Claims
- 1. A system for processing relatively low volume natural gas wellhead effluent to separate heavy end hydrocarbon and water constituents from light end hydrocarbon constituents and produce sales gas consisting primarily of light end hydrocarbon constituents for delivery to a sales gas pipe line and a liquid body of hydrocarbons consisting primarily of heavy end hydrocarbon constituents for delivery to storage tank means, the system comprising:
- a three phase relatively low pressure primary separator means for receiving the wellhead effluent and for separating light end hydrocarbons from heavy end hydrocarbons and water and for producing at temperatures in excess of gas hydrate temperatures a relatively low pressure body of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of light end hydrocarbons and a first body of liquid hydrocarbons consisting primarily of heavy end hydrocarbon components and a second liquid body consisting primarily of water components;
- compressor means connected to said primary separator means for receiving a stream of relatively low pressure gaseous hydrocarbons from said primary separator means and for compressing said stream of relatively low pressure gaseous hydrocarbons while increasing the temperature thereof to provide a stream of compressed heated gaseous hydrocarbons having a temperature and pressure substantially in excess of the temperature and pressure of the wellhead effluent entering said primary separator means and the temperature and pressure of sales gas in the sales gas pipe line;
- heat exchanger means mounted in said primary separator means for receiving said stream of compressed heated gaseous hydrocarbons and transferring heat of compression from said compressed heated gaseous hydrocarbons to said body of liquid hydrocarbons in said primary separator means;
- cooler means connected to said heat exchanger means for receiving said stream of compressed heated gaseous hydrocarbons from said heat exchanger means and for reducing the temperature of said stream of compressed heated gaseous hydrocarbons and for providing a stream of reduced temperature relatively high pressure compressed gaseous hydrocarbons having a pressure substantially in excess of the pressure of said body of gaseous hydrocarbons in said primary separator means and approximately equal to or in excess of the pressure of the sales gas in the sales gas pipe line;
- two phase relatively high pressure secondary separator means connected to said cooler means for receiving said stream of reduced temperature relatively high pressure compressed gaseous hydrocarbons from said cooler means and for separating light end hydrocarbons from heavy end hydrocarbons and for providing a body of sales gas hydrocarbons having a pressure substantially equal to or in excess of the pressure of the sale gas in the sales gas pipe line and consisting substantially of only light end hydrocarbons and a second body of liquid hydrocarbons consisting substantially only of heavy end hydrocarbon components;
- gas pipe line outlet means connected to said secondary separator means for connecting and delivering said body of sales gas hydrocarbons to a sales gas pipe line;
- liquid hydrocarbon collection tank means associated with said secondary separator means for collecting said second body of liquid hydrocarbons and being connected to said primary separator means for delivery of said second body of liquid hydrocarbons to said primary separator means for recycling therein including reduction of pressure causing flashing of light end hydrocarbons contained in said second body of liquid hydrocarbons and addition of flashed light end hydrocarbons to said first body of gaseous hydrocarbons in said primary separation means; and
- condensate storage tank means connected to said primary separator means for receiving liquid hydrocarbons from said primary separator means.
- 2. The system as defined in claim 1 and further comprising:
- scrubber means mounted between said primary separator means and said compression means for removing additional heavy end hydrocarbons from said stream of light end hydrocarbons prior to compression.
- 3. The system as defined in claim 1 and further comprising:
- gas powered engine means for driving said compressor means; and
- said cooling means being a force air cooling means driven by said engine means.
- 4. The system as defined in claim 3 and wherein:
- said engine means including a coolant system and said coolant system including a portion connected to said primary separator means for circulating coolant through said primary separator means.
- 5. The system as defined in claim 3 and wherein:
- said engine means being operable by supply gas obtained from the body of sales gas in said second separator means and being connected through a supply gas system to said secondary separator means for receiving natural supply gas from said sales gas stream.
- 6. The system as defined in claim 5 and further comprising:
- gas operated control means for controlling temperatures and pressures in the system and being operable by supply gas supplied from said body of sales gas in said secondary separator means.
