Surface production operations. Volume 1. Design of oil-handling systems and facilities / Поверхностные производственные процессы. Выпуск 1. Проектирование систем и сооружений для перекачки нефти

The job of a production facility is to separate the well stream into three components, typically called "phases" (oil, gas, and water), and process these phases into some marketable product(s) or dispose of them in an environmentally acceptable manner. In mechanical devices called "separators" gas is flashed from the liquids and "free water" is separated from the oil. These steps remove enough light hydrocarbons to produce a stable crude oil with the volatility (vapor pressure) to meet sales criteria. Figures 1-1 and 1-2 show typical separators used to separate gas from liquid or water from oil. Separators can be either horizontal or vertical in configuration <...>