Subsea level gas separator of crude petroleum oil
20170122091 ยท 2017-05-04
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
The devised modular of Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) precludes giant gas entrainment entering the rig. The effluent, past the BOP, is diverted by gravity through a diversion tube, into the bottom of 1-3 gas separator tanks, creating fountain-like flow. The downstream, syphoned from an oil passage tank, joins the partitioned collection system past the diversion tube. The large top outlets of all tanks let off instantly rising gases.
In another embodiment of two gas separator tanks, oil flows from the top of the first. Its bottom outlet directs it into the top of the second. From it, oil is siphoned to the collection system. The large top outlets of both tanks instantly let off gases.
In either device, the gas instantly separates from the effluent tossed into aerial milieu of the tanks, a simplest model conceivable, the laws of nature taken advantage of.
Claims
1. A preferred prototype model of a Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) structured about the vicinity of an oceanic oil well, devised to prevent entrained giant bubbles of inflammable gases of an admixed effluent from the said oil well source entering into its collecting system and therefrom to its terminal receptacles about a rig, the said SLGOE model unit embodying means and methods, as set forth below (a) means of a diversion tubing, directing the admixed effluent from a main oil-collecting tube about a well head: into a set of 3 gas separator tanks, each tank receiving an independent oil inlet tube forking from the said diversion tubing; said means of diversion tubing further having provisions thereof for the effluent to initially pass through a transition tank before reaching the said gas separator tanks, (b) each of the said oil inlet tube having an open terminal, rising few inches into the said gas separator tank creating a fountain-like up flow of oil (the up flow model), its downstream collection in the tank maintaining a level lower than the raised terminal, optimally aided through a flow control clamp about the oil inlet tube, (c) each of the gas separator tanks having perforations to its bottom, said perforations devised to be wider than an incorporated production tubing (thereby precluding any block by semisolid components of the effluent), letting the said down-streaming fountain of the oil-effluent to flow away into a smaller lower compartment having an outlet tube about its bottom, (d) each tank further having plurality of gas outlet pipes about the top, for letting out the natural up-flow of gases into a gas collecting system leading to specially designed gas receptacles, positioned at a safe distance away from the rig, (e) means for all the outlet tubes of liquid and semisolid effluent about the bottom of the tanks to join a single collecting tube, just outside the gas separator tanks, wherein incorporated rubber washers of all the tubing about the SLGOE unit conforming to be of vulcanized rubber, whereas the tubing itself having threading all through, to facilitate joining or closing the tubing system following a catastrophic event, the specially devised means of closing caps and joint structures of diverse configurations with complimentary threading, aiding said closing or said joining, either configured for robotic maneuvering also, (f) the said clamp about each oil inlet tube to the tank, for controlling volume flow, further aiding also in disconnecting a tank by its on/off control thereof, only high volume/high production wells subject to operating all the tanks, (g) means to be devised for the SLGOE unit to be incorporated into the oil collection system anywhere by any means, the ocean grounds about the well head being the most beneficial venue, subject to separating the gas most proximate to the source, past the Blow Out Presenter (BOP), said unit also incorporated at the earliest time feasible, to preclude gas entrainment and well blow out at its earliest occasion about the well operations, (h) means to be devised for the SLGOE unit to be incorporated as the most proximal outlet past the BOP about the well head, so that the force of even a high pressured liquid-gusher with admixed gases of any proportion that a blow out preventer (BOP) occasionally fails to tackle, will be attenuated, to be further tackled by the surface BOP, about the rig, (i) each of the said gas separator tanks equipped to be having video and/or sonar monitoring device(s), to be aided by solar battery power source, (j) the SLGOE unit is positioned optimally lower on the oceanic grounds, whereby the terminals of the oil inlet tubes of the gas separator tanks are at a horizontally lower level than the origin of the diversion tubing about the well head, the SLGOE unit, past the gas separator tanks, further incorporating an oil passage tank positioned in an yet lower level, the effluent oil from all gas separator tanks flowing into, from its top, to be further returned to the collection system about the well head by a siphoning tube originating from the oil passage tank, whereas the incoming gas if any, leaves through its top outlets, (k) the gas separator tank(s) of the SLGOE unit are structured at the top with an incorporated oil dispersion device that disrupts any block to the flow downstream, by the semisolid components of the effluent, (l) the SLGOE unit may be structured as SLGOE modular unit capsule of different reconfigured sizes to be stationed on the ocean rounds about the well head wherein: (1) the said modular capsule is lowered to a wide saucer shaped excavated ocean floor, with its inlet and outlet tubing temporarily capped, and in case of un-excavated grounds, the oil diversion tube and the merging tube are set forth at a higher optimal level; (2) a stepwise incline of the multiple tanks of the SLGOE unit is configured within the said modular, while its wheeled base conforms to be horizontal, for its easy and secure stationing onto the excavated grounds, to be anchored by metal chains to cement slabs by strategically placed hooks and rings; (3) the said modular having access to the well's drilling conductor lust above the base piece of the conductor, said access set forth through an upper terminal of an incorporated SLGOE tubular of the SLGOE modular; (4) the said SLGOE tubular at its lower terminal rests on the ocean grounds, while its lower opening accessing a side wall of the SLGOE modular; (5) the said SLGOE modular capsule encompassing the transition tank, the gas separation tank(s), and the oil passage tank, is made of metal and stationed at a lower level than the originating diversion tube about the well head.