- 7. The system as defined in claim 6 and further comprising:
- pressure reduction means for receiving said supply gas from said secondary separator means and reducing the pressure of the supply gas; and
- drip pot means for receiving the reduced supply gas and for delivering supply gas to said engine means and said control means.
- 8. The system as defined in claim 7 and further comprising:
- supply gas heat exchange means in said primary separator means for receiving supply gas from said secondary separator means and for heating said supply gas in said primary separator means prior to delivery to said pressure reduction means.
- 9. The system a defined in claim 8 and further comprising:
- gas dryer means associated with said secondary separator means for removing additional liquids from said supply gas prior to delivery to said supply gas heat exchanger means.
- 10. The system as defined in claim 1 and wherein said hydrocarbon liquid collection means associated with said secondary separator means comprises:
- a collection tank extending between said secondary separator means and said primary separator means for collecting said second body of liquid hydrocarbons and having a bottom portion located in said primary separator means in heat exchange relationship with said first body of liquid hydrocarbons in said primary separator means for transfer of heat therebetween.
- 11. A method of producing sales gas from effluent from a low volume natural gas well head comprising:
- delivering the effluent to a primary low pressure separator means at substantially wellhead temperature and pressure;
- separating the effluent in the primary low pressure separator means at temperatures in excess of gas hydrate temperatures into a first body of gaseous light end hydrocarbon constituents and into liquid water constituents and into a first body of liquid hydrocarbon constituents including a portion of the light end hydrocarbon components and heavy end hydrocarbon constituents in liquid and vapor phases;
- delivering the first body of gaseous light end hydrocarbon constituents to a compressor means and compressing the gaseous light end hydrocarbon constituents to increase the pressure and temperature thereof to a pressure and temperature substantially in excess of the pressure and temperature of the effluent entering the primary low pressure separator means while creating a differential pressure between the compressor means and the well head effluent sufficient to establish and maintain flow of effluent into the primary low pressure separator means;
- delivering the compressed gaseous light end hydrocarbon constituents to a heat exchange means in the primary low pressure separator means to maintain the temperature of the effluent and the first body of gaseous light end hydrocarbon constituents and the first body of liquid hydrocarbon constituents contained in the primary low pressure separator means at a suitable relatively high processing temperature in excess of gaseous hydrate temperatures;
- thereafter delivering the compressed gaseous light end hydrocarbons from the heat exchange means in the primary low pressure separator means to a cooling means to reduce the temperature thereof;
- thereafter delivering the compressed first body of gaseous light end hydrocarbons to a secondary high pressure separator means for separation into a second body of gaseous light end hydrocarbons having a relatively high pressure in excess of the pressure of the first body of gaseous light end hydrocarbons and sufficient to enable flow into a sales gas pipe line and a second body of liquid heavy end hydrocarbons;
- discharging the second body of gaseous light end hydrocarbons to a sales gas pipe line; and
- returning the second body of liquid heavy end hydrocarbons from the secondary high pressure separation means to the primary low pressure separation means for recycling with the first body of liquid heavy end hydrocarbon means.
- 12. The invention as defined in claim 11 and wherein:
- the compression means creates a pressure differential such as to maintain continuous flow of effluent into the primary low pressure separator means from the well head and continuous flow of the first body of gaseous hydrocarbons from the primary low pressure separation means to the secondary high pressure separation means and continuous flow of the second body of gaseous light end hydrocarbons from the secondary high pressure separation means into the sales gas pipe line.
- 13. The invention as defined in claims 1 or 11 and wherein:
- the primary source of heat for the system is the heat of compression generated by said compression means and the flow rate between the primary separation means and the sales gas line is primarily determined by the pressure differential between the compression means and the primary separator means.
