INTRODUCTION

Three phase separators in the oil and gas production industry are used to separate
gas, oil and water phases. Three-phase separation involves gas/liquid separation
like two phase, but also involves liquid/liquid separation. This tutorial concentrates
on the design concepts involved in liquid/liquid separation.

When oil and water are mixed with some intensity and then allowed to settle, a layer
of relatively clean free water will appear at the bottom. The growth of this water
layer with time will follow a curve as shown in Figure 1 (Schematic and plot showing
growth of water layer with time).

Figure 1

After a period of time, ranging anywhere from three minutes to twenty minutes, the
change in the water height will be negligible. The water fraction, obtained from
gravity settling, is called "free water." It is normally beneficial to separate the free
water before attempting to treat the remaining oil and emulsion layers.

Flow to the separator may be directly from a producing well or wells. In this case,
significant amounts of gas may be present and are separated from the oil. Three
phase separators are designed to separate the free water phase from the oil
and the gas phase from the oil. If the flow to the separator originates in upstream
separators operating at higher pressures, then the three-phase separator will need
to handle only the flash gases. Separators in this service are often called free water
knockouts.

The basic design aspects of three phase separation are identical to those discussed
for two phase separation. The only additions are that more concern is placed on
liquid-liquid settling rates, and that some means of removing the free water must be
added.
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION

Horizontal Separators

Three phase separators are designed as either horizontal or vertical pressure

vessels. Figure 1 (Simplified schematic of a typical horizontal three-phase
separator) is a schematic of a horizontal separator.

Figure 1

The fluid enters the separator and hits an inlet diverter. This sudden change in
momentum provides the initial gross separation of liquid and vapor. In most designs,
the inlet diverter contains a downcomer, which directs the liquid flow below the
gas/oil interface, to the vicinity of the oil/water interface. The liquid collecting section
of the vessel provides sufficient time so that the oil and emulsion form a layer or "oil
pad" above the free water. Figure 1 (Simplified schematic of a typical horizontal
three-phase separator) illustrates a typical horizontal separator with an interface
controller and weir. The weir maintains the oil level and the interface controller
maintains the water level. The oil is skimmed over the weir. The level of the oil after
the weir is controlled by a level controller, which operates the oil dump valve.

The produced water flows from a nozzle in the vessel located upstream of the oil
weir. An interface level controller senses the height of the oil/water interface. The
controller sends a signal to the water dump valve, thus allowing the correct amount
of water to leave the vessel so that the oil/water interface is maintained at the
design height.
The gas flows horizontally and out through a mist extractor to a pressure control
valve, which maintains constant vessel pressure. The level of the gas/oil interface
can vary from twenty-five percent of the diameter to seventy-five percent of the
diameter, depending on the relative importance of gas/liquid separation. Most
frequently, the level of the gas/oil interface is set at fifty percent of the diameter.

Figure 2 (Simplified schematic of a typical, horizontal three phase separator with a

bucket-and-weir design) shows an alternate configuration known as a bucket and
weir" design.

Figure 2

This design eliminates the need for a liquid interface controller. Both the oil and
water flow over weirs. Level control is accomplished by simple displacer floats. The
oil overflows the oil weir into an oil bucket where its level is controlled by a level
controller, which operates the oil dump valve. The water flows under the oil bucket
and then over a water weir. The level after this weir is controlled by a level
controller, which operates the water dump valve. The back of the oil bucket should
be high enough to assure that if the bucket becomes flooded, oil will not flow over
the back of the bucket and out with the water.

The height of the oil weir controls the liquid level in the vessel. The difference in
height of the oil and water weirs and specific gravity differences control the thickness
of the oil pad. It is critical to the operation of the vessel that the water weir height
be sufficiently below the oil weir height so that the oil pad thickness provides
sufficient oil retention time. If the water weir is too low or the difference in specific
gravity is not as great as anticipated, then the oil pad could grow in thickness to a
point where oil will be swept under the oil box and out the water outlet. Normally,
either the oil or the water weir is made adjustable so that changes in oil/water
specific gravities or flow rates can be accommodated.
To obtain a desired oil pad height, the water weir should be set a distance below the
oil weir, which is calculated by the following equation developed by equating the
static heads at point A in Figure 3 (Schematic used for calculating the required
height difference between the oil and water weirs in a bucket-and-weir type of
horizontal three phase separator).

Figure 3

Equation 1

In general, a bucket and weir design is most effective for applications with high water-to-oil flow
rates and/or small density differences. Interface control should be considered for applications
with high oil flow rates and/or large density differences. In applications where large amounts of
emulsion or paraffin are anticipated, it may be difficult to sense interface level. In such a case,
bucket and weir control is recommended.

Liquid flowing over a weir behaves as shown in Figure 4 (Flow Over a Weir).
 Figure 4

The height of liquid above the weir depends on the flow rate. For separator flow
rates, the height of liquid above the weir, F, is generally small, on the order of
inches, and is often neglected in solving Equation 1. However, where large surges of
water production are possible, it may be necessary to check that the actual height of
water above the weir does not cause water to flow over the oil weir. Secondly, where
large surges of oil are possible, it may be necessary to check that the actual height
of oil above the oil weir does not cause oil to flow beneath the oil bucket and out
with the water.

The Francis weir formula provides a reasonable first approximation for height of
liquid above a weir:

Equation 2

A more complete equation which considers the effects of "drawdown" of the fluid is:
Equation 3
The coefficient C was found by Rehbock to obey the following empirical formula:
Equation 4

These equations can be rearranged, solving for F. They can not be solved explicitly, but a series
of approximations can be made as follows:

1. Solve equation (2) for F1, A first approximation:

Equation 5

2. Calculate the coefficient of discharge:

3. Solve for new F value:

Equation 6

4. Repeat step 2 using the new F for F1, then solve Equation (6) using the new C.

5. To get the actual liquid height in the separator, F must be added to the weir
height, or to get the weir height for a given liquid height, F must be subtracted from
the liquid height.

Vertical Separators

Figure 5 (Simplified schematic of a typical vertical three phase separator) shows a

typical configuration for a vertical three phase separator.

Figure 5
Flow enters the vessel through the side. As in the horizontal separator, the inlet
diverter separates the bulk of the gas. A downcomer is required to transmit the liquid
through the oil/gas interface so as not to disturb the oil skimming action taking
place. A chimney is needed to equalize gas pressure between the lower section and
the gas section.

The spreader, or downcomer, outlet is located at the oil/water interface. From this
point, as the oil rises, any free water trapped within the oil phase separates out. The
water droplets flow countercurrent to the oil. Similarly, the water flows downward
and oil droplets trapped in the water phase rise countercurrent to the water flow.

Sometimes a cone bottom three phase separator is used, as shown in Figure 6

(Schematic cutaway of a vertical separator with cone bottom for sand removal).

