Methods and apparatus for separating gases and liquids from natural gas wellhead effluent

Patent · Tue Oct 14 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5050978

Heath, R T

A system is described for processing relatively low volume natural gas wellhead effluent to separate heavy end hydrocarbon and water constituents from light end hydrocarbon constituents. This system produces 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 comprises: 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; compressor means connected to the primary separator means for receiving a stream of relatively low pressure gaseous hydrocarbons from the primary separator means; heat exchanger means mounted in the primary separator means for receiving a stream of compressed heated gaseous hydrocarbons; cooler means connected to the heat exchanger means for receiving the stream of compressed heated gaseous hydrocarbons from the heat exchanger means; two phase relatively high pressure secondary separator means connected to the cooler means for receiving the stream of reduced temperature relatively high pressure compressed gaseous hydrocarbons; gas pipe line outlet means for delivering the body of sales gas hydrocarbons to a sales gas pipe line; liquid hydrocarbon collection tank means, being connected to the primary separator means; and condensate storage tank means connected to the primary separator means for receiving liquid hydrocarbons from the primary separator means.

• Assignee: NOV; NOV-85-029629; EDB-86-190584
• Patent Number(s): US 4617030
• OSTI ID: 5050978
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
032000 -- Natural Gas-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
COMPRESSION
COMPRESSORS
CONTAINERS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS COMPRESSORS
GAS FUELS
GAS HYDRATES
GASES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDRATES
HYDROCARBONS
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PIPELINES
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
PROCESSING
RECYCLING
REMOVAL
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
STORAGE FACILITIES
TANKS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRANSPORT
WATER REMOVAL
WELLHEADS
WELLS