SPE 107293
Selection Slug Catcher Type
Moises Alfredo Vergara Contreras and Nicolas Foucart, Repsol YPF
Copyright 2007, Society of Petroleum Engineers
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2007 SPE Latin American and Caribbean
Petroleum Engineering Conference held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 15–18 April 2007.
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Abstract
Margarita field is one of the most important gas fields in
Bolivia, not fully developed yet. The field development is
to be completed in the near future and as part of the
facilities to be constructed, it is included the installation
of a slug catcher. The slug catcher situated at the end of
the pipeline is intended to separate the phases and to
provide temporary storage for the liquid received. Slug
Catchers should be designed to take care of a slug.
The selection between the “Finger Type” and “Vessel
Type” would be thorough the economical aspects and
the characteristics of the equipment that best adapts to
the conditions of the site.
The slug volume of the Margarita Field, calculated for a
gathering system of 13 wells, being the outermost 30
Km. apart from the Plant, resulted in 26,35 m3 with a
design pressure of 2025 psig.
The “multiple-pipe” slug catchers (“Finger Type”)
equipment is the most common equipment to handle
slug volume, it is efficient and the operation is well
known, however the common practice recomends that
for volumes less than 100 m3, it is better to use the
“vessel type” (this would be our case with 26,35 m3.)
According to the rule of thumb the selection should be
“Vessel Type”, where 18 MMsm3/d is considered the gas
flow for the design, that results in a diamenter of 102
inches by 14 meters long and a weight of 150 tons for
the equipment size.
The “finger type” design from the equipment
manufacturers could handle the same slug volume but
the size is four fingers with a diameter of 40 inches by 10
meters long. The finger type needs 16 field welds and
the weight is 80 tons. The equipment results in an easy
assembly, of simple operation, smaller and lighter that
facilitates transportation.
The Ex-Work delivery Cost and the equipment delivery
to the site favors the “finger type” over the “vessel type”.
The installation cost for the vessel type is cheaper than
the finger type but it is not enough as to favor the vessel
type because if we add Ex-Work delivery and Installation
costs, the finger type saves 30%.. The vessel type does
not fulfill the savings expectations.in the Margarita Field
Project (“onshore”).
Additionally one more characteristic in favor for the finger
type is the weight where the finger type does not risk
transportation, where as the vessel type has
transportation risks because the existing roads have only
one lane that allows the passing of equipment less than
90 tons. The vessel type has 150 tons with a pressure
design of 2025 psig; and if the pressure design would be
1500 psig, the weight would be of 120 tons.
After taking in consideration all the points in favor of the
finger type (the multiple-pipe slug catchers), it is
recommended to be installed in the Gas Treatment Plant
(GTP).
INTRODUCTION
The Margarita Project calls for a field development,
covering the flow lines, main header, slug catcher, gas
dehydration and dew point control, condensate
stabilization, and water treatment. This system is known
as the Gas Treatment Plant (GTP), which shall produce
a relatively gas stream and condensate.
The gathering system of the Project consists of individual
flow lines connecting 13 wells with three headers at a
new gas plant. The three headers will directly combine
the well flow to the slug catcher or the individual well flow
to either the test separator or to the existing Margarita
plant.
The Gathering System considered the production facility
consisting of 13 wells at ten sites in the Margarita field
connected by 120 km of new 8-inch gathering pipelines,
plus 30 km of existing 8-inch gathering pipelines.
2 SPE 107293

to be sized only to prevent carry-over arrivals which

A process simulation was conducting to model the
Gathering System and the slug size was calculated
where the size was performed for the slug catcher.
The preliminary design of the Slug Catcher, to handle
the slug size, can be achieved by incorporating 180
meters of 20-inch pipe in the liquid accumulation section
of a finger-type slug catcher. Three fingers, each 60
meters long.
occurs at lower flow conditions and when the slug
catcher may be nearly full. The result of the different
approaches will be that the section of primary bottles
required for liquid separation will be longer, compared to
some older models, while the need for excessively large
gas risers can be avoided.
The multiple-pipe slug catchers (“Finger Type”) have the
following characteristics:

The present study tries to compare options for the slug • Economical way to catch large slugs.
catcher where the vessel type has a potential possibility
to simplify the construction and to save cost that could • Gives predictable particle separation in the 50
be technically and economically feasible. micron and up sizes.