2. The preferred prototype embodiment of a Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) of claim 1, wherein incorporated into the top of each gas separator tank tank is an inverted funnel shaped, and spirally wound dispersion coil of a malleable metal, the latter having means and methods as set forth below (a) the unit encompassing the dispersion coil being incorporated into a top structure of the tank by its two vertical rods, positioned in equidistance about a ring structure attached to its uppermost coil, and is designed for an axial downward and upward motion, (b) the said uppermost coil of the spiral dispersion coil having a smallest dimension of all the coils, in their circular planes, (c) the spiral coil having its lowermost coil devised to be having a widest dimension about its circular plane, (d) when operational, the axial downward motion of the unit, and thereby the spring action of the dispersion coil with an axial downward thrust of all the coils as far as to the bottom of the tank, is devised for disrupting any semisolid effluent blocking the bottom perforations of the tank, (e) the said uppermost coil of the spiral, configured to be positioned around and in closest proximity to the oil inlet tube, is optimally sized with its inner dimension sufficiently wider than the outer diameter of the oil inlet tube, conforming to an easy movement in its axial motion, (f) the said incorporated rods of the dispersion coil unit are devised to be mostly positioned outside the tank, as when the spiral coil is nearer to the top, wherein the axial motion of the rods conform to external controls structured outside the tank, (g) the dispersion coil unit is devised to be having the axial motion in pre-configured intervals as a continuum, or as required when an outflow block to the tank is suspected.
3. The preferred prototype embodiment of a Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) of claim 2, wherein the coil device of each gas separator tank is substituted by yet another embodiment of a metal disc device, preferably in steel, with its means and methods as below 1. the disc device may be set forth as a whole circular disc device, wherein the whole circular disc is having a configuration of a lamp shade with very little downward incline, as also having, a lower surface and an upper surface, 2. the said circular disc is supported in a top structure of the tank by two rods positioned in equidistance, and attached to the said upper surface of the disc about its circumference, 3. the said rods having axial motion downward and upward in pre-configured intervals, or as required, as when an outflow block to the tank is suspected, 4. the said circular disc is devised to having a central aperture, the latter with a diameter far wider than the configured outer diameter of the oil inlet tube, 5. said lower surface of the circular disc is structured to have multiple spikes located in a positional configuration corresponding to the positions of the bottom perforations of the tanks, each spike having a diameter optimally smaller than the said perforations, 6. the disc's centrally located spikes are structured longer, whereby all the spikes in their lower free ends are in a same horizontal plane, 7. in an axial downward motion of the disc device, all the spikes are devised to pass through the bottom holes of the tank, whereby any semisolid crude blocking the holes is disrupted, 8. the said circular disc is sized to be not spreading through the whole of the tank top, the gas outlet tubes of the tank being located to be occupying a wide outer circumferential dimension, 9. the said supporting rods are devised to be mostly positioned outside the tank, as when the disc device is nearer to the top, wherein the axial motion of the rods conform to external controls structured outside the tank, 10. the disc device when made with hemi structures of the disc, it otherwise conforms to similar structural and functional design of the whole circular disc, except that the complete upward and downward motion of the hemi structures alternate.
