Modification of a Centrifugal Separator for In-Well Oil-Water Separation

Abstract

A liquid-liquid centrifugal separator has been modified for possible application as a downhole method for separating crude oil from produced water. Centrifugal separators of various sizes (from 2-to 25-cm rotor diameter) have been built and operated over the past decades at various U.S. Department of Energy facilities. These units have several characteristics that make them attractive for downhole applications, including excellent phase separation, reliability in remote applications with .20,000 h of operation prior to maintenance, and the ability to handle high volumetric throughput with a very low residence time. These separators consist of a rotating cylinder in which the two phases are separated and a stationary housing that collects the separated streams. This paper discusses some of the aspects of the alterations required for downhole operation. Specifically, we discuss modifications of the exterior housing allowing for greater flow through the system. The system presented here improves the performance of a standard separator by 140%.

Novel highly integrated biodiesel production technology in a centrifugal contactor separator device

“…The CCS was originally designed for waste water cleaning in the nuclear industry [26] and has been used successfully for oil-water separation [27] (e.g. for cleaning oils spills [28]), for extraction of fermentation broths [29] and several other extraction processes [30][31][32][33].…”

Evaluation of Downhole Oil/Water Separation in a Casing

“…Many different methods of downhole water separation have been patented, developed, and tested. [1][2][3][4][5] These methods include gravitational separators, cyclone-type separators, and rotating mechanical separators. This paper presents the results of laboratory experiments that were conducted to measure how much water could be separated in the bottom of a well using a section of casing.…”

A Combined Reaction/Product Recovery Process for the Continuous Production of Biodiesel

“…Contactors for such uses are available commercially and have been tested in processing of actual radioactive feeds [7]. Contactor technology has also been tested in the area of oil recovery, enhancing the separation of produced water from the lighter hydrocarbon phase [8]. In all of these solvent extraction applications, the process has been optimized to maximize mixing followed by phase separation with minimal residence time, a sequence that is necessary in nuclear applications to minimize solvent degradation from radiolysis.…”