The “Vessel Type” as Slug Catcher has the potential to
reduce Capex compared to the finger type because the
recent experience has found that installation costs of the
vessel type are lower than the finger type for capacities
below 1000 bbl and in our case the volume is 26, 35 m3
(165, 74 bbl). The installation vessel is cheaper, simpler,
and short time.
The present analysis reviewed the manufacturer’s
proposal for the finger type and for the vessel type that
served as the basis of the comparison of different
aspects in the technological and economical analysis.
The selection criteria used for comparison are the
following:
• Performance Quality
• Predictable separation up to tens of thousands
of barrels slug size.
• Shipping in pieces for field assembly with line
pipe.
• When slug size is large enough to justify the
logistics of field assembly, and B31.8 type
construction allowed, the harp type
separator/slug catcher will be considerably
cheaper than vessels.
The manufacture proposal for the finger type is shown in
annex 1 and the scheme is shown in figure 1. The
biggest advantage of this design is the low weight that
facilitates transportation, but the disadvantage is that it
needs too much work in the field.

• Capital Cost (Capex)

• Installation Cost

• Transportation aspects

• Technological risk associated

Quality Performance

The Finger Type.

The preliminary slug catcher recommendation was not to

take into consideration because the size was too large
(over 60 meters). The dimension required an area of 125
square meters, which needed to recondition a lot of land
and required more than 16 field welds.

This study reviewed the preliminary design and the

manufacturer’s proposal and found a design, which is a Figure # 1, the multiple-pipe slug catchers (“Finger
base in the investigation of liquid separation under high Type”)
velocity, conditions so that the reviewed design
requirements can be met. In the previous approach, the
gas risers had to be sized to prevent liquid carry-over at
the highest flow rate; with the new approach, they have
SPE 107293 3

The new equipment can handle 28, 65 m3 slug volume.

The size is 4 fingers in the diameter of 40 inches, the
length is 10 meters different from the original “finger
type” which was 3 fingers in diameter 20 inches, and the
length is 60 meters. The new finger type needs 16 fields
welding and the weight is 80 ton.

The Vessel Type

The vessel type proposal from the manufacture is shown

in annex 2 and the scheme, is shown in figure 2. The
main advantage is the high the quality to catch liquids
and it is easy to install but the disadvantage is the weight
for transportation.
As far as the Quality Performance is concerned:
• The vessel type catches the liquid better than
the finger type

• The square area required by the vessel type is

lower than the finger type.

• Maximum Slug Volume is better handled by the

vessel type than by the finger type.

• The finger type weight is lower than the vessel

type weight.

The mentioned aspects favor the vessel type that would

have better performance operation and it has more
guaranteed quality than the finger type. For this reason,
the vessel type won over the finger vessel in this
criterion.

Capital Cost

Figure # 2, the vessel type slug catchers
. The equipment characteristic is the flowing:
• Can give small particle separation (10 microns)
where there is liquid and lower gas flow.
The Design Pressure has high weight in cost equipment
in the Vessel Type case. Table 2 shows the Budget
Level Cost Estimate for both slug catcher types, based
on the cost estimate developed by the manufacturer in
case of similar design pressure. The vessel type is more
expensive than the finger type by 34, 29%.

• It is possible to be used as a three-phase

separator.

• Becomes expensive and heavy when large sizes

are required.

• When the slug size is up to 5 - 700 bbls, the

separation performance is good.