4-5. (canceled)
6. A preferred prototype model of a Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) structured about the vicinity of an oceanic oil well, the said SLGOE unit being devised as a down flow model with no designed oil dispersion device, or a hybrid model, and embodying the means and methods as set forth below (a) means for an oil diversion tube from the well head entering from the side of a first gas separator tank near its top, or from its top itself, through an oil inlet tube far larger than the production tubing, with the effluent flowing down into the tank (the down flow model), (b) means for the first gas separator tank to have an oil outlet tube at the bottom, large sized as the inlet tube, with also large sized multiple gas outlet tubes in the top, to join a large gas collection tube, (c) means for the oil of the first tank to be flowing from its outlet tube, into a second tank positioned at a lower level so that it enters also from the surface level of the said second tank through its inlet tube, with provision also for multiple large gas outlet tubes at the top, ensuring complete separation of gaseous components at the source, (d) the said second gas separator tank having a syphoning tube rising from the bottom of oil effluent column, to reach the said oil collection system about the well head as a merging tube, to join above the said diversion tube, (e) means for the model to be configured as a hybrid model, wherein: (1) the first gas separator tank with oil down flowing from a peripheral inlet of its top, has an incorporated effluent dispersion device also at the top; (2) a sieved bottom with an oil outlet tube; (3) large sized multiple gas outlet tubes at the top; (4) the second gas separator tank with a siphoning tube being unchanged from the fore going down flow model, (f) the devised down flow model or the hybrid model of the SLGOE unit is structured as a modular capsule, its means being similar to the up-flowing model of the SLGOE modular capsule.
Description
DRAWINGS
[0011]
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The following is a detailed elaboration of what was earlier briefed in the section foregoing. A model of Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE), conforming to what are illustrated in
[0014]
[0015] The
[0016] The tanks 74, to be best suited for their functional demands, should be located at a lower ground thereof, than the point of origin of the effluent diversion tube 70 about the well head structure. The ground level is deemed optimal if the terminals of the inlet tubes 72 into the tanks are at lower horizontal level than the originating, generally horizontally positioned diversion tube 70.
[0017] The separated crude petroleum analogs flowing out into the collection tube 86 are diverted into yet another oil passage tank, effectively located at a lower level, wherein the oil from the tube 86 flows down, from the top. From this tank, oil is returned to the main collection tube about the well head, by mechanical means thereof. Such means, for example, are aided by laws of hydraulics, similar to the siphon principle. In this instance, a tube originates from the bottom liquid column of the oil passage tank, to then reach a higher level about the well head, directing the return of oil flow by siphoning principles. This incorporated model of oil passage tank completely alienates the gas separation tanks 74 from the natural drawing force (the latter as an effect of the siphoning principle), whereby the gaseous components will not be otherwise sucked into the down-stream liquid oil collection system, from the tanks 74. Such drawing force created by siphoning principle is exclusively directed to the oil passage tank, in effect, returning the oil to higher grounds about the well head. The oil passage tank can also be fitted with one or more optimally sized gas outlet tubes in the top (to join the main gas collection system), whereby any gaseous components of significance can be furthermore separated. A transition tank, also located at a lower level, to receive the well effluent first, and then to direct it to the gas separator tank(s) 74, can also be incorporated into the system to buffer the transition, and further to make needed interventions smoother. It is obvious that these different functional tanks are arranged stepwise, to facilitate the forces of gravity, and once these natural forces are structurally made operational, they need no further mending or monitoring, except what is the security routine
[0018] The tubes 72 are fitted with external control on/off devices 73 to stop entry of the effluent into any tank 74, when desired. The control devices 73 can also regulate the quantitative oil inflow thereto in such a manner that the level 80 of the oil in the tanks 74 is kept optimally below the terminals of the tubes 72 in the tanks 74, under usual circumstances, as shown in the
[0019] The perforations 76 of the sieved bottom of the tanks 74 are devised to be slightly wider than the diameter of the production tubing wherein the globs of crude oil that could flow through the production tubing may not be generally expected to block the openings 76.
[0020] In a different embodiment, there may be only one structured tank 74, wherein all the operative components, control components, and monitoring components, in effect, can be substantially minimized. However, the outlet flow downstream yet shall go through the oil passage tank, and then be returned to the collection system by siphoning principle, as described in the foregoing. Structuring only two tanks can also be an option.
[0021] The Pressure Principles Governing the SLGOE Operations Water seeks its own level was the essence of Aristotle's principle long ago. In five words it had effectively summated volumes. Contextually, the principle was directed to the hydraulics governing the siphoning principle. It connotes that an isolated but connected body of water maintains, in all its containments, the same horizontal level from the ground, and in effect, water may not be diverted to a higher level thereof, except by means of the siphoning principle. This forms the basis for the SLGOE unit and all its extensions need be located at a lower level than the point of origin of the diversion tube 70 about the well head. It is for the reason that the terminal flows of the inlet tubes 72 are part of the isolated body of water, yet connected to the point of origin of the diversion tube 70 about the well head, and hence will not rise and emanate the fountain flow unless the tubes 72 in their entirety are at or about a lower horizontal level. It is functionally assuring to be at a lower level. The fountain flow need not be a formation of a typical up flowing jet, but there should be rise of the effluent column, with a profusion of overflow therefrom. The flow into the inlet tubes 72 are best achieved by the natural forces of gravity in this setting, whereas the flow of the oil up stream, into a higher ground, from the oil passage tank, in effect, is best achieved by siphoning principle. It may be understood that the diversion tube 70 shown in the
[0022] The ocean grounds may need some excavation to accommodate the SLGOE unit, as it in turn needs to accommodate the oil passage tank also, at even a lower level. It should not be hard for the oil explorers, as digging even deeper being their expertise.