Figure 6

This is a design, which would be used if sand production was anticipated to be a

major problem. The cone is normally at an angle to the horizontal of between 45°
and 60°. Produced sand may have a tendency to stick to steel at 45°. If a cone is
installed, it could be part of the pressure containing walls of the vessel, or for
structural reasons, it could be installed internal to the vessel cylinder. In such a case,
a gas equalizing line must be installed to insure that the vapor on both sides of the
cone is always in pressure equilibrium.

Figure 7 (Schematics of the three methods of level control often used on vertical
three phase separators) shows the three different methods of control that are often
used on vertical separators.

Figure 7

The first is strictly level control. A regular displacer float is used to control the gas-oil
interface and regulate a control valve dumping oil from the oil section. An interface
float is used to control the oil-water interface and regulate a water outlet control
valve. Because no internal baffling or weirs are used, this system is the easiest to
fabricate and handles sand and solids production best.

The second method shown uses a weir to control the gas-oil interface level at a
constant position. This results in a better separation of water from the oil as all the
oil must rise to the height of the oil weir before exiting the vessel. Its disadvantages
are that the oil box takes up vessel volume and costs money to fabricate. In
addition, sediment and solids could collect in the oil box and be difficult to drain,
and, lastly, a separate low-level shutdown may be required to guard against the oil
dump valve failing to open.

The third method uses two weirs, which eliminates the need for an interface float.
Interface level is controlled by the height of the external water weir relative to the oil
weir. This is similar to the bucket and weir design of horizontal separators. The
advantage of this system is that it eliminates the interface level control. The
disadvantage is that it requires additional external piping and space. In cold
climates, the water leg can be installed internal to the vessel so that the vessel
insulation will prevent it from freezing.

Selection

Gravity separation is more efficient in a horizontal vessel than in a vertical vessel. In

a horizontal vessel, the flow velocity and settling velocity are perpendicular rather
than directly opposing. Horizontal separators also have greater interfacial areas,
which may improve the phase separation. This is particularly true if foam collects at
the gas/oil interface, or if an emulsion layer collects at the oil/water interface.
Therefore, from a theoretical separation aspect, horizontal separators are preferable.
However, they do have several drawbacks, which could lead to a preference for a
vertical separator in certain situations.

Horizontal separators are not as good as vertical separators in handling solids. The
liquid dump of a vertical separator can be placed at the center of the bottom head so
that solids will not build up in the separator, but continue to the next vessel in the
process. As an alternate, a drain could be placed at this location so that solids could
be disposed of periodically while liquid leaves the vessel at a slightly higher
elevation. In a horizontal vessel, it is necessary to place several drains along the
length of the vessel. Since the solids will have an angle of repose of 45° to 60°, the
drains must be spaced at very close intervals (usually no farther than 1.5 m (5 ft)).
Attempts to lengthen the distance between drains, by providing sand jets in the
vicinity of each drain to fluidize the solids while the drains are in operation, are
expensive and have been only marginally successful in field operations.

Horizontal vessels require more plan area to perform the same separation as
vertical vessels. While this may not be of importance at a land location, it could be
very important offshore.

Most small diameter horizontal vessels (1.5 m (5 ft) diameter and smaller) have less
liquid surge capacity. For a given change in liquid surface elevation, there is
typically a larger increase in liquid volume for a horizontal separator than for a
vertical separator sized for the same flow rate. However, the geometry of small
horizontal vessels causes any high-level shutdown device to be located close to the
normal operating level. In very large diameter (greater than six feet) horizontal
vessels and in vertical vessels, the shutdown could be placed much higher allowing
the level controller and dump valve more time to react to the surge. In addition,
surges in horizontal vessels could create internal waves, which could activate a high
level sensor prematurely.

Care should be exercised when selecting small diameter horizontal separators. The
level controller and level switch elevations must be considered. The vessel must have
a sufficiently large diameter so that the level switches may be spaced far enough
apart, vertically, to avoid operating problems. This is particularly important if surges
in the flow or slugs of liquids are expected to enter the separator.

It should be pointed out that vertical vessels have some drawbacks, which are not
process related and which must be considered in making a selection. For example
the relief valve and some of the controls may be difficult to service without special
ladders and platforms. The vessel may have to be removed from a skid for trucking
due to height restrictions.

Overall, horizontal vessels are most economical for normal oil-water separation,
particularly where there may be problems with emulsions, foam, or high gas-oil
ratios. Vertical vessels work most effectively in low GOR applications and where
solids production is anticipated.

Vessel Internals

Vessel internals common to two phase and three phase separators, such as inlet
diverters, wave breakers, stilling wells, defoaming plates, vortex breakers, and mist
extractors, are covered in Two Phase Separators, and will not be repeated here.
Additional internals that aid in the separation of oil and water are covered in this
section.

Coalescing Plates

It is possible to use various plate or pipe coalescer designs to aid in the coalescing
of oil droplets in the water and water droplets in the oil. Recent tests using
mixed flow coalescing plates, such as those shown in Figure 8 (Coalescing Plates),
indicate that some savings in vessel size are possible.

Figure 8

The plates are installed in a vessel as shown in Figure 9 (Three Phase Separator
Coalescers).
 Figure 9

Because of potential plugging problems, it is recommended that coalescers only be

used to extend the capabilities of existing three phase separators or where there are
severe space limitations.

Turbulent Flow Coalescers

Turbulent flow coalescers, which are marketed under the name SP Packs, utilize the
turbulence created by flow in a serpentine pipe path to promote coalescence.
As shown in Figure 9 (Three Phase Separator Coalescers), SP Packs take up more
space in the vessel than plate coalescers, but, because they have no small
clearances, they are not susceptible to plugging.

Sand Jets and Drains

In horizontal three-phase separators, one worry is the accumulation of sand and

solids at the bottom of the vessel. If allowed to build up, these solids upset the
separator operations by taking up vessel volume. Generally the solids settle to the
bottom and become well packed.

To remove the solids, sand drains are opened in a controlled manner, and then high-
pressure fluid, usually produced water, is pumped through the jets to agitate the
solids and flush them down the drains. The sand jets are normally designed with a 6
m/s (20 ft/s) jet tip velocity and aimed in such a manner to give good coverage of
the vessel bottom.

To prevent the settled sand from clogging the sand drains, sand pans or sand
troughs are used to cover the outlets. These are inverted troughs with slotted side
openings as shown in Figure 10 (Cutaway schematic showing sand jets and piping
inside horizontal separator.

Figure 10

Triangular cover prevents plugging of drains).

To properly mobilize the sand without upsetting the oil/water separation in the
vessel, separate units consisting of a sand drain and its associated jets must be
installed at intervals not exceeding 1.5 m (5 ft). It is not possible to stir the bottom
of a long horizontal vessel with a single sand jet header.

