
Schemes of flow
charts are commonly
used to present
details of the
process. It is very
important to
understand the
symbol convention
used in those charts
SURFACE FACILITIES
PROCESS DESIGN

 Design of Equipment depends on Physical Properties,

Phase Behavior and Flow of Hydrocarbon Fluids.

 Physical Properties affecting equipment design

are: vapor pressure, density, molecular weight,
viscosity, surface tension, composition and
gas/liquid volumes.

 Phase Behavior is the change in relationship

between phases at various conditions.

 Fluid Flow properties affecting transmission

system design are: viscosity and type of flow.
 SURFACE FACILITIES – PROCESS DESIGN
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

 Physical properties
 Density
 Viscosity
 Formation volume factor
 Compressibility
 Thermal expansion
 Surface tension
 Need to predict pressure-volume-temperature (PVT)
behavior of gas to estimate its properties
 Techniques used to predict PVT behavior are
Equation of State (EOS)
Corresponding States Principle
Empirical Correlations
SURFACE FACILITIES – PROCESS DESIGN
Fluid Flow

 Transport properties of oil and gas are significant in the design of

equipment and flowlines

 Viscosity - indicates fluids resistance to flow

 Reynold's number - used to identify flow regime
𝝆𝒗𝑳
𝑹𝒆 =
𝝁
 Laminar Flow exist at Re < 2000
 Turbulent Flow exist at Re > 4000
SURFACE FACILITIES
SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
BASIC SEPARATION
SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
SEPARATION SYSTEM

 Separation is required - gas and liquid require

different processing methods.
 Separators are classified by physical shape,
function or number of phases they separate.
 Separator – separate a combined liquid-gas flow
 Two-phase – gas and liquid separation
 Three-phase – gas, liquid and water separation
 Scrubber – handle stream with unusually high
gas-to-liquid ratios
 Produced Water Handling – separate free water
 Filter – remove solids from gas/liquid stream.
SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
SEPARATOR

Gas

Liquid

Two Phase Three Phase

SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
VERTICAL SEPARATOR

Advantages
 Liquid level and fluids control
not critical
 Easier and cheaper to design
for surge capacity
 Can handle solids with certain
design
 Easier to clean

Disadvantages
 More expensive
 Does not adapt to skid-
mounted assemblies well
 Requires larger diameter for
same gas capacity.
SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR

Advantages
 Less expensive Disadvantages
 More adaptable to skid-  Has less liquid surge
mounting capacity
 More available area for settling  Liquid level control
 More adaptable to is more critical
accommodate heating coils or
sand jets
 Can more effectively handle
foamy crude
SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
MULTISTAGE SEPARATION

 Oil and gas separation carried on in several stages

at successively lower pressures.
 The more stages of separation the fluids go
through the more perfect the overall separation will
be.
 Separation efficiency increases resulting in higher
percentage of recoverable liquids.
SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
MULTISTAGE SEPARATION
SURFACE FACILITIES – OIL PROCESSING
GAS SEPARATION SYSTEM

 Gas and condensate flow from wellheads to the 3

phase production separator which separate water
from the condensate and gas
 Gas is then sent to the glycol dehydration system,
condensate to condensate Flash Tank and
produced water to skimmer
 Produced gas is dried by contacting it with
Triethylene – Glycol (TEG) liquid
 Condensate from Flask Tank is passed to
Coalescer which allow nearly total removal of
remaining produced water
Oil Processing
SURFACE FACILITIES
 SURFACE FACILITIES – WATER TREATMENT

Two primary needs for water processing:

 Disposal
 Treatment of produced water separated from
oil and gas prior to disposal in an
environmentally acceptable manner .
 Injection
 Cleaning of source water from rivers or sea
before wellbore injection in EOR projects to
minimise zone plugging and maintain high
injection rates.
 SURFACE FACILITIES – WATER TREATMENT

