Compact separation technology

enhances subsea boosting

01/15/2015

Comprehensive technology qualification is one key to application

Mika Tienhaara
ASCOM Separation
Implementation of subsea boosting over the last decades has included multiphase pumps, some with separation and pumps combined. To further
improve robustness, reduce risks, and reduce total capex, continued
development and qualification of innovative compact inline and novel
spherical type separators has been done and is ongoing.

Subsea separation toolbox in a simplified process flow diagram showing

the various processing steps and technologies that can be included in a
subsea separation station. (All images courtesy ASCOM Separation)
Click image to Enlarge
Not only does compact separation technology allow for more robust seafloor
solutions, it also influences the flow assurance solution chosen and the need
for hydrate inhibition, as seabed separation of gas and liquids can reduce
gas hydrates formation because the gas and liquids can be transported
separately to the topsides host. Seafloor separation also means that the
topsides architecture can be simplified.
To qualify separation technology, testing flow loops with realistic conditions is
required. The use of such a facility with high flow rates and real
hydrocarbons at elevated pressures allows for comprehensive testing in the
full operating window to reduce the uncertainty prior to field deployment.
More common to date is the use of multi-phase boosting, without any
seafloor separation, using rotating equipment. This can transport gas and

liquid in the common risers, requiring robust flow assurance measures to

mitigate gas hydrate formation.
Including subsea separation of gas and liquid on the seafloor has several
advantages. It can reduce the risk for hydrate formation and reduce the
overall energy requirements. Furthermore, the topsides can be simplified and
the capex of the host platform topsides can be reduced. If the aspects of
oil/water separation and produced water treatment are included on the
seafloor, which can be relevant to consider for mature fields, it can allow for
produced water reinjection into the well and support to maintain reservoir
pressure.
So the subsea separation toolbox needs to cover the incoming wellstream for
slug catching and primary separation of gas and liquids, oil and water, as
well as any potential sand separation. Sand removal can be critical to protect
equipment from unnecessary erosion and deterioration of equipment life.

Rendering of an inline separator.

Click image to Enlarge

Gas/liquid separation

Typically, gas and liquids are separated in pressure vessels with a set of
internals, for instance with an inlet device and demisting internals. Over the
last decade, the use of pipe-based inline gas/liquid separators has increased,
as these have proven to have high performance and good robustness in
terms of operating range (handling large liquid volume fraction) and
fluctuating inflow conditions (liquid slugs) when designed in a two-stage
arrangement. Furthermore, with the optimization of the internal swirl
element, the pressure drop over the two stages is considered acceptably low
for most applications.
The inline separator at the inlet of a good wellstream distribution is provided
into the static swirl, whereby the liquids gets a high rotational movement and
forms a liquid film along the pipe wall as the liquids separate from the gas
under gravitational forces. The liquids are extracted and routed into a liquid
boot, while the central flow of gas with some possible remaining liquids goes
to a second stage static swirl, with the same function, and later extraction,
prior to a pressure recovery device and gas outlet. The liquids are collected
in the boots and routed to a liquid hold-up vessel, e.g. a downstream

separator. This allows for a high separation efficiency, relative high turndown
ratio, and fluctuating flow conditions robustness.
The dual-stage inline separator is one key technology that covers the full 0100% gas volume fraction range.

Inline separators on the Santos' Wortel and Peluang wellhead platforms.

Testing and qualification

New technology for processing with varying flow conditions requires

thorough testing and qualification, especially with new field developments
demanding conditions.
It is important that a qualification program cover the full or most of the
anticipated or known operating windows and that the program uses realistic
conditions.
As an example, the dual-stage inline separator has been tested under
realistic conditions at elevated pressures (up to 180 barg) and resulting low
liquid surface tension. Under the testing the amount of LVF varied from 2-3%
up to 16% (limitation of the test facility). The results showed a high
separation efficiency, even when the incoming gas flow was reduced to onethird of the nominal flow rate, as a measure of turndown ratio [Schook,
2011].
Further subsea qualification under realistic conditions of a multi-phase flow loop with
high flow capacity of up to 50,000 b/d of liquids at pressures up to 45 barg, was done for
three different crude oils in the 19 to 36 API range.
In general the technology qualification method used can be divided into four main
phases:
Phase 1. Computer modeling/system design: CFD simulations of flow phenomena form
the basis for understanding of separation mechanism and design correlations.
Phase 2. Small scale model fluid tests: Measuring and visualizing physical flow
phenomena (high-speed video) to verify the validity of Phase 1.
Phase 3. Large scale model fluid tests: To validate the design correlations to larger
scale applications

Phase 4. Real scale tests under realistic conditions: High pressure, realistic scale flow
rates and full hydrocarbon tests to verify the validity of design correlations and proper
operation under field conditions.
To verify the performance and efficiency of various separation technologies, it is
important to qualify the relevant equipment under realistic conditions of flow rate,
pressures, and temperatures) at larger scale (up to 1:2 scale preferable).

A visualization of a hybrid solution inline technology combined with a

spherical separator.

Inline technology implementation

The robustness of the dual-stage inline separator is proven in operations for topsides
applications, with more than three years of operation on an onshore wellhead platform,
with the dual-stage inline separator as the single gas/liquid separation equipment used
[lmaduddin, 2013].
Even though both vessel-based as well as inline separators are qualified and verified for
subsea applications, further improvements in complexity and field economics are
possible. A technology development program is ongoing as a joint industry project
engaging several oil majors as well as a system integrator, to qualify a spherical
separator mainly for deepwater applications.
Especially for deepwater developments, conventional solutions using cylindrical
separator vessels are not feasible. This relates to vessel wall thickness requirements
that limit vessel diameters [Olson, 2014]. If pipe code can be allowed for the design and
fabrication, then this type of compact separation equipment can be considered.
To generalize, this latter type of solutions can be the most viable option from 1,500 m
(4,920 ft) water depth. However compact systems will be sensitive to upset processing
conditions and have complex controls. Installation costs can also be considerable.
In contrast, a spherical separator allows for a reduced wall thickness compared to
cylindrical vessels and hence reduced fabrication costs and also reduced module size
because of the more compact design. The use of a spherical separator allows for higher

robustness and can substitute most of the compact equipment to simplify the whole
solution and control system.
Spherical separators for high-pressure applications subsea have not been used or
qualified. There is an ongoing joint industry project with oil companies and a system
integrator participating that aims to qualify this solution for both gas/liquid separation as
well as oil/water separation, as this is evaluated as a gap in the technology readiness
level. The spherical separator can also be used as a slug catcher. In the first phase of
the JIP a large-scale half-transparent spherical separator is going to be used for
gas/liquid separation testing at low pressures. Future development will cover the
oil/water testing, prior to a realistic conditions qualification program using a high
pressure flow loop. Current planning calls for full qualification to be finalized by the end
of 2016.
This would enable the spherical separator to be used in field developments from 2017
and compete with other qualified technology such as slender type gravity separators for
shallow water and compact (inline) systems for deepwater fields.

Acknowledgment
Based on a paper presented at the Deep Offshore Technology International Conference
& Exhibition held in Aberdeen, Scotland, Oct. 14-16, 2014.
References
Schook, R., Thierens, D., "De-bottlenecking of mature field production through the use
of very compact and efficient separation equipment, topside or subsea," OTC-21617PP, 2011.
lmaduddin, I; Tienhaara, M., "Compact processing solution: lnline gas-liquid separator
on the Santos Wortel Field," SPE 166572, 2013.
Olson, M.D. et al, "Qualification of a Subsea Separator with On-line Desanding
Capabilities for Shallow-water Applications," OTC-25367-MS, 2014.