university of zakho

college of Engineering
petroleum depart ment

resevoir fluid
(Three Phase Separators )

Prepared By
Ahmed Haji
Bahzad Naif Supervised By
Sarmand Sulieman Mr.Alaa
 Lest of content

Introduction
Three Phase Separators Zones
Configurations
Vertical Separators
Conclusion
Reference
 THREE PHASE SEPARATORS

Introduction

• Three phase separators are used to separate gas and

two liquids of different densities typically oil and
water.

• They are a combination of Liquid - Liquid and Vapor

Liquid separators.

• They are typically employed in oil & gas fields in

downstream of wells
 Three Phase Separators Zones

Regardless of the internal configuration all

liquid/liquid and gas/liquid separators consist of
three basic zones:

• Inlet section

• Liquid-liquid settling section

• Gas-Liquid Separation zone

 Three Phase Separator General Figure

Inlet nozzle (three phase

flow(
Oil

water
 Configurations
There are two main configurations of three phase
separators
• Horizontal

• Vertical
 Configurations

Horizontal Separators
Horizontal separators are almost always used for
high GOR wells, for foaming well streams and
for liquid-liquid separation.
 Vertical Separators
• A vertical separator can
handle relatively large
liquid slugs without
carryover into the gas
outlet.
• It thus provides better
surge control and is often
used on low to
intermediate gas-oil ratio
(GOR) wells and
wherever else large liquid
slugs and more sands are
expected
 Advantages of
Vertical Separators
 Have good bottom-drain and clean-out
facilities.
 Can handle more sand, mud, paraffin, and
wax without plugging.
 Has full diameter for gas flow at top and oil
flow at bottom.
 Occupies smaller plot area..
 Advantages of Horizontal Separators

 Require smaller diameter for similar gas

capacity as compared to vertical
 No counter-flow (gas flow does not oppose
drainage of mist extractor).
 Large liquid surface area for foam
dispersion generally reduces turbulence
 Conclusion:

Three-phase separators are a vital piece of

equipment in the oil and gas industry, enabling
the separation of oil, gas, and water at the
production wellhead. Properly designed and
operated separators are essential to ensure
maximum production efficiency, cost-
effectiveness, and safety. Understanding the
basic principles of three-phase separation and
the design and operation of these separators is
critical for anyone working in the oil and gas
industry.
 Reference:
• Speight, J. G. (2014). Handbook ofpetroleum product
analysis. John Wiley & Sons.
• Mukherjee, H. (2016). Three-phase separators: A
literature review. Journal of Petroleum Science and
Engineering, 145, 221-233.
• GPSA Engineering Data Book, Section 5, Volume 1,
Gas Processing Equipment, 13th ed., 2004.
• Matar, K. M., Al-Dahhan, M. H., & Lasheras, J. C.
(2011). Three-phase flow in pipes. Cambridge
University Press
Thank you for your time