 The contents of an oil reservoir may be considered

as consisting of three major components – gas,
crude oil and water. Of these three, gas and oil are
saleable products, whereas water unless used for
injection purposes, is a WASTE PRODUCT.
 The water, separated out from the oil and gas in
the platform separation trains, is known as
PRODUCED WATER.
 Before Produced Water can be either disposed off
into the sea or used for injection purposes it
requires treatment.
SURFACE FACILITIES – WATER TREATMENT
 SURFACE FACILITIES – WATER TREATMENT

 Water collected from processing facilities

contains:
• Suspended oil droplets
• Dissolved gases
• Entrained solids

 Selected treatment and disposal method

determines:
• Water quality target at minimum cost and
• Satisfies applicable rules, regulations or laws.
SURFACE FACILITIES
SURFACE FACILITIES - PRODUCTION SUPPORT FACILITIES
GAS or WATER INJECTION SYSTEM

 The completeness of recovery by water-flooding or

gas injection, depends largely on two factors of
efficiency:
 Displacement efficiency
 Sweep efficiency.
 Displacement efficiency is the proportion by
volume of the oil swept out of reservoir's pores by
the displacing fluid. Displacement occurs at the
microscopic level.
 Sweep efficiency refers to the portion of total
reservoir volume that can be contacted or swept
by the displacing fluid (Macroscopic level).
SURFACE FACILITIES - PRODUCTION SUPPORT FACILITIES
GAS or WATER INJECTION SYSTEM

Reason Description
WHAT  Secondary recovery
 Source – Sea water/produced water
& produced gas.
 Improve production potential from
reservoir
WHERE  Injected into reservoir
WHY  Replace fluid – oil, water & gas
 Maintaining reservoir pressure
 Enabling producing of oil
WHEN  Production of oil decrease
SURFACE FACILITIES - PRODUCTION SUPPORT FACILITIES
GAS or WATER INJECTION SYSTEM

Liquid PRIMARY RECOVERY GAS or WATER INJECTION

Bbl/Day

Time (Year)
Water Disposal
SURFACE FACILITIES - PRODUCTION SUPPORT FACILITIES
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEM

 Completed producing wells will usually produced fluids from Wellbore

to the surface by means of Natural Reservoir Energy.

 Artificial lift is supplemented into well tubing pressure during their

Economic Life in order to obtain maximum recovery of oil for
maximum profit before its Economic Limit of producing life is
reached.

 Notable exceptions are wells completed in a prolific water drive

reservoir where wells may continue to flow until as much as 100 %
saltwater production is obtained. The usual experience is that a well
will require some means of artificial lift
SURFACE FACILITIES - PRODUCTION SUPPORT FACILITIES
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEM

Hydraulic Lift
 SURFACE FACILITIES - PRODUCTION SUPPORT FACILITIES
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEM
Electric
Reciprocating Progressive
Gas Lift Plunger Lift Hydraulic Lift Hydraulic Jet Submersible
Rod Lift Cavity Pump
Pump
Operating To 16,000” To 16,000 To 15,000” To 19,000” To 17,000” To 15,000” To 15,000”
Depth TVD TVD TVD TVD TVD TVD TVD
Operating To 6,000 To 4,500 To 30,000 To 200 To 8,000 To 15,000 To 40,000
Volume BFPD BFPD BFPD BFPD BFPD BFPD BFPD
Operating
To 550oF To 235oF NA To 550oF To 550oF To 550oF To 400oF
Temperature
Corrosion Good to Good to
Fair Excellent Good Excellent Good
Handling Excellent Excellent
Gas
Fair to Good Good Excellent Excellent Good Fair Good
Handling
Solids
Fair to Good Excellent Good Fair Fair Good Fair
Handling
Fluid
> 80 API > 350 API > 150 API > 150 API > 80 API > 80 API > 100 API
Gravity
Wellhead
Workover or Workover or Wireline or Hydraulic or Hydraulic or Workover or
Servicing Catcher or
Pulling Rig Pulling Rig Workover Wireline Wireline Pulling Rig
Wireline
Prime Gas or Gas or Wells Nature Multicylinder Multicylinder
Compressor Electric Motor
Mover Electric Electric Energy or Electric or Electric
Offshore
Limited Good Excellent NA Good Excellent Excellent
Application

