Vapor recovery apparatus and method for oil and gas wells
OwnerRandy Swaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vapor recovery apparatus degasses oil and water produced by an oil well. The apparatus has a first vessel forming a column. Oil containing gas enters the bottom of the first vessel and flows up to a liquid outlet. Heat is applied to the rising oil, wherein the oil foams. Gas escapes into the upper end. The foam flows into a second column and along a roughened surface. The bubbles in the foam break apart, releasing the gas. The oil flows down the second column to an outlet. Water is introduced into a third vessel. The water releases gas therein, which gas mingles with the gas from the oil. The third vessel is located around the first and second vessels. A compressor may be used to withdraw the gas and provide hot compressed gas to heat the rising oil in the first column.
Claims6
A method of recovering gas from liquid produced from a well, the liquid comprising oil and gas, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing first, second, and third vessels;
- b) the first vessel forming a first oil column, the first oil column having a bottom region and a top region;
- c) flowing oil in the first oil column from the bottom region to the top region;
- d) applying heat to the oil flowing in the first oil column;
- e) allowing the heated oil to exit the first oil column and enter a second oil column, the second oil column located in the second vessel, the second vessel surrounding the first and second oil columns;
- f) flowing the oil in the second oil column from a top of the second oil column toward a bottom of the second oil column;
- g) flowing water in a water column in the third vessel, the third vessel enclosing the first and second vessels;
- h) allowing the gas to escape the first oil column, the second oil column, and the water column;
- i) withdrawing the oil from the second vessel from the bottom of the second oil column;
- j) withdrawing the water from the third vessel from the bottom of the water column;
- k) collecting the escaped gas from the first and second vessels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.