Potential Operating Problems

Three phase separators may develop the same operating problems as two phase
separators. In addition, three phase separators may develop problems related to
emulsions, which can be particularly troublesome. Over a period of time, an
accumulation of emulsified materials and/or other impurities usually will form at the
interface of the water and oil phases. In addition to adverse effects on the liquid
level control, this accumulation will also decrease the effective oil or water retention
time in the separator, with a resultant decrease in water-oil separation efficiency.
Addition of chemicals and/or heat often minimizes this difficulty.
DESIGN THEORY

Oil/water Settling

It can be shown that flow around settling oil drops in water or water drops in oil is
laminar, and, thus, Stokes Law governs. The terminal drop velocity is:

Equation 1

Water Droplet Size In Oil

It is difficult to predict the water droplet size which must be settled out of the oil
phase to coincide with the rather loose definition of "free oil." Unless laboratory or
nearby field data is available, good results have been obtained by sizing the oil pad
such that water droplets 500 microns and above settle out. If this criterion is met,
the emulsion to be treated by downstream equipment should contain less than 5 to
10 percent water. In heavy crude oil systems, it is sometimes necessary to design
for 1000 micron water droplets to settle. In such cases, the emulsion may contain as
much as 20 to 30 percent water.

Oil Droplet Size In Water

From Equation (1) it can be seen that the separation of oil droplets from the water is
easier than the separation of water droplets from the oil. The oil's viscosity is often
on the order of 5 to 20 times that of water. Therefore, the terminal settling velocity
of an oil droplet in water is much larger than that of a water droplet in oil. The
primary purpose of three-phase separation is to prepare the oil for further treating.
Field experience indicates that oil content in the produced water from a three phase
separator, sized for water removal from oil, can be expected to be between a few
hundred and 2,000 mg/l. This water will require further treating prior to disposal and
the reader should refer to the presentation on Treating Oil from Produced Water.

Occasionally, the viscosity of the water phase may be as high as, or higher, than the
liquid hydrocarbon phase viscosity. For example, large glycol dehydration systems
usually have a three phase flash separator. The viscosity of the glycol/water phase
may be rather high. In cases like this, the settling equation should be applied to
removing oil droplets of approximately 200 microns from the water phase.

If the retention time of the water phase is significantly less than the oil phase, then
the vessel size should be checked for oil removal from the water. For these reasons,
the equations are provided so the water phase may be checked. However, the
separation of oil from the water phase rarely governs the vessel size, and may be
ignored for most cases.

Retention Time

A certain amount of oil storage is required in the separator to ensure that the oil
reaches equilibrium and flashed gas is liberated. An additional amount of storage is
required to ensure that the free water has time to coalesce into droplet sizes
sufficient to fall in accordance with Equation (1). It is common to use retention times
ranging from three minutes to thirty minutes, depending upon laboratory or field
data. If this information is not available, an oil retention time of five minutes is
suggested for design. Generally, the retention time must be increased as the oil
gravity or viscosity increases.

Similarly, a certain amount of water storage is required to ensure that most of the
droplets of oil entrained in the water have sufficient time to coalesce and rise to the
oil/water interface. It is common to use retention times for the water phase ranging
from three minutes to thirty minutes depending upon laboratory or field data. If
this information is not available, a water retention time of five minutes is
recommended for design.
DESIGN OF HORIZONTAL SEPARATORS

NOTE: The guidelines presented in this section can be used for initial sizing
determinations. They are meant to complement, and not replace, operating
experience. Determination of the type and size separator must be on an individual
basis. All the functions and requirements should be considered including the likely
uncertainties in design flow rates and properties. For this reason, there is no
substitute for good engineering evaluations of each separator by the design
engineer. The "trade off" between design size and details and uncertainties in design
parameters should not be left to manufacturer recommendations or rules of thumb.

For sizing a horizontal three-phase separator, it is necessary to specify a vessel

diameter and a seam-to-seam vessel length. The gas capacity and retention time
considerations establish certain acceptable combinations of diameter and length. The
need to settle 500 micron water droplets from the oil and 200 micron oil droplets
from the water establishes a maximum diameter corresponding to the given liquid
retention time.

The principals of liquid droplets settling through a gas can be used to develop an
equation to size a separator for a gas flow rate. By setting the gas retention time
equal to the time required for a drop to settle to the liquid interface, the following
equation may be derived.

Equation 1
The terms  and  are related to each other by the following equation:
Equation 2

By specifying what fraction of the vessel diameter will be full of liquid Equation (2) may be solved.
Then, Equation (1) may be solved to size the vessel.

The majority of oilfield two-phase separators are designed to remove 140 micron
droplets with the liquid level at the vessel centerline. For this case  = 0.5 and
Equation (2) may be solved for  . Substituting these values into Equation (1) yields
the following simplified equation:

Equation 3

The density of oil decreases slightly as temperature increases. If the specific gravity of oil is
known at one temperature, it can be estimated at another temperature using Figure 1
(Approximate Specific Gravity of Petroleum Fractions).
 Figure 1

The specific gravity of water for various temperatures is also shown on Figure 2 (Specific Gravity
of Water).
 Figure 2

Liquid Re-entrainment

Liquid re-entrainment occurs when the gas velocity through a horizontal separator is
high enough to sweep liquid droplets up from the gas-liquid interface and suspend
them in the gas. Thus, there is a maximum acceptable gas velocity that can exist in
the separator. The maximum gas velocity, in turn, fixes a minimum vessel inside
diameter.

A procedure for predicting the onset of re-entrainment has been developed by Ishii
and Grolmes (1975). The maximum gas velocity depends on the flow state of the
gas-liquid interface. This state can be determined from two dimensionless numbers,
the Reynolds film number, Ref, and the viscosity number, N  .

The Reynolds film number is defined as:

Equation 4

The viscosity number is defined as:

Equation 5
Note that liquid properties are those of the liquid at the surface, i.e., the oil.

The hydraulic diameter, Dh, is 4 times the cross-sectional area of liquid divided by
the wetted perimeter. For a separator half full of liquid, the hydraulic diameter is
equal to the separator diameter. In general, the hydraulic diameter is given by:

Equation 6

The surface tension may be determined from the temperature, pressure, and API gravity
as:
Equation 7
The above is adapted from a graphical approach by Baker and Swerdloff (1956). In most practical
cases  is about 0.015 to 0.03 kg/s2 (0.033 to 0.066 lbm/s2).

Three flow states, or regimes, are possible. Flow is in the low Reynolds number
regime if the film Reynolds number is less than 160. If Ref is greater than
approximately 1635, the flow is rough turbulent. A transition flow regime spans the
range between these values.

The criteria for maximum gas velocity before re-entrainment occurs, (V g)max, for
various Reynolds film numbers and viscosity numbers are as follows:

Equation 8

From the maximum allowable gas velocity, the minimum allowable vessel inside
diameter may be determined.
Equation 9

Equation 10
To actually solve for dmin, Equations 5, 9 (a, b, c, d, or e), and 11 must be recalculated with
successive values of dmin until dmin is the same between iterations. This is because of the
dependence of Ref on Vl and DH. When checking a known diameter separator, only one pass
through the equations is needed.

