The Voraxial® Separator –

An In-line Solution For Separation

of Oil and Solids From Produced

WaterWater

___________________________________________________

Federico Gayoso, Chemical Engineer, PM, Process Engineer, Transeparation

� Argentinean firm with international background based on many years of experience in

design and operation for upstream and downstream facilities

� Recognized as a reliable technology company focused on specialties and customized

designs for processes and related process equipment

� Main skills and expertise fields in upstream processes include design of plants and

equipment for:

� crude oil dehydration and desalting

� produced water treatment

Company Profile

� produced water treatment

� slop oil and slop water treatment

� solid cleaning and removal plants

� gas processing and compression

� Proprietary software for process units and internal designs certified by field and

performance tests.

� Our capabilities include dynamic simulation and CFD modelling for process optimization

for new or revamped units.

� We provide oilfield assistance services for: operators training, process optimization and

debottlenecking, precom – comm – start-up

� Our main customers are E&P companies and refineries, EPC and engineering firms and

process equipment manufacturers

• Continuous flow turbo machine capable of separating Liquid/Liquid, Liquid/Solid, Liquid/Liquid/Solid Mixtures

• A vortex is produced with the heavier materials drawn to the outside of the vortex and the

Voraxial® Separator

Voraxial Driv e

Separation Principle

•Oil

•Solids •Water

outside of the vortex and the lighter elements forming the core of the vortex

• Specially designed manifold is utilized to collect the separated streams

• Capable of processing high flows rates

Prime Flui d Dischar ge/R etu rn

Oils Re movalSolids Re mov al

Prime Flui d with Solids and Oils

Voraxial Drive / Impeller

Vortex Formation

Voraxial Separator is Scalable

The Voraxial Separator models

Model Diameter GPMVoraxial 1000 1” 5Voraxial 2000 2” 20 - 60Voraxial 2000 2” 20 - 60Voraxial 4000 4” 100 - 500Voraxial 8000 8” 1,000 - 3,500

Voraxial Separator Benefits• No Pressure Drop – provides a pressure increase• High “G” force• Two or Three Phase bulk Separation

• Liquid/Liquid, Liquid/Solids, Liquid/Liquid/Solids

• High flow, low energy – high flow per Hp• Compact Unit – small footprint• Compact Unit – small footprint• Treats a wide range of flows, even slugging flows• High performance over a wide concentration range• Low shear impeller – oils are not emulsified • Non-clogging – open impeller• “Plug & Play” – Simple to Install & Simple to operate• Nominal maintenance requirements• “Easy to do” field maintenance

Multiple Applications for Voraxial

• Stand-alone Unitor

• Complete Solution to Achieve the Customer’s Specific RequirementsCustomer’s Specific Requirements

or• Pretreatment to Existing Separation

equipment for Bulk Oil and Solids Removal

Case Study 1: Slop oil & water Treatment

Case Study 1: Slop oil & water Treatment

• Requirement: Existing batch slop treatment process required upgrading to deal with future expansions of an integrated Oil & Produced Water treatment plant

• Effluents streams demanding special treatment:• tanks and pressurized vessels drainages

• Sand jetting systems drainages

• IGF and Skimmer Tanks skimmed effluent

• Trucks discharges with fluids originated in different field operations

• Others

• Problem: Recirculation of effluent streams generate concentration cycles for solids, emulsions, chemicals and other pollutants which in return cause operational upsets

• Problem: Recirculation of effluent streams generate concentration cycles for solids, emulsions, chemicals and other pollutants which in return cause operational upsets resulting in:

• Off spec sales oil ($$$ fines)

• Off spec treated water (affecting EOR injection projects and damaging the formation)

• Constraints: • Minimizing effluents volume for final disposal or reprocessing

• Outlet streams quality should be adequate for reprocessing in existing treatment facilities

• Capable of dealing with fluctuations both for flow rates, oil and solids concentration

• Limited space on existing facilities

• Low level and untrained personnel

• Limited capital budget

• Requirements for transforming the batch process to a continuous processing plant

Case Study 1: What were the options?

• Oil & Produced Water Treatment Plant capacity ~ 62,900 bbl/d gross production

• Required Effluents Treatment Capacity ~ 3,145 bbl/day

• A continuous bulk three phase separation process was required for this capacity

• What were the alternatives? Quick Comparison:• Conventional gravity separators: Tanks, CPI, API separator etc.

• Enhanced gravity separation systems: decanter, vertical centrifuge, voraxial, etc.

