TREA

NATURAL MATERIAL FOR SEPARATING OIL-IN-WATER EMULSIONS

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Information

  • Patent Application
  • 20230295521
  • Publication Number
    20230295521
  • Date Filed
    February 28, 2022
    2 years ago
  • Date Published
    September 21, 2023
    7 months ago
Information
Abstract
A method and a system for separating an oil-in-water emulsion in a water-oil separation plant (WSOP) are provided. An exemplary method includes feeding the oil-in-water emulsion to the WSOP, and forcing the oil-in-water emulsion through a silica sand filter to separate the oil and form a separated water stream.
Description
Claims
  • 1. A method for separating an oil-in-water emulsion in a water-oil separation plant (WSOP), comprising: feeding the oil-in-water emulsion to the WSOP; andforcing the oil-in-water emulsion through a silica sand filter to separate the oil and form a separated water stream.
  • 2. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring performance of the WSOP.
  • 3. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the performance comprises determining a throughput through the WSOP.
  • 4. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the performance comprises determining a level in the WSOP.
  • 5. The method of claim 1, comprising passing the oil-in-water emulsion through a coalescer before the silica filter.
  • 6. The method of claim 5, comprising backwashing the coalescer based, at least in part, on a performance of the WSOP.
  • 7. The method of claim 1, comprising packing the silica filter with silica sand comprising a mesh size of between about 10 (about 2000 µm) and about 200 (about 74 µm).
  • 8. The method of claim 1, comprising packing the silica filter with silica sand comprising a mesh size of between about 200 µm and about 500 µm.
  • 9. The method of claim 1, comprising recycling separated oil to an upstream dehydrator / desalinator.
  • 10. The method of claim 1, comprising injecting the separated water stream into a disposal well.
  • 11. A water-oil separation plant (WSOP), comprising: a gravity separation vessel;an inlet for an oil-in-water emulsion;an oil outlet for separated oil;a water outlet for separated water; anda filter packed with silica sand disposed between the inlet and the water outlet, wherein the size of the silica sand is selected to separate oil from the oil-in-water emulsion.
  • 12. The WSOP of claim 11, comprising a coalescer disposed between the inlet and the filter.
  • 13. The WSOP of claim 12, wherein the coalescer comprises a coalescer plate comprising a surface texture to promote coalescence of oil droplets from the oil-in-water emulsion.
  • 14. The WSOP of claim 12, wherein the coalescer extends from the bottom of the gravity separation vessel to the top of the water column.
  • 15. The WSOP of claim 11, comprising an injection water line coupled to the filter for back flushing the filter.
  • 16. The WSOP of claim 11, comprising an injection water line coupled to the coalescer for back flushing the coalescer.
  • 17. The WSOP of claim 11, wherein the silica sand comprises a mesh size of between about 10 (about 2000 µm) and about 200 (about 74 µm).
  • 18. The WSOP of claim 11, wherein the silica sand comprises a mesh size of between about 200 µm and about 500 µm.
  • 19. The WSOP of claim 11, comprising: an inlet flow meter on the inlet; andan outlet flow meter on the water outlet, wherein measurements from the inlet flow meter and the outlet flow meter are used to determine performance of the WSOP.
  • 20. The WSOP of claim 11, comprising an oil detector on the water outlet to measure an amount of oil in the separated water.