Horizontal Liquid Retention Time

Liquid retention time constraints can be used to develop the following equation,
which can be used to determine acceptable combinations of d and Leff:

Equation 11

Horizontal Vessel Settling Water From Oil Phase

As stated earlier, the velocity of water droplets settling through oil can be calculated
using Stokes Law. From this velocity and the specified oil phase retention time the
distance that a water droplet can settle may be determined. This settling distance
limits the thickness of the oil pad for the given water droplet size and oil retention
time as follows:
Equation 12

This is the maximum thickness the oil pad can be and still allow the water droplet to settle out in
time (tr) o. For dm = 500 micron:
Equation 13

From the maximum oil pad thickness, liquid flow rates, and retention times, a maximum
vessel diameter may be calculated. The fractional cross-sectional area of the vessel
required for water retention may be determined as follows:
Equation 14

The fractional height of vessel required for the water can be determined by solving the
following equation by trial and error:
Equation 15
Alternately,  w may be found by referring to the GPSA Data Book (1987). A maximum vessel
diameter may now be determined from the fractional heights of the total liquids and the
water as follows:
Equation 16

Any vessel diameter less than this maximum may be used to separate the specified water droplet
size in the specified oil retention time.

Horizontal Vessel Separating Oil From Water Phase

Oil droplets in a water phase rise at a terminal velocity defined by Stokes Law. As
with water droplets in oil, the velocity and retention time may be used to determine
a maximum vessel diameter as follows:

Equation 17

Equation 18

Equations (21) and (22) can be used to determine  w and  w. Then the maximum diameter
may be found as follows:
Equation 19
Horizontal Seam-to-seam Length

The effective length required may be calculated from Equations (8) and (18). From
this, a vessel seam-to-seam length may be estimated. The actual required seam-to-
seam length is dependent on the physical design of the internals of the vessel.

For vessels sized based on gas capacity, some portion of the vessel length is
required to distribute the flow evenly near the inlet diverter. Another portion of the
vessel length is required for the mist extractor. The length of the vessel between the
inlet and the mist extractor with evenly distributed flow is the Leff calculated from
Equation (8). Typically, as a vessel's diameter increases, more length is required to
evenly distribute the gas flow. However, no matter how small the diameter may be,
a portion of the length is still required for the mist extractor and flow distribution.
Based on these concepts and on past experience, the seam-to-seam length of a
vessel may be estimated as the larger of the following:

Equation 20

Equation 21

For vessels sized based on liquid capacity, some portion of the vessel length is for liquid
outlet and inlet diverter flow distribution. The seam-to-seam length may be calculated
based on providing an additional one minute of liquid retention time within the following
restrictions:
Equation 22

This equation can be developed because for a set d the retention time is a linear function of L eff.
For applications using extremely short retention times, Equation (23) yields values for L ss, which
are too large. Therefore, the Lss should not exceed the following:
Equation 23

Regardless of the retention time, a minimum vessel length is required for even distribution.
Therefore, Lss should not be less than the following:
Equation 24
Note Equations (23), (24) and (25) apply to vessels sized based on liquid retention time. The
seam-to-seam length should be calculated using Equation (23); however, it is limited to the range
between Equations (24) and (25).

For each vessel design, a combination of Leff and d exists which will minimize the cost
of the vessel. In general, the smaller the diameter of a vessel the less it will cost.
However, decreasing the diameter increases the gas velocity and turbulence. As the
vessel diameter decreases, the possibility of the gas re-entraining liquids increases.
Experience indicates that the ratio of the seam-to-seam length divided by the
outside diameter should be between 3 and 4. This ratio is referred to as the
"slenderness ratio" of the vessel. Slenderness ratios outside the 3 to 4 range may be
used, but are not as common. It is important to check to assure that re-entrainment
will not occur in vessels with high slenderness ratios.

Procedure For Sizing Horizontal Separators

1. The first step in sizing a horizontal separator is to establish the design basis. This
includes specifying the flow rates, operating conditions, droplet sizes to be removed, etc.
2. The maximum vessel diameter should be determined from Equations (17) and (20). The
smaller of these diameters must be used as the limit of the vessel diameter.
3. A table should now be prepared of the Leff for various selected values of d less than dmax
using Equation (2) for gas capacity. Lss should be calculated using Equations (23) and
(24).
4. For the same values of d, calculate Leff using Equation (12) for liquid capacity and list
these in the same table. Lss should be calculated using Equations (23), (24) and (25).
5. For each d, the larger Lss should be used.
6. The slenderness ratio should be calculated and listed for each d. A combination of do and
Lss should be selected which has a slenderness ratio in the range of 3 to 4. Lower
slenderness ratios can be chosen if dictated by available space, but they will probably be
more expensive. Higher ratios can be chosen if the vessel is checked for re-entrainment.

In making a final selection, it is important to keep in mind that there are more or
less standard industry sizes, which are less expensive to purchase. API sizes for
small separators can be found in reference API Spec 12J. In larger sizes in most
locations, heads come in outside diameters, which are multiples of 6 in. The width of
steel sheets for the shells are usually 10 ft, so it is common to specify Lss in multiples
of 5 ft.

Vessel Weight Estimating

The weight of a vessel may be estimated from the vessel diameter, seam-to-seam
length and design pressure. Note the vessel design pressure (sometimes designated
MAWP for maximum allowable working pressure) must be greater than the vessel
operating pressure, which was used to size the vessel. Typically, design pressures
are a minimum of ten (10) percent greater than operating pressures. Higher
percentages should be considered if a high-pressure shutdown sensor is to be
installed and set between the normal operating pressure and the relief valve set
pressure. The primary relief valve must be set at the MAWP.

To estimate a vessel weight it is necessary to determine the vessel wall thickness.

The wall thickness required for a cylindrical pressure vessel may be calculated using
the following from the ASME Code. This information is presented only for estimating
purposes and is not intended for use in performing detailed pressure vessel
mechanical design.

Equation 25

Standard plate sizes are in inches to the nearest 1/8 in. Standard metric sizes are the metric
conversions of the standard sizes in inches. The thickness calculated in Equation (17) should be
rounded up to the next larger standard size (next 1/8 in for customary units). For carbon steel
vessels, the most common material used is SA-516-70, which has an allowable stress of 120
MPa (17,500 psi). Commonly, the joint efficiency is one (1), and the corrosion allowance is 3 mm
(1/8 in).