Equipment Required 3 Phase G-Force Diameter Capex Ease to Maintenance Throughput Fluctuations Ancillary ObservationsEquipment Required

Space

3 Phase

Separation

G-Force Diameter

Separated

Capex Ease to

Operate

Maintenance Throughput Fluctuations Ancillary

Services

Observations

CPIgas

blanketing

prone to plugging affecting efficiency,

solids removal is not efficient

Tankgas

blanketing

solids removal is not efficient

API

Separator

gas

blanketing

solids removal is not efficient

Decanter

Centrifuge

service

water

not efficient for three phase separation

when inflow changes

Vertical

Centrifuge

gas

blanketing

service

water

not able to handle large concentration of

solids > 1 - 1,5% and or large particle size

Cyclones

require available pressure drop, low turn-

down, not good for slop treatment were

fluctuations both in flow rates and

concentration are expected

Voraxialgas for seals back pressure control required

Case Study 1: Why the Voraxial?

• Important fluctuations both in flow rate and concentration were expected

• Small footprint and easy installation: the units were to be installed in the

middle of a working plant

• 3 phase bulk separation in a single step: bulk separation required for the

reprocessing of each exit stream in an adequate process, no final products

quality was neededquality was needed

• Lower capital expenses: both for the unit, ancillary services and unit set-

up

• Inline separation: ideal for conversion of existing batch process to

continuous operation

• Easy to operate: few controls required, only back pressure control to

avoid flow channeling plus pressure control for gas seals

• Easy maintenance: periodical greasing, few hours to replace seals or

bearings

Case Study 1: Voraxial set up in the process

Simplified Original Batch Process Configuration

Simplified Revamped Continuous Process Configuration

Case Study 2: Sand Separation in PWTP

Case Study 2: Sand Separation in PWTP

• Requirement: Revamp of existing + New PWTP for achieving water quality for secondary and tertiary recovery projects. Plant Capacity: 157,233 BWPD

• Required PW quality: < 20 PPM O/W; < 20 PPM TSS; φp < 10 µm; O2 < 50 PPB

• Problems to deal with:• Non consolidated, shallow wells, Heavy Crude oil (API ~ 18°) reservoir produced via CHOPS methodology

• Significant sand production, up to 1% [v/V] in OTP purge water

• High Acid Number for the crude oil due to significant presence of naphthenic acids

• Highly emulsionable oil, with water cuts of +65% still most of the water remains emulsified

• Significant flow rate and concentration fluctuations due to field dynamics plus deficient OTP process design

• OTP plant acted as a fluctuation amplifier. Online OTP operating in a pressure cascade with no intermediate • OTP plant acted as a fluctuation amplifier. Online OTP operating in a pressure cascade with no intermediate surge tanks hence fluctuations of ~5:1 at the 1st OTP stage increase to ~20:1 at the 3rd OTP stage.

• Low pressure system, OTP equipment operating at its pressure limits so no pressure drop was available

• Few available space

• The main issue was: separating settleable solids from PW upstream the PWTP while fulfilling the following requiremnts:

• Continuous compact 2 phase bulk separation (liquid – solid)

• No pressure drop

• Nominal process disturbance – easy to install and small footprint

• Operate 365 d / 24 h – low maintenance

• Capable of dealing with significant flow rates and concentration fluctuations

• Easy operation

• Limited capital budget

Case Study 2: Meet the Beast

1 2 3

OTP Feed: Pictures N° 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 PWTP Feed

4 5 6

Case Study 2: Different Kind of Solids

Settleable

Non Setteable

Case Study 2: What were the options?

• What were the alternatives? Quick Comparison:• Conventional gravity separators: Tanks, CPI, API separator etc.

• Enhanced gravity separation systems: decanter, vertical centrifuge, voraxial, etc.

Equipment Required

Space

3 Phase

Separation

G-Force Diameter

Separated

Capex Ease to

Operate

Maintenance Throughput Fluctuations Ancillary

Services

Observations

CPIgas

blanketing

prone to plugging affecting efficiency,

solids removal is not efficient

Tankgas

blanketing

solids removal is not efficient

blanketing

API

Separator

gas

blanketing

solids removal is not efficient

Decanter

Centrifuge

service

water

not efficient for three phase separation

when inflow changes

Vertical

Centrifuge

gas

blanketing

service

water

not able to handle large concentration of

solids > 1 - 1,5% and or large particle size

Cyclones

require available pressure drop, low turn-

down, not good for slop treatment were

fluctuations both in flow rates and

concentration are expected

Voraxialgas for seals back pressure control required

Case Study 2: Why the Voraxial?

• Small footprint required and easy installation: the units were to be

installed in the middle of a plant in operation. 4 tie ins: Feed, PW outlet,

Slurry Outlet, Service gas and Electric Energy.