- 14. A system for production of sales gas from wellhead effluent at the wellhead for delivery to a sales gas pipe line comprising:
- a three phase low pressure primary separator means for receiving the wellhead effluent and separating gaseous components from liquid hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon liquid components and for producing a first stage stream of gaseous hydrocarbon components and a first body of liquid hydrocarbons;
- compressor means for maintaining flow of and for receiving the first stage stream of gaseous components from the primary separator means and for providing a low pressure induction port and a high pressure discharge port and for providing a second stage relatively high pressure compressed gaseous discharge stream having a pressure higher than the pressure of the wellhead effluent and higher than the first stage stream of gaseous hydrocarbon components;
- a two phase high pressure secondary separator means for receiving the relatively high pressure compressed gaseous stream from the compressor means and for separating gaseous hydrocarbon components from liquid hydrocarbon components in the compressed gaseous stream and producing a sales gas stream for delivery to the sales gas pipe line and a second residual body of liquid hydrocarbons;
- heat exchanger means associated with said primary separator means for receiving the compressed gaseous stream from the compressor means prior to delivery to the secondary separator means for supply heat to the primary separator means and for maintaining a suitable processing temperature in the primary separator means; and
- the construction and arrangement of the system being such that residual liquid hydrocarbons in the secondary separator means are returned to the first separator means for further processing therein and heat for maintaining processing temperatures in the system is provided by heat of compression and said compressor means maintains suitable pressure differentials between the wellhead effluent and the sales gas in the sales gas pipe line to enable continuous flow in the system.
- 15. A method of separating liquids from gas in wellhead effluent from a low volume natural gas well to produce sales gas while maintaining continuous flow of wellhead effluent from the well and of sales gas to a sales gas pipeline comprising:
- delivering the wellhead effluent to a relatively low pressure primary separator means and separating heavy end hydrocarbons in liquid phase and water in liquid phase from gaseous hydrocarbon components in the effluent at temperatures in excess of gas hydrate temperatures while maintaining a sufficient pressure differential between the wellhead effluent and the internal pressure of the primary separator means to maintain flow of effluent into the primary separator means by inducing flow of gaseous hydrocarbon components to a low pressure inlet port of a gas compressor means;
- compressing the gaseous hydrocarbon components in the compressor means to cause an increase of pressure of the gaseous hydrocarbon components to a pressure in excess of the pressure of the sales gas in the sales gas pipe line and to cause an increase of temperature of the gaseous hydrocarbon components sufficient to provide heat required for operation of the low pressure separator means;
- delivering the compressed gaseous hydrocarbon components from a discharge port of the compressor means to a heat exchanger means in the low pressure separator means and heating the effluent, the liquids and the gases in the low pressure separator means by the heat of compression in the compressed gases;
- cooling the compressed gases downstream of the low pressure separator means and delivering the cooled compressed gases to a relatively high pressure separator means; and
- separating additional liquids from the cooled compressed gas in the high pressure separator means at pressures substantially higher than operating pressure of the low pressure separator and approximately equal to or greater than the pressure of the sales gas in the sales gas pipe line and at temperatures in excess of gas hydrate temperatures and approximately equal to or less than standard sales gas pipe line temperature.