Efficiency 45% to 60% 40% to 70% 10% to 30% NA 45% to 55% 10% to 30% 35% to 60%
SURFACE FACILITIES
SURFACE FACILITIES
CRUDE & GAS STORAGE

 Major goals in providing clean product storage:

 To furnish sufficient storage volume to
minimize production operations down-time.
 To prevent volumetric loss or quality
degradation while product is in storage
 To avoid pollution.

 Factors governing selection of storage mode are:

 Economic considerations
 Safety considerations
 Pollution Control.
SURFACE FACILITIES
CRUDE & GAS STORAGE

 Economic considerations:
 Unit cost of storage and associated facilities
 Operating and maintenance costs
 Capability of future expansion
 Cost of land
 Oil conservation and vapor prevention.
SURFACE FACILITIES
CRUDE & GAS STORAGE

 Safety considerations:
 Proximity to property line
 Spacing requirements
 Prevention of hydrocarbon release to the
atmosphere
 Vapor pressure and other physical properties
of the product to ensure safe storage
 Dike (or Dyke) requirements
 Pressure vacuum relief valves.
SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS STORAGE
TANK TYPES STORAGE
SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS STORAGE
NON-CONVENTIONAL STORAGE
SURFACE FACILITIES
SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
ROTATING EQUIPMENT

 Transfer mechanical energy to a process fluid or

convert the fuel energy (chemical energy) to shaft
work.

 Two basic categories:

• Driven Equipment – pumps, compressors, generator
• Prime Movers – reciprocating engines, gas turbine,
electric motor, steam turbine

 A rotating equipment installation consists of

driven equipment connected to a prime mover
through a coupling or a gear box.
 SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
ROTATING EQUIPMENT

Pumps

 A equipment device that applies mechanical

energy to fluid.

Compressors

 Used for compressing natural gas from separators

for fuel and sales, gas pipeline transmission, gas
lift and re-injection, and in process refrigeration
systems.
 SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
ROTATING EQUIPMENT – PUMP

Pump

Positive Kinetic
Displacement

Reciprocating Rotary Peripheral Centrifugal Special

Type

Piston Vane Radial Flow

Plunger Gear Axial Flow
Diaphragm Lobe Mixed Flow
Screw
 SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
ROTATING EQUIPMENT – COMPRESSOR

Compressor

Positive
Dynamic
Displacement

Jet
Reciprocating Rotary Rotary
Aspirator

Piston Vane Lobe Centrifugal

Diaphragm Screw
Radial
Axial
 SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
ROTATING EQUIPMENT – COMPRESSOR

Discharge volutes Impeller inlet

Impellers labyrinth seals
Shaft and
Drive coupling labyrinth seal

Journal bearing

Casing Thrust bearing

(horizontally split
flange) Compressor
discharge nozzle

Compressor
inlet nozzle
SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
ROTATING EQUIPMENT – COMPRESSOR
 SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
METERING

 Fluid measurement commonly called metering

 Purpose of metering
• Contractual requirement
• Production planning
• Product quality control
• Process control
• Safety
 Accuracy
• Well testing – deviations of 5% may be acceptable
• Custody transfer – deviations of 0.5% may be the
maximum allowed.
• Dependent on two factors – repeatability and
accurate determination of correction factors
 SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
PIPELINE PIGGING

 Reason for pigging

• To clean and increase line efficiency

• To locate obstructions and inspections of the line

• To separate products

• Corrosion control

• Air purge and water removal

• Meter proving
SURFACE FACILITIES – CRUDE & GAS EVACUATION
PIPELINE PIGGING
QUESTIONS?