A system and method for oil and water separation of a crude oil composition are provided. The system includes a gravity dehydrator vessel, a heat exchanger upstream of the gravity of the dehydrator vessel, and a plurality of metallic grids located within the gravity dehydrator vessel. The system further includes a mesh metal structure within the gravity dehydrator vessel, a microwave generator operatively connected to the gravity dehydrator vessel, and a waveguide carrying microwave energy from the microwave generator. The system and method separate water and emulsions from the crude oil composition by forming an upper crude oil layer, a middle oil-water emulsion layer, and a lower oily water layer.

Solar thermal devices are formed from a block of wood, where the natural cell lumens of the wood form an interconnected network that transports fluid or material therein. The block of wood can be modified to increase absorption of solar radiation. Combining the solar absorption effects with the natural transport network can be used for various applications. In some embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to evaporate a fluid, for example, evaporating water for extraction, distillation, or desalination. In other embodiments, heating of the modified block of wood by insolation can be used to change transport properties of a material to allow it to be transported in the interconnected network, for example, heating crude oil to adsorb the oil within the block of wood.

A synthesis method of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester is provided. In the method, an alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid and an alcohol are taken as raw materials, one or more of boric acid, metaboric acid, pyroboric acid, and boric anhydride is taken as a catalyst, and one of cyclohexane, toluene, benzene, and alcohols is taken as a water-carrying agent. A reaction temperature is kept in range of 100-160° C., produced water is separated by an oil-water separator, and the alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester is synthesized directly. After an esterification reaction, the water-carrying agent and unreacted alcohol are distilled by vacuum fractionation to obtain a crude product, and refined alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester is obtained by performing neutralization, water washing, and vacuum rectification on the crude product. The alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester prepared by the method has high purity and light color, and can be used as green solvent, surfactant, chiral resolution agent and plasticizer.

An electronically controlled burner management system for oilfield separators. The system includes an autonomous standing pilot spark ignition that includes a self-aligning clamp that holds the igniter to the burner nozzle. The self-aligning clamp enables rapid installation and removal, lowering the total cost of ownership. The autonomous spark ignition system incorporates temperature sensors to determine when the standing pilot needs to be relit, and can shut off the gas or other fuel flow to the standing pilot and the main burner when the pilot is not lit. The system increases oil and gas production from the well, reduces fugitive emissions of unburned gas, and improves oilfield worker safety. When installed or retrofitted into an existing oilfield separator, the original burner control components are left in place, allowing the user to revert to traditional operation in case of failure of any electronic component of the present system.

Provided is an indirect heated separation assembly that includes a vessel having a heating section and a separation section, a plate separating the heating section from the separation section, the plate being configured to be heated by a heating fluid in the heating section to provide indirect heat to the separation section, and a coil assembly disposed in the heating section, the coil assembly including an inlet configured to receive a process fluid and an outlet in communication with an inlet of the separation section to direct the process fluid after heating to the separation section.

Provided is an indirect heated separation assembly that includes a vessel assembly having a heating section and a separation section, a wall separating the heating section from the separation section, the wall configured to be heated by a heating fluid in the heating section to provide indirect heat to the separation section, and a coil assembly at least partially disposed in the heating section, the coil assembly including an inlet configured to receive a process fluid and an outlet in communication with an inlet of the separation section to direct the process fluid after heating to the separation section.

In a method for reconditioning an industrial oil and in an oil recovery system therefor, a used industrial oil is reconditioned by adding a liquid separation booster to the used industrial oil, and then the separation booster with attracted impurities is separated from the used industrial oil while leaving at least one specific additive in the oil. The separation booster is designed to attract impurities in the used oil while not attracting at least one specific additive in the oil.

Systems and methods for treating a rag layer in a gas oil separation plant. The method includes withdrawing the rag layer from a vessel proximate an oil water interface, conveying the rag layer to a separation device, and recycling separated oil from the separation device back to the gas oil separation plant process.

A method and composition for isolating a paraffinic hydrocarbon layer from a sludge comprising a mixture of paraffinic hydrocarbons, water, and solids are provided. The method comprises providing a paraffinic hydrocarbon isolation composition comprising isopropylamine dodecylbenzene sulfonate, a surfactant, and a solvent; contacting the sludge with the paraffinic hydrocarbon isolation composition; and allowing the paraffinic hydrocarbon isolation composition to separate the sludge into a three phase separation comprising a paraffinic hydrocarbon layer, a water layer, and a layer of settled solids.

A wax control element for subsea processing of well fluids in a wellstream comprises a bundle of flowlines within an elongate tensile structure. That structure defines inlet and outlet ends and has cooling and heating provisions that act on the flowlines, in use, to promote deposition of wax in the flowlines and subsequent entrainment of wax in the wellstream.