[0023] In any model of embodiment, the gas separator tank 74 will need be provided with a monitoring video device, a sonar device if indicated, and a light source, to visualize the state of affairs within the tank, all operated by solar battery power source.
[0024] The Coil-Device of the SLGOE
[0025] As a pro-active measure, or as a measure that nothing should be left to chance, each tank 74 of the Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE), is fitted with a spirally wound dispersion coil 88, preferably in steel, suspended from a top structure of the tank by two rods about a ring structure, the latter attached to its top coil. The spiral coil is designed in an inverted funnel configuration, its bottom coil devised to be the widest, and the uppermost coil the smallest. The dispersion coil 88 moves up and down when operational (in case a block to the down-stream oil flow from the tanks 74 is noted or suspected), its spring-action with axial downward thrust of all coils disrupting any semisolid crude thereof, blocking the bottom perforations 76 of a tank. The inner diameter of the uppermost coil (with the smallest diameter of all) of the spiral is optimally designed to be wider than the outer diameter of the oil inlet tube 72, as the said coil traverses in closest proximity around the tube 72, in its downward axial motion, when the device is operative. The coil-device can also be operational in continuum at preset intervals thereof, however only infrequently, that is, at about every 1-2 hour intervals, in effect conforming to 4-5 axial motions each time. The two suspension rods from the top of the tank attached to the uppermost coil of the device, as illustrated in
[0026] The Disc-Device of the SLGOE
[0027] In yet another embodiment, the coil device of each gas separator tank 74 is replaced by a metal disc device 580, shown in
[0028] The disc 584 is sized to be not spreading through the whole of the tank top, the gas outlet tubes 78 being positioned to occupy a wide outer circumferential dimension. The suspension rods 588 are devised to be mostly positioned outside the tank 74 as when the disc 584 is nearer to the top, wherein the axial motion of the rods conform to external controls structured outside the tank 74.
[0029] In yet another embodiment the disc device 580 is made with hemi structures of the disc 584. In this model, the device otherwise conforms to the similar structural and functional design of the whole disc, except in the following1. the circular central aperture of the whole disc is herein structured as a semi-circle; 2. the downward motion of the hemi structures alternate (i.e. timed differently) with each other, and so is the upward motion. The design has an added advantage that the effluent semi-solid crude will mostly slide down and not settle on the top of the disc devices, the hemi structure aiding rather a better dissipation thereof.
[0030] The Vulcanized Rubber as the Structural Constituent
[0031] It can be noted that all the rubber washers or any assembly devices of rubber incorporated in the oil gas separator model is made of vulcanized rubber, the only type of rubber that can resist the degrading attack of the petroleum analogs.
[0032] The Utilitarian Merits of the Invention
[0033] The proposed model as a whole encompasses a simple method that can be effectuated on the oceanic grounds in the vicinity of the oil well, to separate the regularly encountered oil gas mixture, or occasionally encountered greater amount of admixed gas under significant pressure. The target is to mitigate dangerous calamities by whatever means thereof, rather than 100% refining measures of oil gas separation that is otherwise pursued by the oil production plants engaged in exclusive crude-oil separation (the Oil Refineries) by means of a highly involved process of Fractional Distillation.
[0034] The SLGOE device is obviously intended to preclude possible entrainment of inflammable gases into the petroleum collection system, and then into the rig thereof, setting up dangerous fire by an otherwise insignificant ignition spark, inherent to the rig for whatever reason. Compared to the enormous resistance exerted by the conventional BOP the means and method steps described as in the SLGOE seems too simplistic, but there is an inherent difference that is taken advantage of, to propose such a model. The principal involved in the BOP is to ultimately resist the well pressure when needed, especially if it is a giant gas bubble of entrained gasesbut that it can fail to resist, as in the BP's Deep Water Horizon Oil Well blow-out. The SLGOE device makes no effort to contain such gas pressure simply for the reason that at certain thresholds, it is clearly uncontainable. Accordingly, it is prudent to let out such pressure, totally if possible, and in case it is only partial, at least the opposing pressure is optimized, for the surface BOP near the rig level to be able to control, and prevent a blow-out. Obviously, it is generally not a sure plan of the SLGOE device to control a high pressured liquid oil-gusher from the oil well. However, if the SLGOE unit is incorporated about the well head, that oil-gas separation occurs at the earliest in the collecting system, that even a high pressured liquid-gusher with admixed gases of any proportion is thereby attenuated for the surface BOP to tackle, with its occasional failure possibly precluded.
