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US 7,611,633 B2Granted
Method and device for separation of a fluid, in particular oil, gas and water
AssigneeNorsk Hydro ASA
InventorsPer Gramme, Gunnar Hannibal Lie
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNorsk Hydro ASA
InventorsPer Gramme, Gunnar Hannibal Lie
Estimating the term…
A method for separation of fluid, in particular oil, gas and water, in connection with the extraction of such a fluid from formations under the surface of the earth or the sea bed. The fluid is transported in a supply pipe or transport pipe (4) to a separator (1) in the form of a tubular separator body, a gravitation tank or similar. The separated components, water and oil, are passed out of the separator separately via outlet pipes. The fluid upstream of the separator (1) is subjected to shear forces so that the drops in the supply flow are torn up to form drops that are so small that the interface generally becomes new and “uncontaminated” by surfactants. The shear forces are supplied by a phase inversion device (6) in the form of a valve or similar. Water can expediently be added to the fluid upstream of the phase inversion device (6) to achieve the desired phase inversion.
A method for separation of a fluid comprising oil and water, in connection with extraction of such a fluid containing drops of water in oil or oil in water from formations under earth's surface or sea bed, in which the fluid is transported in a supply pipe or transport pipe to a separator, and wherein separated water and oil are passed out of the separator separately via outlet pipes, wherein the fluid, when upstream of the separator, is subjected to shear forces so that drops in the fluid are torn up to form new drops that have a diameter that is less than a third of their original diameter and are so small that an interface of the drops generally becomes new and uncontaminated by said surfactants, wherein the shear forces are supplied by a phase inversion stabilizer, and begin a coalescence process that leads to phase inversion, and separated water is recirculated from said separator to said fluid upstream of said phase inversion stabilizer, to lower a water cut in the oil passing out of said separator.
A method for separation of a fluid that comprises surfactants, oil and water, the fluid being extracted from under earth's surface or sea bed, and the fluid containing drops of water in oil or drops of oil in water, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.