A separation vessel containing a multi-phase mixture comprising oil and water comprises a buoyant thermal energy transfer device. The buoyant thermal energy transfer device further comprises a thermally conductive body and an internal heating element. The buoyant thermal energy transfer device defines a collective specific gravity between about 0.7 and about 1.2, which may be accomplished by adding positioning floats to the buoyant thermal energy transfer device. With such a collective specific gravity, the buoyant thermal energy transfer device is situated in the emulsion layer of the multi-phase mixture, with the internal heating element applying heat to emulsion layer, aiding in the breakage of emulsions. Demulsified oil and water may then be removed from the separation vessel.

A fire tube with three hollow tube sections, two of which are parallel to each other and one of which is perpendicular to and connects the ends of the first two tube sections. The bottom-most tube section, which contains the burner, has an inner ceramic liner that is made up of one or more separate ceramic tubular sections. An upper set of cooling fins surrounds the top part of the bottom-most tube section, and a lower set of cooling fins surrounds the bottom part of the bottom-most tube section.

A system for processing oil and gas at an offshore facility includes a single stage separation module. A gas stream from the single stage separation module is pressurized in a primary compressor, and then is used to heat the incoming oil and gas upstream of the single stage separation module. Flash gas from treatment of an oil stream from the single stage separation module is pressurized in a flash gas compressor and then is used to heat glycol utilized in a gas dehydration unit. The pressurized flash gas is then commingled with the gas stream from the single stage separation module upstream of the primary compressor.

A production stream from a well formed in a subterranean formation is flowed to a gas oil separation unit. The gas oil separation unit includes a separator vessel. The production stream includes an emulsion including an oil phase and an aqueous phase. Steam is mixed with the production stream prior to the production stream entering the separator vessel. Phases of the production stream are separated by the separator vessel to produce a vapor stream, an aqueous stream, and an oil stream.

A production stream from a well formed in a subterranean formation is flowed to a gas oil separation unit. The gas oil separation unit includes a separator vessel. The production stream includes an emulsion including an oil phase and an aqueous phase. Steam is mixed with the production stream prior to the production stream entering the separator vessel. Phases of the production stream are separated by the separator vessel to produce a vapor stream, an aqueous stream, and an oil stream.

The invention relates to a method of separating and purifying products from a hydrothermal and/or solvothermal conversion process of carbonaceous material adapted to convert a feed stream comprising carbonaceous material at a pressure of at least 100 bar and a temperature of at least 300° C., where the converted feed stream (product mixture) comprises a mixture of CO.sub.2 containing gas, an oil phase, an aqueous phase comprising water soluble organics and dissolved salts, and inorganic solid phase; where the product mixture is cooled to a temperature in the range 40 to 250° C., and depressurized to a pressure in the range 1 to 30 bar, the method comprising —separating a gas comprising CO.sub.2 from the product mixture in a degasser such as a flash separator, and —separating a water phase from the at least partly degassed converted feed mixture in a first separation step of the separation, and adding washing agents in the form of an acidifying agent and a diluent to the at least partly degassed and at least partly dewatched product mixture, and seperating the mixture with added washing agents into an oil rich phase, a water rich phase and a solid rich phase in a second step of the separation process, anf further at least partly recovering the diluent from the oil rich phase.

Systems and methods for separation of hydrocarbon containing fluids are provided. More particularly, the disclosure is relevant to separating fluids having a gas phase, a hydrocarbon liquid phase, and an aqueous liquid phase using indirect heating. In general, the system uses a first gas separation followed by pressure reduction and then a second gas separation. Indirect follows the second gas separation and then three-phase separation.

Systems and methods for separation of hydrocarbon containing fluids are provided. More particularly, the disclosure is relevant to separating fluids having a gas phase, a hydrocarbon liquid phase, and an aqueous liquid phase using indirect heating. In general, the system uses a first gas separation followed by pressure reduction and then a second gas separation. Indirect follows the second gas separation and then three-phase separation.

A process for the enhancement of the byproducts of a process for the regeneration of exhaust oils is described, wherein said process for the regeneration of exhaust oils which includes at least one of the following steps: a) passing of the oil to be regenerated into one or more centrifuges, b) storage of the oil, before treatment, in suitable containers, c) desiloxanation and d) filtering. The byproducts of one or more of steps a) to d) are treated, gathered and mixed with one another and added to the bitumen coming out as tail of a fractioned distillation step of the above-said regeneration process of exhaust oils.

A plant for the carrying out of a process according to any one of the preceding claims is also described, comprising a processing unit for each of the byproducts coming from steps a) to d) and a mixer (6) with stirring (7).

In an embodiment is provided a process to re-refine used oil that includes introducing a used oil and a solvent to a separation unit under separation conditions selected to produce a purified oil product, the separation unit comprising a porous membrane, a semiporous membrane, or both; and separating the used oil to obtain an effluent comprising a purified oil product. In another embodiment is provided an apparatus for re-refining used oil that includes a separation unit comprising a porous or semiporous membrane; a used oil feed coupled to an inlet of the separation unit; and an inlet of a diffusate collection unit coupled to an outlet of the separation unit. In another embodiment is provided a composition generated from a membrane separation process that includes a base oil, the composition having a soot content of about 0.05% or less.