Heriot-Watt University B41OA Oil and Gas Processing

Heriot-Watt University

Chemical Engineering

Useful Equations and Unit Conversions

1. EQUATIONS FOR TWO AND THREE PHASE GAS/OIL/WATER SEPARATORS

ρl − ρ g
SOUDER’S-BROWN EQUATION: ug = K
ρg

gdp2 (ρ d − ρ c ) 2µ c + 3µ d
us = where λ =
3(µ c + µ d )
STOKES SETTLING EQUATION
18µ c λ

2. EMULSION TREATMENT EQUATIONS

2.1. Equipment Sizing equations for

Q0µ
a) Horizontal Treaters: dL eff = 438
∆SG d m
2

0.5
 Q 0µ 
b) Vertical Treaters: d = 81.8 2 
 ∆SG d m 
0.5
 FQ 0 µ 
c) Gunbarrel Treaters: d = 81.8 2 
 ∆SG d m 

2.2. The attractive forces between water droplets for a general emulsion under an electric field:

K sε 2d m
6

E= with S ≥ dm
S4
where d diameter of the vessel (in)
Q0 oil flowrate (bpd)
µ oil viscosity (cp)
Leff length of the coalescing section (ft)
∆SG difference in the specific gravity between the oil and water (relative to water)
dm diameter of water droplet (microns)
F short-circuiting factor (1.0 for d < 48 in, and greater than 1.0 for d > 48 in).
E attractive force between droplets
Ks a constant for the system
ε voltage gradient
S distance between droplets

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2.3 Water Droplet Size for

a) Non-electrostatic treaters: dm1% = 200 µ0.25 for µ < 80 cp

b) Electrostatic treaters: dm1% = 170 µ0.4 for 3 cp < µ < 80 cp

For water cuts different than 1% dm/dm1% = W c0.33

where dm1% diameter of water droplet that settles from the emulsion to achieve 1% water cut
(microns)
dm diameter of water droplet that settles from the emulsion to achieve a water cut of
W c % (microns)
µ oil phase viscosity (cp)
Wc water cut (%)

π  d j − d 0j 
Droplet Growth Time t=  
6  ΦK s 
where do initial water droplet size
d final water droplet size
Φ water phase volume fraction
Ks a system dependent empirical parameter
j an empirical parameter greater than 3.

2.4 Retention Time in Emulsion Treaters

Horizontal Treaters: Q o Tr
D 2L eff =
0.589

where Tr retention time (sec)

D Diameter of the coalescing section (m)
Qo Flowrate (m3/s)
Leff Effective length (m)

3. EQUATIONS FOR PLATE INTERCEPTORS

The relationship between the length (L), height (H) and width (W) of a parallel plate with inclination angle θ is
given by:
Q 18hµ
LHW =
(0.7)(0.9) gd2 (ρ w − ρo )Cos(θ)

where h is the plate spacing

Q volumetric flowrate of incoming oily-water
µ is the viscosity
d size of the oil-in-water drop to separate
g gravity

The number of standard plate packs is then

1 Q 18µ
N=
Ks (0.7)(0.9) gd 2 (ρ w − ρ o )

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4. SEPARATOR OPERATING PRESURE

The optimum second stage pressure (psia) for two stage separator systems:

Pseudo-Relative Density of the Feed > 1.0; (

P2 = A P1
0.686
) + A0+.0233
0.057

Pseudo-Relative Density of the Feed < 1.0; (

P2 = A P1
0.765
+ ) A + 0.028
0.012

5. PRESSURE LOSSES DUE TO PIPE WORK AND FITTINGS

Item No. Pipe Item No. Pipe
Diameters Diameters
90° standard elbow 35 Gate valve fully open 7
45° elbow 15 Gate valve 75% open 40
Entry from leg of T-piece 60 Gate valve 50% open 200
Entry into leg T-piece 90 Gate valve 25% open 800

Friction factor φ for smooth bore pipe 2.5x103 <Re< 105 φ = 0.0396Re−0.25

Single phase liquid pressure drop expression: ∆P = 4φ L ρu 2

d

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6. GAS PRESSURE DROP EQUATION – PANHANDLE B

The Panhandle B equation for gas phase pressure drop is

1.02 0.51
T−2   P12 − P22 
Q sc = 1.002 x10  b    d 2.53 E
 sg 0.961TL Z 
 Pb   e 

Qsc = flowrate at standard conditions (m3/day)

Pb = Standard pressure (kPa)
Tb = Standard temperate K
P1, P2 = Upstream and downstream pressures (kPa)
sg = gas specific gravity relative to air
L = Pipeline length (km)
Z = Compressibility factor at flowing temperature
d = inside pipe diameter (mm)
E = pipeline efficiency

7. USEFUL CONVERSION FACTORS

Length 1 in 25.4 mm

1 ft 0.3048 m

Pressure 1 psi 6.8948x103 Pa

Viscosity 1 cP 10-3 Ns/m2

Volumetric Flowrate 1 barrel 0.1589 m3

1 bpd 6.6208x10-3 m3/hr

Volume 1 ft3 0.02832 m3

Density °API to specific gravity 141 .5

sg =
131 .5+ o API

Common Constants

Atmospheric pressure: 101.325 kPa

Universal Gas Constant: 8.314 kJ/kmol-K

Component Air Water

Molar mass (kg/kmol) 2.9 18
Density at stp (kg/m3) 1.2 1000
Viscosity at stp (Ns/m2) 1.488x10-5 1x10-3
Specific heat capacity (at stp) (kJ/kgK) 1.0 4.2
Thermal Conductivity (W/mK) 0.0257 0.58

Dimensionless Groups
Cp µ hd ρud
Prandtl Number Pr = , Nusselt number Nu = , Reynolds Number Re =
k k µ
Where Cp=specific heat capacity (J/kgK)
h = film heat transfer coefficient (W/m2K)

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 Heriot-Watt University B41OA Oil and Gas Processing

d = pipe diameter (m)

k = fluid thermal conductivity (W/mK)
u = average velocity (m/s)
µ = fluid viscosity (Ns/m2)
ρ = fluid density (kg/m3)
8. ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Geometry of a Circle for areas of segments and sectors

1.80

1.60
Radius R
1.40
Segment Area/R2

1.20
Depth

1.00 Segment Area

0.80

0.60

0.40

0.20

0.00
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00 1.10
Depth H / Radius R

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9. LEVEL POSITIONS FOR SEPARATORS

Horizontal

Location h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h6
Minimum distance (mm) 400 100 150 400 100 >100
Allowable Time (mins) 1.5 5 1.5 5

Vertical

ha hb hc hd
Larger of 0.6 m minimum or Larger of 1 m or Height of wire mesh or Larger of 0.1m or
0.3D. 0.5D vane pack demister. 0.1D
Typically 12 mm

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10. CYCLONE PERFORMANCE CHARTS

De-Oiling Hydrocyclone Performance Charts

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Heriot-Watt University B41OA Oil and Gas Processing

11. K values for methane, ethane, propane, and iso-butane.

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