[0035] The SLGOE device can be incorporated into the oil collection unit anywhere in a manner feasible, the ocean grounds about the well head being the most beneficial venue, as thus far emphatically suggested. The oil conduit about the well head, by any suitable means, can be structured to have a diverting oil-outlet tube, and a merging oil-inlet tube, so incorporating the SLGOE unit into the oil collecting system, subject to separating the oil and the gas at the source, at the earliest, precluding a giant gas bubble entering the rig at any time through-out the rig operation.
[0036] For the BOP to control pressures involving most powerful of ruptures, in all high volume wells where such events can be reasonably expected, it is a worth trying option to divide the oil line into multiple outlet conduits within the innermost casing and each outlet conduit structured to pass through its own stack of BOP, wherein each stack of BOP can tackle the divided power of the gusher, reduced to half, or to one third of its strength. It implies, it is a good practice to never allow a production casing (the innermost casing) to be a functioning oil-conduit in high volume wells, a practice that takes out at the outset, probably an unrecognized brewing recipe for danger.
[0037] Other incidentally happening advantage for the oil companies isreclaiming substantial amount of gaseous components of the well effluent, instead of the oil refineries doing so. Why it is substantial is, once the effluent is thrown into the aerial milieu of the tanks, the gaseous elements can only rise up to the tank to be let off. Only small bubbles intimately admixed with semisolid effluent are left to be separated by the oil refineries. These seemingly unwanted elements are highly useful for other purposes that the gas companies can also invest on, which probably they are already doing, as indeed they extracted these from the underwater oil containments.
[0038] Threaded Instant Joint Configurations and Closing Caps
[0039] The invention further envisions a model of tubing directed to all tubular systems, and their methods of instant system joining or closing, for all future oil exploration units, or as a replacement-tubing for existing units. The model of tubular systems are structured to be having a deep threaded configuration on the inside or the outside, traversing the entire lengths of all the involved tubular systems, facilitating instant joining or closing of a broken or intact system, aided by means of(1) Instant joint structures shaped as I, T, J, L, C, U, Y etc. with complimentary threading, and having a straight or nested configuration, to be inserted thereto, for the system joining, when a conduit line is broken and interrupted. The middle part of the structures can be enlarged in circumference for easy handling even by the robotic maneuvers; or (2) Closing caps, also with complimentary threading to be threaded thereto, for closing a system, when system joining is of no option. The structure can have a stem of tubing with complimentary threading to connect, wherefrom it enlarges to a tubing double the size or more, ending in a very sturdy and massive closing cap to resist enormous pressure exerted by the tubular system, at the terminal, and the size of the cap ensures easy manipulation, even by the robotic maneuvers.
[0040] The tubing involved can be production tubing, oil collection tubing, tubular system involving the rig, the Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE), and any tubing wherein said configuration is deemed effective. Such structural mandate is as important as all the safety devices incorporated thereof, in case fire and well surface blow-out happen, resulting in a disconnect in the systemwhen instant joining anywhere necessary is accomplished, or else instant closing of the system anywhere necessary is similarly accomplished. The configured joint structures shaped as specified above, are used as one or multiple joints. I and/or T joints are usually needed to aid incorporating other joint structures, to restore a conduit line, or complex interconnections. It does not imply that the threaded tubing is novel, but implementing such system in the context of oil wells, especially involving all tubular systems and traversing their entire length is novel, as only such model can instantly join or close the system anywhere at any time mitigating catastrophic consequences. Said tubing deployed all through the well and rig structuring, wherein the SLGOE is incorporated, ensures an immediate restoration of SLGOE functioning, when a tubing system is disrupted for what so ever reasons. System upsets at and around, are unintended for the purposes of SLGOE functioning. It is a pertinent answer to the pertinent inquiry that how best the materials, methods, and the means plus steps functions limitations are chosen, in an unpredictable and difficult to contain deep sea habitat, wherein nothing may be left to chance. Moreover, what needs to be herein implemented is a small step forward in means familiar, however, with a big leap in functions achievable.