# US 7,611,633 B2 · Method and device for separation of a fluid, in particular oil, gas and water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,611,633 B2 - Document ID: US7611633B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/563,358 - Filed: 2004-07-08 - Published: 2007-01-25 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2003-07-09 - Assignees: Norsk Hydro ASA - Inventors: Per Gramme; Gunnar Hannibal Lie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611633B2 ## CPC - E21B 43/34: Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well - B01D 17/00: Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion (devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material from water, waste water, or sewage C02F1/40; cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; arrangements for separating lubricants from refrigerants F25B43/02) - B01D 17/0208: {by sedimentation} - B01D 17/041: {with moving devices} - B01D 17/047: {with separation aids} - Y10S 210/05: Coalescer - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phase inversion device is in the form of a valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein de-emulsifier is added to the fluid before or after the fluid has passed through the phase inversion stabilizer to prevent the fluid from inverting back to oil-continuous fluid after having passed through the phase inversion stabilizer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separator is in the form of a tubular separator body or a gravitation tank. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the new drops have a diameter that is less than 10% of their original diameter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid contains drops of oil in water. ### Claim 7 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: transporting the fluid in a supply pipe or transport pipe to a separator and separating oil of the fluid from water of the fluid in the separator; passing separated oil and water out of the separator via separate outlet pipes; subjecting the fluid, upstream of the separator, to shear forces such that the drops of water in oil or the drops of oil in water are torn up to form new drops that have a diameter less than a third of their original diameter and are so small that an interface of the new 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the phase inversion stabilizer comprises a valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising adding a de-emulsifier to the fluid either before or after the fluid has passed through the phase inversion stabilizer to prevent the fluid from inverting back to an oil-continuous fluid after having passed through the phase inversion stabilizer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the separator comprises a tubular separator body or a gravitation tank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the new drops have a diameter that is less than 10% of their original diameter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the fluid contains drops of oil in water.