Three-phase separation of hydrocarbon containing fluids
AssigneeJohn Zink Company
InventorsStephen Joseph Rehm, Timothy Warren Oneal, Gene Wesley Bittel, Mark Elliot Ferguson, Daniel Todd Wright, Nicholas Lee Jensen, Todd Ethan Earls
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Abstract
The methods improve the separation of hydrocarbon containing fluids. More particularly, the disclosure is relevant to separating fluids having a gas phase and a hydrocarbon liquid phase using indirect heating. In general, the methods use a first gas separation step followed by indirect heating and then a second gas separation step. Pressure reduction of the hydrocarbon containing fluid occurs either before or after the indirect heating.
Claims14
A method for separation of a hydrocarbon feed having a first temperature, the method comprising:
- separating the hydrocarbon feed such that a first portion of gas is separated at a first pressure from the hydrocarbon feed so as to produce a first liquid stream;
- indirectly heating the first liquid stream at a heating pressure in an indirect heater to a second temperature greater than the first temperature to thus produce a heated stream;
- separating the heated stream so as to separate a second portion of gas from the heated stream to produce a second liquid stream;
- controlling the first pressure by using a first control valve such that the first pressure is maintained above near atmospheric pressure;
- and
- controlling the heating pressure by using a second control valve associated with the indirect heater, wherein the first control valve and second control valve cooperate so as to have a first configuration in which the heating pressure is at near atmospheric pressure, and a second configuration where the heating pressure is operated above near atmospheric pressure and the step of separating the heated stream is carried out at near atmospheric pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.