Vetco Aibel AS

(Oct-05)

ENHANCED SEPARATION AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF OIL AND WATER

VESSEL INTERNAL ELECTROSTATIC COALESCER - VIEC
Get the separator performance of the future with • Improved efficiency of the Produced Water plant leads
today’s equipment to less pollution via the produced water discharge
Vetco Aibel is actively developing new products to make • Improved interface control reduces the risk of harmful
oil-water separation more efficient and cost-effective. discharges of oil in water
VIEC is the natural choice to improve separation and the
quality of the produced oil and water. Customer Value
Unlock the potential of your separation systems:
Concept • Increased ability to separate heavy oil
Separators often experience problems with emulsions • Improved produced water quality
and capacity limits. An electrostatic coalescer can • Increased production
enhance the speed and efficiency of the separation • Reduced emulsion breaker consumption
process, by forcing small water droplets to merge and • Improved process control
form larger, faster sedimenting drops. However, this
• Reduced heating requirement
technology has so far been unavailable for the turbulent
conditions in the inlet separator.
The VIEC moves coalescer
performance upstream to Moulded coalescer
the inlet separator with new modules installed in
electric and mechanical
separator wall.
developments. This gives a
step-change in performance.

VIEC and its effect on oil/water quality References

Onshore Pilot Plant tests on 5 real oils (API ranging from • Norsk Hydro, Troll C field. Start-up July 2003. Solved
16 to 32 API) as well as experience from offshore emulsion problems.
installations have shown that the use of VIEC greatly
• Bluewater Munin, Xijiang field. Start-up October 2004.
improves both the oil- and produced water quality.
Oil production capacity increase.
When VIEC is ON, Troll oil test - VIEC performance
• Norsk Hydro, Grane field. Start-up June 2005,
water in oil at outlet 70
improved separation of heavy oil.
was in the area 2-4% 60
• Maersk Oil Qatar, Al Shaheen field. Start-up 2005,
solving emulsion problems.
Outlet water cut [%]

for all inlet water cuts. 50

When VIEC was OFF, 40

VIEC off • Petrobras-FPSO Jubarte P-34, Test Separator.
VIEC on
Delivered 2005, heavy oil.
30
no separation 20

occurred for inlet 10

water cuts lower than 0

0 20 40 60 80 The VIEC has been
the inversion point Inlet water cut [% ]
operating successfully in
(60-80%). No the 1st stage separator
demulsifier added. OIL QUALITY on the Troll C platform
since July 2003.
Extensive testing
show that oil in Demulsifier savings of
600’000 USD/yr.
water in most
cases is reduced
to below 100 ppm. Technical Features
o
As the oil droplets • Operating temperature up to 70 C (higher temperatures
in the water also can be considered, but should be evaluated from case to case)
increase in size, • Proven performance for API 16-32
the performance of • Suitable for retrofit during a revision stop
the downstream • Uncloggable openings
water treatment plant is improved. WATER QUALITY • Only low voltage installation
For more information please contact:
Environmental aspects Vetco Aibel AS - Norway Vetco Aibel –Houston /USA
• Less chemical consumption leads to less harmful Tel: +47 66843060 Tel: +1 2812602548/ +1 2814484410
emissions Fax: +47 66843844 Cellphone: +1 713 584 0988
tor.andersen@vetco.com mehrdad.m.sadeghi@vetco.com

Vetco Aibel (www.vetco.com), is a leading provider of project management, engineering, procurement and construction services, including EPC
projects, process systems and equipment, maintenance, modification and operations to the upstream oil and gas industry. Vetco Aibel employs more
than 5,000 people in 17 countries, and along with Vetco Gray, is a subsidiary of Vetco International Limited.