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 three-phase gas separation. The gas stream separated out is cooled with the resulting hydrocarbon condensates reintroduced to the stream of hydrocarbon-liquid phase that was separated from the fluid. The resulting combined stream can be cooled or heated as necessary.

A sand trap for use in oil and gas extraction operations includes a cylindrical vessel for receiving a high-pressure fluid stream with particulates. The vessel has a vertical longitudinal axis and a hollow cylindrical wall having upper and lower ends and an inlet opening generally perpendicular to but askew to the vessel longitudinal axis. Upper and lower caps extend from the upper and lower ends and have openings along the vessel longitudinal axis. An annular diverter has top and bottom ends and a longitudinal axis coaxial with the vessel longitudinal axis. A diverter outer wall permanently extends from an inner face of the cylindrical wall, and a diverter inner wall has an upper portion narrowing to a choke area and a lower portion flaring out from the choke area. A vent pipe extends from the upper cap opening to a location between the upper cap and the diverter top end.

A stacked-plate apparatus and method for separating a first fluid from a multiphase fluid, the apparatus having pairs of adjacent plates spaced apart from one another to form gaps, or flow passageways, between the plates. At a selected pressure, the first fluid of the multiphase fluid can flow along the gaps between the plates, to be collected when it exits the gaps. The other fluids of the multiphase fluid cannot flow along the gaps, and thus the first fluid is separated from the second fluid. The method and apparatus can be used to separate fluids that have different rheological properties, such as air and water, or water and oil.

A separator system and method may provide a four-way separator that may separate a material and remove a hazardous material. The hazardous material may include gas and sand that may be removed by the four-way separator. The separator system and method may further provide a main unit that may include three chambers or recirculation hoppers, an auger sand extractor, and a strap tank. The separator system and method may provide a faster rig-up time and may be exclusively driven by hydraulics.

A process and device to create access to low gravity solids (LGS) of about 2 to 20 microns for removal from a fluid material/LGS emulsion having the steps of: flowing the emulsion into high pressure tubing; separating the emulsion into at least two high pressure streams; forcing the emulsion through high pressure nozzles at a terminus of each of the at least two high pressure tubing streams at a speed in the range of about 10 ft/sec to 200 ft/sec or at a force in a range of about 10 to 100 PSI; and colliding the streams of emulsion exiting the high pressure nozzle within a pressure drop chamber, wherein the pressure drop is in a range of about 5% to 50% of the back pressure of the nozzles; wherein a cavitation effect is realized from a collision force of the high pressure streams within the pressure drop chamber.

A well production stream solid debris separator apparatus. The apparatus includes a spherical vessel. A cylindrical sump extends below and radially from the spherical vessel. A centrifugal cylinder is positioned within the spherical vessel, the centrifugal cylinder having an axis concentric with a diameter of the spherical vessel and having an open bottom. An outlet port passes through the cylindrical vessel and through the spherical vessel with the outlet port opposed to the cylindrical sump. An inlet port passes through the spherical vessel and passes into the centrifugal cylinder substantially tangential to an inner surface of the centrifugal cylinder.

A system for separating solids from a first slurry mixture recovered from a hydrocarbon well. The system includes a V-shaped tank and one or more second mixing tanks for accumulating a slurry of fine particles from an overflow from the V-shaped tank. A shaftless auger moves solids to a conduit fluidly connected to hydrocyclones. The overflow of the hydrocyclones is mixed with the first flurry coming from a rig flow line and is discharged over a target plate and bar screen. Air is released from the mixture through one or more perforated baffles. Solids fall from the bar screen onto a shaker, which dewaters these solids as well as solids from an underflow from the hydrocyclones.

A fluid treatment system combines cyclonic separators and gravitational separators for use in onshore and offshore oil and gas operations and elsewhere. The characteristics of apertures that interface between a gravitational separation chamber and a cyclonic separator are configurable in accordance with operational requirements. By selecting aperture characteristics, improved control and separation efficiencies can be achieved.

A tank for removing sand entrained in a flow includes an inlet assembly including churn tubes configured to receive fluid provided into the tank such that sand is separated from water, gas and oil present in the flow. An oil outlet port communicates with an oil collection device, and a water outlet port communicates with a water outlet assembly.

A sand and gas separation system for use with a rod pump. The system comprises an upper separator configured to separate out gas from wellbore fluids prior to flowing into the rod pump. The system further comprises a lower separator configured to separate out sand from wellbore fluids prior to flowing into the upper separator. The upper and lower separators are coupled together by a mechanical coupling.