Treaters Separator

Vertical Treaters Separator

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by and on September 2, 2009
Category: Crude Oil Treating System

The most commonly used single-well lease treater is the vertical treater as shown in Figure 6-8.
Flow enters the top of the treater into a gas separation section. Care must be exercised to size this
section so that it has adequate dimensions to separate the gas from the inlet flow. If the treater is
located downstream of a separator, this chamber can be very small. The gas separation section
should have an inlet diverter and a mist extractor.
The liquids flow through a downcomer to the base of the treater, which serves as a free-water
knockout section. If the treater is located downstream of a free-water knockout, the bottom section
can be very small. If the total wellstream is to be treated this section should be sized for 3 to 5
minutes retention time for both the oil and the water to allow the free water to settle out. This will
minimize the amount of fuel gas needed to heat the liquid stream rising through the heating section.
The end of the downcomer should be slightly below the oil water interface to water wash the oil
being treated. This will assist in the coalescence of water droplets in the oil.

The oil and emulsion rises over the heater fire-tubes to a coalescing section where sufficient
retention time is provided to allow the small water particles in the oil continuous phase to coalesce
and settle to the bottom.
Treated oil flows out the oil outlet. Any gas, flashed from the oil due to heating, flows through the
equalizing line to the gas space above. Oil level is maintained by pneumatic or lever operated dump
valves. Oil water interface is controlled by an interface controller, or an adjustable external water leg.
The detailed design of the treater, including the design of internals (many features of which are
patented) should be the responsibility of the equipment supplier.
Figure 6-9 shows a gunbarrel tank, which is a vertical flow treater in an atmospheric tank.
Typically, gunbarrels have a gas separating chamber or boot on top where gas is separated and
vented, and a downcomer. Because gunbarrels tend to be of larger diameter than vertical heater.

Treaters, many have elaborate spreader systems to try and create uniform (i.e., plug) upward flow of
the emulsion to take maximum advantage of the entire cross section. Most gun barrels are
unheated, though it is possible to provide heat by heating the incoming stream external to the tank,
installing heating coils in the tank, or circulating the water to an external or jug heater in a closed
loop. It is preferable to heat the inlet so that more gas is liberated in the boot, although this means
that fuel will be used in heating any free water in the inlet.
Gunbarrels are most often used in older, small flow rate, onshore facilities. In recent times vertical
heater-treaters have become so inexpensive that they have replaced gunbarrels in single well
installations. On larger installations onshore in warm weather areas gunbarrels are still commonly
used. In areas that have a winter season it tends to be too expensive to keep the large volume of oil
at a high enough temperature to combat potential pour point problems.

Horizontal Treaters Separator

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by and on September 2, 2009

Category: Crude Oil Treating System

For most multi-well situations horizontal treaters are normally required. Figure 6-10 shows a typical
design of a horizontal treater.
Flow enters the front section of the treater where gas is flashed. The liquid falls around the outside to
the vicinity of the oil-water interface where the liquid is water washed and the free water is
separated. Oil and emulsion rise past the fire tubes and are skimmed into the oil surge chamber. The
oil-water interface in the inlet section of the vessel is controlled by an interface level controller, which
operates a dump valve for the free water.
The oil and emulsion flow through a spreader into the back or coalescing section of the vessel,
which is fluid packed. The spreader distributes the flow evenly throughout the length of this section.
Treated oil is collected at the top through a collection device sized to maintain uniform vertical flow of
the oil. Coalescing water droplets fall countercurrent to the rising oil continuous phase. The oil-water
interface is maintained by a level controller and dump valve for this section of the vessel.

A level control in the oil surge chamber operates a dump valve on the oil outlet line regulating the
flow of oil out the top of the vessel to maintain a fluid packed condition.
The inlet section must be sized to handle settling of the free water and heating of the oil. The
coalescing section must be sized to provide adequate retention time for coalescence to occur and to
allow the coalescing water droplets to settle downward counter current to the upward flow of the oil.

Electrostatic Treaters Process

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by and on September 2, 2009
Category: Crude Oil Treating System

Some treaters use an electrode section. Figure 6-11 illustrates a typical design of a horizontal
electrostatic treater. The flow path in an electrostatic treater is the same as a horizontal treater. The
only difference is that an AC and/or DC electrostatic field is used to promote coalescence of the
water droplets.
Procedures for designing electrostatic coalescers have not been published. Since coalescence of
droplets in an electric field is so dependent

on the characteristics of the particular emulsion to be treated, it is unlikely that a general relationship
of water droplet size to use in the settling equations can be developed. Field experience tends to
indicate that electrostatic treaters are efficient at reducing water content in the crude below the 0.5 to

1.0% basic sediment and water (BS&W) level. This makes them particularly attractive for desalting
applications. However, for normal crude treating, where 0.5 to 1.0% BS&W is acceptable, it is
recommended that they be sized as heater-treaters. By trial and error after installation, the electric
grids may be able to allow treating to occur at lower temperatures.