Table N° 1 shows different characteristic to perform

where the vessel type has many aspects in favor than
the finger type. Table # 2

The manufactore presents an alternative case where the

design pressure is 1500 psig and the weight is less.
4 SPE 107293
The Installation Cost
The vessel type slug catcher is an equipment that is
entirely fabricated in workshops, it only needs to be
installed in its foundation and it is connected with the
pipe. The installation schedule is estimated to be equal
to 10 days.
The finger type equipment is built in workshop but needs
to be assembled in the field. This equipment needs 16
field welds. The schedule estimate for installation is 30
days.
The vessel type needs an area of 44 square meters, less
than the finger type, which requires 88 square meters.
The crew size required to install the finger type is bigger
than for the vessel type.
TABLE 3 summarizes main construction characteristic
for both slug catcher types.
Table # 3
Transportation Aspects
The GTP location is not of easy access; the access road
is mountainous and has irregular sections, which are not
paved they are very narrow and about 113 km long,
presenting a transportation problem. Large trucks
carrying heavy loads can become stranded on sharp
turns due to the washouts. The roads have limit of load
not greater to 120 Tons by 20 meters long.
The weight of the Vessel Type weighs over 120 Tons
and the size is of 3 meters x 16 meters. The weight
would be considered a problem, which requires
completing in the field. The design should consider the
road limitation and this could have an impact in the cost.
The design of the vessel type is very heavy and it shall
prepare a constructability study in order to assure that
the equipment can be transported from possible
fabrication sites. Where limitations are detected, the
equipment has to be split in two or more parts as much
as possible in order to minimize work at Job site.
The finger type parts weight over 51 tons and the length
is 10 meters. The finger type needs to be completed in
the field and it has easy assembly for different parts,
which facilitates transportation. For transportation, the
finger type won over the vessel type.
Technological risk associated
Many suppliers are able to provide both equipments
which design is well known. The ex-works delivery time
for both types is approximately 8 months.
ANALYSIS
TABLE 4 compares the selection criteria for the “Vessel
Type” and “Finger Type” Slug Catcher. We can declare a
draw in the number of qualities won by the slug catcher
types.
Table # 4
In cases the Design Pressure would be below the
investment for slug catcher types is almost same and
“Vessel Type” has clearly opportune to win over “Finger
Type”, but this project development “onshore” where the
consideration space requires does not critical as in
“offshore” project and the transportation have more
weight for take the decision.
From TABLE 4, it can be seen that the CAPEX
difference, including ex-works and installation costs,
between both types is 30%, meaning that the vessel
type does not fulfill the savings expectations and the
“Vessel type” will make problem of the transportation or
more activity to building in site.
SPE 107293 5

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

The recommended common practice to select the slug

catcher type is not applicable in our case. In the same ANNEX 1. FINGER TYPE
way that there are special situations in the “offshore”
project, it is necessary to consider different aspects that
affect the project execution.

Transportation conditions in our onshore project

establish some limitations in the equipment size or they
require more building in the field, thus the recommended
common practice does not need to be applied in this
case.

The “Finger Type” is considered an easy design but it is

a good idea to consult The Finger Type Manufactures to
allow finding one design that reduces the number of
field’s welds and the required space that decreases the
installation cost.

The new design for the finger type is easy to install and
the finger type saves 30% compared to the vessel type,
based in the estimated cost from the manufacturer´s
proposal and the construction company.

The vessel type requires a diameter of 102 inches by 14

meters long with a weight of 120 tons, heavier than any
equipment transported so far in the area.

The Designer Pressure does not significantly reduce the ANNEX 2. VESSEL TYPE
size and weight of the vessel because the flow is still
maintained at 18 MMsm3/d and for a pressure design of
1500 psig the equipment weight will be over 120 tons.

For all the previous reasons, it is recommended to

consider the finger type for the Slug Catcher.

REFERENCES

[1] Bechtel – Final Report. “Conceptual Engineering

Study for the Development of Margarita Field -
Bolivia”. June, 2005.

[2] Gas Process Suppliers Association (GPSA), 1994,

“Engineering Data Book”.

[3] Ingeniería de Instalaciones de Superficie - Bolivia

“Road Access & Logistics”. Project N° Document
MGR12-PF-DT-GEN-NT-GE-001.

[4] Kohl, A.L., and Riesenfeld,F.C., 1985, Gas

Purification, Gulf Publishing Company, Houston,
TX.