The thickness of 2-to-1 elliptical heads may be assumed to equal the shell thickness
for purposes of weight estimating. The geometry of the heads is not easily
evaluated, but a simple approximation may be made. The weight of the heads is
approximately equal to the weight of a cylinder with a length equal to the head
height plus the weight of a flat end plate. This approximation consistently predicts
weights for heads, which are higher than the actual head weight. Applying this
assumption and using 7848 kg/m3 (490 lb/ft3) for carbon steel the following equation
may be developed:

Equation 26

Bare vessel weights calculated using Equation (18) should be used only as preliminary estimates.
The estimate makes no corrections for the number of nozzles or amount of internals. The method
used for head weight estimating yields high results and generally covers the nozzle and internal
weights. For thin wall vessels, with wall thicknesses less than 1 cm (3/8 in), this method generally
under estimates weight by as much as 25 percent. On the other hand, for vessels with wall
thickness over 5 cm (2 in), this method may overestimate by as much as 25 percent. The actual
vessel weight is dependent on the specifics of the design and therefore weight estimates should
be re-evaluated using fabrication drawings when available.

Liquid Viscosities

To properly size a three-phase separator, the viscosities of the oil and water phases
must be known. The oil phase viscosity will typically have a much larger influence on
the vessel size than the water phase viscosity. This is because the oil viscosity is
usually several times as large as the water viscosity. Oil viscosities also vary over a
much wider range and usually vary more with temperature. Due to these factors it is
important to have good oil viscosity data.

By far the best situation is to have oil viscosity versus temperature data for a
particular oil to be separated. Alternately, data from other wells in the same field can
usually be used without a significant error. This viscosity versus temperature data
may be plotted as a straight line on special ASTM graph paper. Then the viscosity
may be predicted at any other temperature.

If two data points are known, the Walther equation may also be used to represent a
straight line on ASTM graph paper. The advantage of the equation is that any
calculator may be used to predict oil viscosities without the special graph paper. To
determine the oil viscosity at a third temperature from two data points the following
three equations should be solved in order:

Equation 27

Equation 28

Equation 29
For cases where only one data point is available, Equations (20) and (21) may be used by
assuming a value for the slope. This method predicts oil viscosities with good accuracy over small
temperature ranges of 20° to 40°F. For most cases the slope will have a value in the range of -3.5
to -4.0.

If no data is available, the oil viscosity may be estimated by a variety of methods

from the temperature and oil gravity. These methods, however, are not very
accurate, as the viscosity is a function of the oil composition and not strictly the oil
gravity. That is to say, two oils with the same gravity at the same temperature may
have viscosities which are orders of magnitude apart.,

In the absence of any data, Figure 5 (Graph plots kinematic viscosity versus
temperature for estimating oil viscosities) may be used to estimate oil viscosities..

Figure 5
Alternately, the following equation can be used to estimate viscosities obtained from
Figure 5 (Graph plots kinematic viscosity versus temperature for estimating oil
viscosities) :

Equation 30

The viscosity of the water phase may be estimated from the following:
Equation 31

This equation does not apply if the heavy phase in the separator is not water. For
example, in a glycol dehydration system the heavy phase is a glycol/water mixture
and the viscosity must be obtained from charts based on the mixture composition.
HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR DESIGN EXAMPLE (OILFIELD)

Establish Design Parameters.

Given:

Gas flow rate 5 MMSCFD at 0.6 SG

Oil flow rate 5000 BOPD at 30°API

Water flow rate 3000 BWPD at 1.07 SG

Operating pressure 100 psia

Operating temperature 90°F

Retention time 10 min

Oil viscosity 10 cp

Water viscosity 1 cp

Droplet removal 140 micron liquids

500 micron water

200 micron oil

Half-full of liquids

1. Calculate Maximum Vessel Diameter.

Using
equation:

Using
equation:
 Solve for by trial and error

Using
equation:

Try:

0.188-

.188 .130 .058

.246 .191 -.003

.243 .188 ...

= 0.243

= 0.5

Using
equation:

Using
equation:
Using
equation:

2. Calculate Leff and Lss for Gas Capacity.

Using
equation:
 Try d0 = 66

Using
equation:

and using

Rounding up to next 1/8 of an inch

Using
equation:

Using
equation:
 Use Lss = 7.0

See Table 1 for additional results

3. Calculate Leff and Lss for Liquid Capacity.

Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Using
equation:
Using
equation:

Use

See Table 1 for additional results.

4. Use Larger Lss for Each d

Liquid capacity controls and, therefore, for:

5. Calculate the Slenderness Ratio.

6. Check for Re-entrainment for 66 in OD Separator (64.75 in ID):

Calculate and N 
Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Using
equation:
 Since and

Using
equation:

Gas velocity is less than the value at which re-entrainment begins. Larger diameter vessels will have lower gas
velocities, so re-entrainment calculation is not necessary for larger vessels.

7. Make Final Selection.

Select 84 in. Outside Diameter (OD) x 20 ft seam-to-seam length (S/S)

Table 1: Additional Results

 Gas Liquid
do d Lss 12Lss/do
Leff Leff

66 64.75 1.6 27.2 29.9 5.4

72 70.5 1.4 23.0 25.5 4.3

84 82.5 1.2 16.8 19.3 2.8

96 94.25 1.1 12.9 15.4 1.9

8. Determine the Water Weir Height in Horizontal Separator.

Find the water weir height for the 84 in O.D. x 20 ft horizontal separator, given the following:

Oil weir width = 36 in

Oil pad thickness = 24 in (2 ft)

Oil weir height = 44 in

Water weir width = 36 in (3 ft)

 Calculate First Approximation For Height Of Oil Over Weir

Using equation:

 Calculate The Depth Of Oil Below The Weir And The Coefficient Of Discharge

Z = 2 -0.102

Z = 1.898 ft
 Using equation:

 Recalculate F

This result agrees within two percent of the first estimate.

The oil level is 44 in + 1.2 in = 45.2 in

 Calculate The Height Difference Between The Oil And Water

Using equation:

Thus the water operating level is 45.2 -4.6 = 40.6 in

 Calculate First Approximation For Height Of Water Over Weir:

Using equation:

 Calculate The Coefficient Of Discharge:

Using equation:

 Recalculate F

 Final Weir Height Selection

Thus, the water weir should be set at 40.6 -0.84 = 39.76 in.
An adjustable weir could be set to 39.75 in, but for practical purposes a 40 in water weir height is
sufficient.
HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR DESIGN EXAMPLE (SI UNITS)

Establish Design Parameters.

Given:

Gas flow rate 6000 std m3/hr at 0.6 SG

Oil flow rate 33 m3/hr at 30°API

Water flow rate 20 m3/hr at 1.07 SG

Operating 700 kPa (A)

pressure

Operating 30°C
temperature

Retention time 10 min

Oil viscosity 0.01 Pa s

Water viscosity 0.001 Pa s

Droplet removal 140 micrometer liquids

500 micrometer water

200 micrometer oil

Half-full of liquids

1. Calculate Maximum Vessel Diameter.

Using
equation:

Using
equation:
 Solve for b w by trial and error using equation
Try

b w  w 0.188- w

.19 0.13 0.06

.25 0.20 -.01

.245 0.19 ...

b w = 0.245

b l = 0.5

Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Using
equation:

2. Calculate L eff and L ss for Gas Capacity.

Using
equation:

Try do = 1980 mm

Using
equation:

using
 Rounding up to the next millimeter

Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Use Lss = 2.35

See Table 1 for additional results.