- 16. A method of separating liquids from gas in wellhead effluent from a low volume natural gas well to produce sales gas while maintaining flow of wellhead effluent from the well and flow of sales gas to a sales gas pipeline comprising:
- causing and maintaining continuous flow of the effluent into a low pressure separator means by compression of gases downstream of the low pressure separator means;
- continuously heating the effluent in the low pressure separator means to provide a relatively high operational temperature in the separator means in excess of gas hydrate temperatures;
- continuously separating effluent in the low pressure separator means into a body of liquid hydrocarbons and a body of water and a body of relatively low pressure gaseous hydrocarbons;
- continuously causing a flow of the body of gaseous hydrocarbons from the low pressure separator means by by compression of the gaseous hydrocarbons in compressor means located downstream of the low pressure separator means;
- continuously increasing the pressure and temperature of the gaseous hydrocarbons by compression in the compressor means to a relatively high pressure substantially equal to or greater than the standard pressure in the sales gas pipe line and to a temperature greater than the standard temperature in the sales gas pipe line and sufficient for supplying heat for processing the effluent in the low pressure separator means;
- continuously delivering the compressed gaseous hydrocarbons from the compressor means to heat exchanger means located in the low pressure separator means and transferring sufficient heat from the compressed gaseous hydrocarbons to the low pressure separating means to process the effluent in the low pressure separator means;
- continuously delivering the compressed gases from the heat exchanger means in the low pressure separator means to cooling means located downstream thereof and cooling the compressed gases to a temperature approximately equal to the standard temperature of the sales gas pipe line while maintaining a pressure of the compressed gases substantially equal to or greater than the standard pressure of the sales gas pipe line;
- continuously delivering the cooled compressed gaseous hydrocarbons to a relatively high pressure separator means located downstream of the cooling means and removing additional heavy end hydrocarbons from the cooled compressed gases at a processing temperature in excess of gas hydrate temperatures and providing a body of residual liquid hydrocarbons and a body of sales gas having a pressure approximately equal to or greater than the standard sales gas line pressure; and
- continuously forcing flow of the body of sales gas from the high pressure separator means into the sales gas line at pressures approximately equal to or in excess of the standard sales gas pipe line pressure by continuous compression of gases in the compression means and continuous delivery of the high pressure compressed gases from the compression means to the relatively high pressure separation means.
- 17. The invention as defined in claim 16 and further comprising:
- collecting the residually hydrocarbon liquids in the high pressure separator means in a collection tank having a lowermost tank portion extending into the low pressure separator and located in heat transfer relationship with liquids in the low pressure separator;
- heating the residual hydrocarbon liquids in the collection tank by heat transfer from the liquids in the low pressure separator to cause flashing of residual light end hydrocarbons in the residual hydrocarbon liquids and flow of residual light end hydrocarbons to the body of sales gas in the high pressure separator means; and
- delivering residual hydrocarbon liquids from the collection tank means in the high pressure separator to the low pressure separator for recycling therein.
- 18. The invention as defined in claim 17 and further comprising:
- scrubbing the gaseous hydrocarbons prior to delivery to the compressor to remove additional liquids before compression of the gaseous hydrocarbons.
- 19. The invention as defined in claim 17, and further comprising:
- obtaining supply gas for the system from the body of sales gas in the high pressure separator;
- passing the supply gas through a heat exchanger in the low pressure separator means and increasing the temperature of the supply gas in the heat exchanger in the low pressure separator;
- reducing the pressure of the supply gas after temperature increase in the heat exchange in the low pressure separator to provide a body of relatively low pressure supply gas; and
- using the supply gas to operate control devices associated with the low pressure separator and the high pressure separator.
- 20. The invention as defined in claim 19 and further comprising:
- operating the compressor by a natural gas powered engine; and
- using the supply gas as fuel gas for the engine.
- 21. The invention as defined in claim 20 and further comprising:
- providing heat for start-up of the system by circulating engine coolant through heat exchanger devices associated with the low pressure separator and with the fuel gas supply apparatus and with the scrubber.
- 22. The invention as defined in claim 20 and further comprising:
- using an engine driven fan device and a radiator apparatus associated with the engine for cooling the compressed hydrocarbon gases by passing the compressed hydrocarbon gases through the radiator apparatus while blowing air from the fan device through the radiator apparatus.
- 23. The invention as defined in claims 3 or 22 and further comprising:
- a portable platform means for supporting the system during transport to the wellhead and during use at the wellhead.
- 24. The invention as defined in claim 23 and wherein:
- said low pressure separator means being mounted on one end portion of said platform means;
- said high pressure separator means being mounted on and above said low pressure separator means;
- said compressor means and said engine means being mounted on a central portion of said platform means; and
- said cooler means being mounted on the other end portion of said platform means.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of my copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 732,379 filed May 8, 1985, and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,565 which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 537,298 filed Sept. 29, 1983, and now abandoned for Methods and Apparatus For Separating Gases And Liquids From Natural Gas Well-Head Effluent, the benefit of the filing dates of which are claimed herein and the disclosures of which are incorported herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
732379 |
May 1985 |
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Parent |
537298 |
Sep 1983 |
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