• 2 phase (liquid/solid) bulk separation: only bulk separation was required,

treated PW is fed to PWTP and slurry discharge to a dedicated treatment

unit

• Lower capital expenses: both for the unit, ancillary services and unit set-• Lower capital expenses: both for the unit, ancillary services and unit set-

up

• Inline separation process capable of dealing with high flow rates and

significant flow and concentration fluctuations

• Easy to operate: few controls required, only back pressure control to

avoid flow channeling and pressure control for gas seals

• Easy maintenance: periodical greasing, few hours to replace seals or

bearings

• Literally “0” Pressure Drop Available : common purge water header

captures separated water from the OTP and due to pressure cascade

there was no available pressure drop

Case Study 2: Voraxial set up in the process

Simplified PWTP Block Diagram

Case Study 2: Results

• The customer had significant

buildup of solids in tanks and

vessels which complicated the

oil/water separation process

and increased the OPEX

• The Voraxial was configured for

As seen in the below picture, the solids

sample contained the majority of the

settleable solids. These results are

without the use of chemicals.

• The Voraxial was configured for

bulk liquid – solid separation

and was located upstream of

the produced water treatment

plant

• Voraxial performance met

expectations achieving a high

degree of settleable solids

separation

Solids Sample Outlet Sample

Main Conclusions from Argentinean

Experiences

• Conclusions after field testing:

• Intelligent and effective compact solution for bulk separation

• It doesn’t brake any rule of physics, hydraulics or thermodynamics!

• Takes advantage of an old principle in an innovative manner resulting in a

simple machine

• Care should be taken for proper change management and for capitalizing the

lessons learnedlessons learned

• Field training on operation and maintenance is important:

• To fully understand the principles of operation and its benefits against other

technologies

• Learn about purposes and limitations of the technology

• Learn about routine preventive maintenance and “easy to do” corrective

maintenance on the field

• For an orderly change management as oil companies are conservative and

operative personnel rooted to traditional technologies

Summary of Lessons Learned from Argentinean

Experiences

• Process scheme: • Identify the proper role in the process

• There are no magical solutions

• A single unit cannot replace a whole plant yet it may play a key role in the process

• Back-Pressure Control: • As any process equipment the Voraxial is subjected to the rules of hydraulics hence slight

pressure differences, particularly on low pressure systems, favors the discharge of the fluid

through the way opposing the minor resistance

• Do not overlook process configuration and lay out

• Avoid vortex distortions due to differences in the counter pressure for effluent streams• Avoid vortex distortions due to differences in the counter pressure for effluent streams

• Rotor: • EVTN offers several alternatives: mechanical, gas and hydraulic rotor design

• Remember the Voraxial is a turbo machine rotating at several thousand RPMs

• Do not underestimate it also operates in a severe environment and harsh conditions

• Therefore care must be taken on the selection of the proper type of rotor and safety controls, as

well as in the operation and maintenance of the equipment to avoid seals damage

• If above points are considered you will be able to operate long runs with nominal maintenance

apart from periodical greasing of the bearings which can be done while the unit is running

• Difference in Density: • Separation principle relies on density differences

• Therefore the Voraxial is not able to separate phases which won’t separate naturally due to their

tight density difference or other stabilization factors

Summary of Lessons Learned from Argentinean

Experiences

• Unit Configuration: • Separated phases are captured by a specially designed manifold at the end of the separation

chamber

• Vortex finder and annular space are designed for specifically operating conditions

• Therefore proper definition of the process objective and phase proportions must be properly

addressed for an adequate sizing of this piece

• If significant phase proportions changes are expected or unknown, then different manifolds can

be supplied along with the unit to adjust for process conditions on the field.

• Effluent streams: • Effluent streams: • Typically effluent stream from the Voraxial is about 2.5 – 5% in volume compared to the feed

• Effluent discharge is continuous

• Consequently care must be taken for adequately receiving and processing this stream on the

facility

• Arrangements of multiple units: • Among several alternatives, combinations of units in series for separation optimization of the

main stream or for reducing effluents flow rates are interesting choices to consider

• Chemical Treatment: • “Zero chemicals” separation processes do no exist on Planet Earth therefore chemical treatment

is important for achieving higher efficiencies

• The Voraxial can separate free oil or settleable solids, however when tight emulsions and / or

stabilized solids are present the process stream should be previously conditioned and assisted by

chemical treatment and / or heat to achieve optimal results

No Chemical Treatment

� High Turbidity

� Stabilized Solids floating

� Few settleable solids

With Chemical Treatment

� Floc Formation

� Fluid Clarification

� Settleable Solids

concentration

increase

Contact InformationTRANSEPARATION

Phone: (+54 11) 4858 0508

Email: info@transeparation.com

www.transeparation.comwww.transeparation.com

Enviro Voraxial Technology, Inc.

Phone: (954) 958-9968

Fax: (954) 958-8057

www.evtn.com

info@evtn.com