3. Calculate Leff And Lss For Liquid Capacity.

Using
equation:
Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Use Lss = 6.64

See Table 1 for additional results.

4. Use Larger Lss for Each d

Liquid capacity controls and, therefore, for:
5. Calculate the Slenderness Ratio.

6. Check for Re-entrainment for 1980 mm OD Separator (1948 mm

ID).
Calculate Ref and Nm

Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Using
equation:
 Since Ref > 1635 and Nm < 0.0667
Using
equation:
Using
equation:

Gas velocity is less than the value at which re-entrainment begins. Larger
diameter vessels will have lower gas velocities, so re-entrainment calculation is
not necessary for larger vessels.

7. Make Final Selection.

Select 2286 mm Outside Diameter (OD) x 6 m seam-to-seam length s/s

Table 1: Additional Results

do d Gas Leff Liquid Leff Lss 12Lss/do

1980 1948 0.406 5.9 6.6 3.35
2130 2092 0.37 5.1 5.9 2.9
2286 2248 0.34 4.5 5.2 2.4
2438 2400 0.32 3.9 4.7 2.0

8. Determine The Water Weir Height In Horizontal

Separator.
Find the water weir height for the 2286 mm OD x 6 m horizontal separator, given
the following:

Oil weir width = 1 m

Oil pad thickness = 0.6 m

Oil weir height = 1.1 m

Water weir width = 1 m

 Calculate First Approximation For Height Of Oil Over Weir

Using
equation:

 Calculate The Depth Of Oil Below The Weir And The Coefficient Of Discharge

Using
equation:

 Recalculate F

This result agrees within two percent of the first estimate.

The oil level is 1.1 m + 0.286 = 1.129 m

 Calculate The Height Difference Between The Oil And Water

Using
equation:
 Thus, the water operating level is 1.129 -0.115 = 1.014 m

 Calculate First Approximation For Height Of Water Over Weir:

Using
equation:

 Calculate The Coefficient Of Discharge

Using
equation:

 Recalculate F
Using
equation:

Thus the water weir should be set at 1.014 -0.028 = 0.986 m.

An adjustable weir could be set to 986 mm, but for practical purposes a 1 m water
weir height is sufficient.
DESIGN OF VERTICAL SEPARATORS

NOTE: The guidelines presented in this section can be used for initial sizing
determinations. They are meant to complement, and not replace, operating
experience. Determination of the type and size separator must be on an individual
basis. All the functions and requirements should be considered including the likely
uncertainties in design flow rates and properties. For this reason, there is no
substitute for good engineering evaluations of each separator by the design
engineer. The "trade off" between design size and details and uncertainties in design
parameters should not be left to manufacturer recommendations or rules of thumb.

In vertical separators, a minimum diameter must be maintained to allow liquid drops

to separate from the vertically moving gas. The vessel must also have a large
enough diameter to allow water droplets to settle in the upward flowing oil phase
and to allow oil droplets to rise in the downward moving water phase. The liquid
retention time requirement specifies a combination of diameter and liquid volume
height. Any diameter greater than the minimum required for gas capacity and for
liquid separation can be chosen.

Vertical Gas Capacity

By setting the gas velocity equal to the terminal settling velocity of a droplet, the
following may be derived.

Equation 1

For the most common case of removing 140 micron droplets, Equation (26) becomes:
Equation 2

Settling Water From Oil Phase In A Vertical Vessel

The requirement for settling water droplets from the oil requires that the following
equation must be satisfied:

Equation 3

For 500 micron droplets, Equation (3) becomes:

Equation 4

Separating Oil From Water Phase In A Vertical Vessel

The requirement for separating oil from water requires that the following equation
must be satisfied:

Equation 5

For 200 micron droplets, Equation (5) becomes:

Equation 6

Vertical Liquid Retention Time

Equation 7
Vertical Seam-to-seam Length

The seam-to-seam length of vertical vessels may be estimated based on the

diameter and liquid height. As shown in Figure 1 (Schematic showing allowance
made for gas-separation section), allowance must be made for the gas separation
section, mist extractor and space below the liquid outlet.

Figure 1
As with horizontal separators the specific design of the internals will affect the seam-
to-seam length. The following may be used to estimate Lss:

Equation 8

Equation 9

The larger of the Lss values from Equations (8) and (9) should be used.

As with horizontal separators, the larger the slenderness ratio, the less expensive is
the vessel. In vertical separators whose sizing is liquid dominated, it is common to
choose slenderness ratios no greater than 4 to keep the height of the liquid
collection section to a reasonable level. Choices of between 2 and 4 are common,
although height restrictions may force the choice of a lower slenderness ratio.

Procedure For Sizing Vertical Separators

1. The first step in sizing a vertical separator is to establish the design basis. This includes
specifying the flow rates, operating conditions, droplet size to be removed, etc.
2. Equation (1) may be used to determine the minimum required d for gas capacity.
3. Equation (3) may be used to determine the minimum d for removing water from oil.
4. Equation (5) may be used to determine the minimum d for removing oil from water. The
largest of these three d values must be used as the minimum diameter. Any value larger
than this minimum may be used for the vessel diameter.
5. For a selected d, Equation (7) may be used to determine h o + hw.
6. From d and ho+ hw the seam-to-seam length may be estimated using Equations (8) and
(9). The larger value of Lss should be used.
7. The slenderness ratio should be checked.
8. Use should be made of standard sizes when choosing a final do and Lss.

Water Leg Height

Liquid operating levels for a water leg are shown in Figure 2 (Operating Levels for a
Water Leg).
 Figure 2

Water flows through the standpipe into the water leg. The combined pressure head
due to the oil and water in the separator must overcome the head in the standpipe
and the friction loss due to flow. This can be stated as follows:

Equation 10

For Liquid Flow:

Equation 11

Equation (10) can be solved for H'w allowing for the fact that H'w is part of the total
equivalent length,  L:

Equation 12

The equivalent lengths may be found as follows:

Equation 13
Equation 14

Equation 15

Equations (13), (14), and (15) can be combined:

Equation
16

Once a selection of weir heights is made for design conditions, it is often necessary to check the
interface level during periods of no flow. If the pressure-drop though the water leg is high, the
interface level may swing widely as flow varies due to surges or operation of upstream control
valves. At periods of low flow, oil may build up in the vessel and not be skimmed. When flow
increases, the instantaneous oil skim rate may be very large as the interface level adjusts to the
new condition.

