REMOVAL OF VAPOR GAS GENERATED BY AN OIL-CONTAINING MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention provides devices and methods for collecting vapor gas generated by an oil-containing material within a production tank. The devices and associated methods result in produced oil having a reduced level of dissolved hydrocarbons and recovery of vapor gas for resale. The devices include vapor recovery units connected to conventional oil-production units so that a conventional unit is converted to a low emission unit. In an embodiment, the device is a column separator comprising a perforated, packed spiral baffle with one end that receives vapor gas and a second end for removing gas that has traversed the length of the column separator. Also provided are methods for converting an oil-production unit into a low-emission oil production unit using any of the devices disclosed herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a series of photographs of a low emission oil-production unit. Each of FIGS. 1A-E is a different view of a low emission oil-production unit of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a conventional oil production unit retrofitted with a device of the present invention to obtain a low emission oil production unit. FIG. 2A is a perspective view. FIG. 2B is a top view. FIG. 2C is a side view and shows select internal components. FIG. 2D is a view of the input end.

FIG. 3 is a cut-away perspective view of the low emission element.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the column separator and vapor gas outlet element.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a helical, perforated baffle having a central bore containing pipe. (A) shows an entire length of pipe and spiral baffle that can be inserted into a column separator, wherein the spiral baffle length contains five complete turns around the pipe. (B) is a view of the dashed region labeled A in FIG. 4A.

Claims

1. A device for removing vapor gas generated by an oil-containing material comprising: a. a column separator having a first end and a second end, wherein said vapor gas enters said column separator at said first end and said vapor gas exits said column separator at said second end; andb. a perforated spiral baffle positioned within said column separator, wherein at least a portion of said spiral baffle and said column separator is packed with a packing material.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a separation tank for holding said oil-containing material operably connected to said first end.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising a vapor gas remover connected to said second end.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said first end is operably connected to an oil-production unit.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said column separator has a cross-sectional area that is circular.

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising a pipe, wherein said pipe is concentric to said column separator, and said perforated spiral baffle comprises a central longitudinal bore for receiving said pipe.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said packing material comprise pall rings.

8. The device of claim 3 wherein said vapor gas remover comprises: a. a grate separating said column separator second end from said vapor gas remover;b. a mist pad adjacent to said grate; andc. a vapor gas outlet orifice for removing said vapor gas from said vapor gas remover.

9. The device of claim 8 further comprising a pipe connected to said outlet orifice for collecting said removed vapor gas.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein said storage tank is operably connected to a conventional oil-production unit.

11. A device for removing vapor gas generated by an oil-containing material comprising: a. a column separator having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis that spans the distance between said first end and said second end;b. a perforated spiral baffle located between said first end and said second end, said perforated spiral baffle having a length that spans at least a portion of said longitudinal axis; andc. a packing material spanning at least a portion of said perforated spiral baffle length.

12. The device of claim 11 further comprising a separator tank for holding the oil-containing material, wherein the separator tank is connected to said column separator first end so that vapor gas generated by the oil-containing material is introduced to said column separator at said first end.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein said packing material comprises a plurality of pall rings.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein said column separator is cylindrical.

15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a capped pipe concentrically located within said cylindrical column separator and traversing at least a portion of said longitudinal axis, wherein said spiral baffle comprises a central longitudinal bore for receiving said capped pipe.

16. The device of claim 11 further comprising a vapor gas remover having a wall connected to said column separator second end, wherein said vapor gas remover comprises: a. a grate separating said column separator second end from said vapor gas remover;b. a mist pad adjacent to said grate; andc. an orifice that traverses said vapor gas remover wall to remove said vapor gas from the interior of said vapor gas remover.

17. The device of claim 11, further comprising an oil-production unit connected to said column separator first end.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the column separator operates at a temperature selected from between about 80 to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

19. A method for separating a vapor gas generated from an oil-containing material in a separator tank comprising: a. providing a packed column separator connected to said separator tank, wherein said separator tank holds an oil-containing material;b. introducing vapor gas generated from said oil-containing material into said packed column separator;c. condensing liquid from said vapor gas in said column separator; andd. removing said vapor gas of step (c) from said column separator, thereby separating said vapor gas generated from said oil-containing material.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising heating said oil-containing material so that the temperature of vapor gas entering said column separator is between about 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising collecting said removed vapor gas.

22. A method of converting a conventional oil-production unit into a low-emission oil production unit comprising connecting the device of claim 1 to said conventional oil-production unit.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the low-emission oil production unit reduces the volume of vapor gas generated by produced oil by at least 50% relative to the volume of vapor gas generated by produced oil from a conventional oil production unit.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the reduction is greater than 75%.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the reduction is greater than 95%.