Separator systems for well production fluids

A separator system particularly useful for a surface flowline conducting a multiphase fluid from a fluid production well comprising:

• an elongated, generally cylindrical casing including an inlet fitting adapted to be connected to said flowline;
• an elongated substantially helical baffle interposed in said casing and non-rotatable with respect to said casing, said baffle including a conduit substantially coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of said baffle and being operable to direct a fluid mixture through a passage formed by said baffle and said casing to effect separation of fluid of one density from fluid of a greater density into separate fluid flowstreams;
• a passage formed in said casing downstream from said baffle and passing fluid of a greater density to a first discharge conduit connected to said casing;
• and
• a passage in said conduit for directing fluid of a lesser density to a second discharge conduit.

A separator system for separating at least two fluids of different densities from each other and particulate solids from a fluid, said separator system being adapted to be interposed in a fluid flowline and comprising:

• a first separator including a first generally cylindrical casing, a first elongated spiral baffle disposed in said first casing, a first fluid inlet port in communication with said first baffle, a first fluid discharge port in fluid communication with said first casing and a second fluid discharge port in fluid communication with said first casing;
• a second separator including a second casing and a second spiral baffle disposed in said second casing and having a second fluid inlet port in fluid communication with said second spiral baffle and said first discharge port of said first separator, a third discharge port from said second separator and a fourth discharge port from said second separator;
• and
• a third separator including a third casing and a third generally spiral baffle disposed therein, a third fluid inlet port in said third separator in fluid communication with said third baffle and with said fourth discharge port from said second separator, and a discharge port from said third separator and a sixth discharge port outlet from said third separator.

A method for providing artificial lift gas for injection to a gas lift well, said lift gas being produced from a fluid production well having a surface flowline connected thereto for conducting a mixture of liquid and gas from said fluid production well, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a fluid separator interposed in said production flowline, said separator comprising an elongated casing, a spiral baffle disposed in said casing and defining a generally spiral flowpath for fluid flowing through said casing, a fluid inlet port in communication with said casing and said spiral baffle, a first fluid discharge port in communication with said casing for conducting liquid from said separator and a discharge conduit connected to said casing for discharging gas separated from liquid in said separator from said separator;
• connecting said separator to said production flowline for receiving a fluid mixture from said fluid production well;
• connecting said discharge conduit to said gas lift well;
• conducting production fluid from said fluid production well through said separator and conducting gas separated in said separator to said gas lift well for use in lifting fluid therethrough.

A method for separating a mixture of oil, water, gas and particulate solids entrained in said mixture comprising the steps of:

• providing a multistage separator system including a first separator comprising a casing and an elongated spiral baffle disposed in said casing, a fluid inlet port to said casing, a first discharge port, and a discharge conduit in communication with said casing for conducting gas from said first separator, a second separator including a casing and an elongated spiral baffle disposed in said casing of said second separator, a fluid inlet port of said second separator connected to said first discharge port of said first separator, a first discharge port of said second separator and a second discharge port of said second separator, and a third separator including a casing and an elongated spiral baffle disposed therein, a fluid inlet port of said third separator connected to said second discharge port of said second separator, a first discharge port of said third separator and a discharge conduit of said third separator;
• conducting said mixture to said first separator and separating gas from said mixture in said first separator for discharge from said first separator through said discharge conduit of said first separator;
• conducting a mixture comprising substantially water, oil and entrained solids to said second separator and separating said entrained solids and at least some liquid from said second separator for discharge from said second separator through said first discharge port thereof;
• and
• conducting a mixture of oil and water from said second separator to said third separator and separating water from oil in said third separator for discharge of water through said first discharge port of said third separator and for discharge of oil through said discharge conduit of said third separator.

A method for separating fluids of different densities from each other in a mixture of said fluids of different densities comprising the steps of:

• providing a multistage separator system including a first separator comprising a casing and an elongated spiral baffle disposed in said casing, a fluid inlet port to said casing, a first discharge port, and a discharge conduit in communication with said casing for conducting a low density fluid from said first separator, a second separator including a casing and an elongated spiral baffle disposed in said casing of said second separator, a fluid inlet port of said second separator connected to said first discharge port of said first separator, a first discharge port of said second separator and a second discharge port of said second separator;
• conducting said fluid mixture to said first separator and separating a low density fluid from said fluid mixture in said first separator for discharge from said first separator through said discharge conduit of said first separator;
• and
• conducting the remainder of said fluid mixture to said second separator and separating a most dense fluid from said fluid mixture in said second separator for discharge from said second separator through said first discharge port of said second separator whereby said low density fluid and said most dense fluid separated by said system are substantially free of other fluids in said mixture.