Under higher than design flow conditions, the pressure drop through the water leg
may be so high that the interface level may have to be equal to or higher than the oil
weir, causing water to flow out with the oil.

Vessel Weight Estimating

The weight of a vessel may be estimated from the vessel diameter, seam-to-seam
length and design pressure. Note the vessel design pressure (sometimes designated
MAWP for maximum allowable working pressure) must be greater than the vessel
operating pressure, which was used to size the vessel. Typically, design pressures
are a minimum of ten (10) percent greater than operating pressures. Higher
percentages should be considered if a high-pressure shutdown sensor is to be
installed and set between the normal operating pressure and the relief valve set
pressure. The primary relief valve must be set at the MAWP.

To estimate a vessel weight it is necessary to determine the vessel wall thickness.

The wall thickness required for a cylindrical pressure vessel may be calculated using
the following from the ASME Code. This information is presented only for estimating
purposes and is not intended for use in performing detailed pressure vessel
mechanical design.

Equation 17

Standard plate sizes are in inches to the nearest 1/8 in. Standard metric sizes are the metric
conversions of the standard sizes in inches. The thickness calculated in Equation (17) should be
rounded up to the next larger standard size (next 1/8 in for customary units). For carbon steel
vessels, the most common material used is SA-516-70, which has an allowable stress of 120
MPa (17,500 psi). Commonly, the joint efficiency is one (1), and the corrosion allowance is 3 mm
(1/8 in).

The thickness of 2-to-1 elliptical heads may be assumed to equal the shell thickness
for purposes of weight estimating. The geometry of the heads is not easily
evaluated, but a simple approximation may be made. The weight of the heads is
approximately equal to the weight of a cylinder with a length equal to the head
height plus the weight of a flat end plate. This approximation consistently predicts
weights for heads, which are higher than the actual head weight. Applying this
assumption and using 7848 kg/m3 (490 lb/ft3) for carbon steel the following equation
may be developed:

Equation 18
Bare vessel weights calculated using Equation (18) should be used only as preliminary estimates.
The estimate makes no corrections for the number of nozzles or amount of internals. The method
used for head weight estimating yields high results and generally covers the nozzle and internal
weights. For thin wall vessels, with wall thicknesses less than 1 cm (3/8 in), this method generally
under estimates weight by as much as 25 percent. On the other hand, for vessels with wall
thickness over 5 cm (2 in), this method may overestimate by as much as 25 percent. The actual
vessel weight is dependent on the specifics of the design and therefore weight estimates should
be re-evaluated using fabrication drawings when available.

Liquid Viscosities

To properly size a three-phase separator, the viscosities of the oil and water phases
must be known. The oil phase viscosity will typically have a much larger influence on
the vessel size than the water phase viscosity. This is because the oil viscosity is
usually several times as large as the water viscosity. Oil viscosities also vary over a
much wider range and usually vary more with temperature. Due to these factors it is
important to have good oil viscosity data.

By far the best situation is to have oil viscosity versus temperature data for a
particular oil to be separated. Alternately, data from other wells in the same field can
usually be used without a significant error. This viscosity versus temperature data
may be plotted as a straight line on special ASTM graph paper. Then the viscosity
may be predicted at any other temperature.

If two data points are known, the Walther equation may also be used to represent a
straight line on ASTM graph paper. The advantage of the equation is that any
calculator may be used to predict oil viscosities without the special graph paper. To
determine the oil viscosity at a third temperature from two data points the following
three equations should be solved in order:

Equation 19

Equation 20

Equation 21
For cases where only one data point is available, Equations (20) and (21) may be used by
assuming a value for the slope. This method predicts oil viscosities with good accuracy over small
temperature ranges of 20° to 40°F. For most cases the slope will have a value in the range of -3.5
to -4.0.

If no data is available, the oil viscosity may be estimated by a variety of methods

from the temperature and oil gravity. These methods, however, are not very
accurate, as the viscosity is a function of the oil composition and not strictly the oil
gravity. That is to say, two oils with the same gravity at the same temperature may
have viscosities which are orders of magnitude apart.,

In the absence of any data, Figure 3 (Graph plots kinematic viscosity versus
temperature for estimating oil viscosities) may be used to estimate oil viscosities..
 Figure 3

Alternately, the following equation can be used to estimate viscosities obtained from
Figure 3 (Graph plots kinematic viscosity versus temperature for estimating oil
viscosities) :

Equation 22
The viscosity of the water phase may be estimated from the following:
Equation 23

This equation does not apply if the heavy phase in the separator is not water. For example, in a
glycol dehydration system the heavy phase is a glycol/water mixture and the viscosity must be
obtained from charts based on the mixture composition.
VERTICAL SEPARATOR DESIGN EXAMPLE (OILFIELD UNITS)

Establish Design Parameters.

Given:

Gas flow rate 5 MMSCFD at 0.6 SG

Oil flow rate 5000 BOPD at 30°API

Water flow rate 3000 BWPD at 1.07 SG

Operating 100 psia

pressure

Operating 90°F
temperature

Retention time 10 min

Oil viscosity 10 cp

Water viscosity 1 cp

Droplet removal 140 micron liquids

500 micron water

200 micron oil

1. Calculate Minimum Required d for Gas Capacity.

Using
equation:

2. Calculate Minimum Required d for Removing Water from Oil.

Using
equation:
3. Calculate Minimum Required d for Removing Oil from Water.

Using
equation:

4. Calculate Ho + Hw.
Try do = 84

Using
equation:

using

Rounding up to 1/8 of an inch

No, 82.5 is less than 83.0

 Try: do = 90

Similarly, d = 88.25

OK

Using
equation:

5. Estimate Lss
Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Use Lss = 13.5

See Table 1 for additional results.

6. Calculate the Slenderness Ratio.

For do = 90
 See Table 1 for additional results.

7. Make Final Selection.

Select 90 in. Outside Diameter (OD) x 15 ft seam-to-seam length s/s

Table 1: Additional Results

do d ho+hw LSS 12LSS/do

90 88.25 85.6 13.5 1.8
96 94.25 75.0 12.6 1.6
102 100.25 66.3 11.8 1.4
VERTICAL SEPARATOR DEIGN EXAMPLE (SI UNITS)

Establish Design Parameters.

Given:

Gas flow rate 6000 std m3/hr at 0.6 SG

Oil flow rate 33 m3/hr at 30°API

Water flow rate 20 m3/hr at 1.07 SG

Operating 700 kPa (A)

pressure

Operating 30°C
temperature

Retention time 10 min

Oil viscosity 0.01 Pa s

Water viscosity 0.001 Pa s

Droplet removal 140 micrometer liquids

500 micrometer water

200 micrometer oil

1. Calculate Minimum Required d for Gas Capacity.

Using
equation:

2. Calculate Minimum Required d for Removing Water from Oil.

Using
equation:
3. Calculate Minimum Required for d Removing Oil from Water.
Using
equation:

4. Calculate ho + hw
Try do = 2134 mm

Using
equation:

using
 Rounding up to next size:

No, 2096 is less than 2100

Try: do = 2286 mm

Similarly, d = 2248 mm

OK

Using
equation:

5. Estimate Lss.
Using
equation:

Using
equation:

Use Lss = 4.13

See Table 1 for additional results.

6. Calculate the Slenderness Ratio.

For do = 2286 mm
 See Table 1 for additional results.

7. Make Final Selection.

Select 2286 mm Outside Diameter (OD) x 4.6 m seam-to-seam length (s/s)

Table 1: Additional Results

do d ho+hw LSS LSS/1000do

2286 2248 2202 4.13 1.81
2438 2400 1897 4.27 1.75
2591 2553 1677 3.66 1.41
NOMENCLATURE

A = cross-sectional area of the droplet, m2 (ft2)

A1 = cross-sectional area of vessel available for liquid retention, m 2 (ft2)

AT = total cross-sectional area of vessel, m2 (ft2)

Aw = cross-sectional area of vessel available for water retention, m 2 (ft2)

B = weir width, m (ft)

C = coefficient of discharge, dimensionless

CA = corrosion allowance, mm (in)

CD = drag coefficient

D = drop diameter, m (ft)

D = vessel internal diameter, m (ft)

Dh = hydraulic diameter of vessel, m (ft)

d = vessel internal diameter, mm (in)

dl = water leg standpipe internal diameter, mm (in)

dm = drop diameter, µm (micron)

dmax = maximum vessel internal diameter, mm (in)

dmin = diameter calculated , mm (in)

E = joint efficiency

F = height of liquid over weir, m (ft)

f = Moody friction factor for pipe

G = oil gravity, degrees API

g = acceleration of gravity, 9.8 m/s2 (32.2 ft/s2)

H = height of liquid volume, m (ft)

h = height of liquid volume, mm (in)

hl = height of liquid in horizontal vessel, mm (in)

Ho = height of oil pad, m (ft)

ho = height of oil pad, mm (in)

(ho)max = maximum oil pad thickness, mm (in)

Hw = height from water outlet to interface, m (ft)

H’w = height of water in standpipe, m (ft)

hw = height from water outlet to interface, mm (in)

(hw)max = maximum water height , mm (in)

h'w = height of water weir, mm (in)

Leff = effective length of the vessel, m (ft)

Lell = equivalent length of ell, m (ft)

Lent = equivalent length of inward projecting pipe entrance, m (ft)

Lequiv = equivalent length of pipe entrance, ell, and pipe exit, m (ft)

Lexit = equivalent length of pipe exit, m (ft)

Lss = vessel length seam-to-seam, m (ft)

M = slope of straight line

N  = viscosity number, dimensionless

P = operating pressure, kPa (psia)

Pd = design pressure, kPa (psig)

Q = flow rate, m3/s (ft3/s)

Qg = gas flow rate, std m3/hr (MMSCFD)

Ql = liquid flow rate, m3/hr (BPD)

Qo = oil flow rate, m3/hr (BPD)

Qw = water flow rate, m3/hr (BPD)

Ref = film Reynolds number, dimensionless

r = vessel external radius, mm (in)

S = allowable stress, kPa (psi)

SG = oil specific gravity

T = operating temperature, K (°R)

T = temperature, °C (°F)

Tn = temperature corresponding to  n, K (°R)

t = shell thickness, mm (in)

to = oil retention time or settling time, s

tr = liquid retention time, min

(tr)o = oil retention time, min

(tr)o = water retention time, min

tw = water retention time or settling time, s

V = volume, m3 (ft3)

(Vg)max = maximum gas velocity, no re-entrainment m/s (ft/s)

Vl = average liquid velocity, m/s (f/s)

Vo = oil volume, m3 (ft3)

Vt = terminal settling velocity of the droplet, m/s (ft/s)

Vw = water volume, m3 (ft3)

Vl = average liquid velocity, m/s (ft/s)

W = vessel weight, kg (lb)

Z = gas compressibility factor

ZL = depth of liquid for weir calculations, m (ft)

 = fractional cross-sectional area of liquid

 l = fractional area of liquids

 o = fractional area of oil

 w = fractional area of water

 = fractional height of liquid within the vessel = hl / dl

 l = fractional height of liquids

 w = fractional height of water

h = height difference between oil weir and water weir, mm (in)

L = total equivalent length for water leg, m (ft)

P = pressure loss in standpipe, kPa (psi)

 SG = difference in specific gravity relative to water between the oil and the water phases

 = density difference between surface liquid (oil) and gas, kg/m 3 (lbm/ft3)

 = viscosity of continuous phase, Pa s (cp)

 l = dynamic viscosity of liquid, kg/m s (lbm/ft s)

 n = oil viscosity at Tn, Pa s (cp)

 o = viscosity of oil phase, Pa s (cp)

 w = viscosity of water phase, Pa s (cp)

V = kinematic viscosity, cs

 = surface tension, kg/s2 (lbm/s2)

 g = density of the gas at the temperature and pressure in the separator, kg/m 3 (lb/ft3)

 l = density of liquid, kg/m3 (lb/ft3)

 o = oil density, kg/m3 (lb/ft3)

 w = water density, kg/m3 (lb/ft3)

 = surface tension, kg/s2 (lbm/s2)

REFERENCES
PRODUCTION FACILITIES DESIGN

Three Phase Separators

API Spec 12J, Oil and Gas Separators, Seventh Edition, October 1, 1989, Reaffirmed,
September 1999 (ANSI/API Spec 12J-1992)

Arnold and Stewart, Surface Production Operations, Volume 1 : Design of Oil-

Handling Systems and Facilities, Gulf Publishing Company, 1986. Volume 1: second
edition, April 1999.

Arnold and Stewart, Surface Production Operations, Volume 2 : Design of Gas-

Handling Systems and Facilities, Gulf Publishing Company, 1989. Volume 2: second
edition, October 1999

Baker and Swerdloff, "Finding Surface Tension of Hydrocarbon Liquids," Oil and Gas
Journal, January 2, 1956, p. 125.

Engineering Data Book, Gas Processors Suppliers Association, Eleventh Edition. Gas
Processors Association, 1998, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Ishii and Grolmes, "Inception Criteria for Droplet Entrainment in Two Phase
Concurrent Film Flow," AIChE Journal, 21, no. 2, pages 308-318, (1975).

Grodal, E.O. and Realff, M.J. (1999): "Optimal Design of Two and Three-Phase
Separators: A Mathematical Programming Formulation", SPE Paper No. 56645
presented at the 1999 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition.

Arnold , K.E.(1999): "Droplet-Settling vs. Retention-Time Theories for Sizing

Oil/Water Separators", SPE Production Engineering (February 1990), p. 59.