Conventional gas-liquid separators are vessel-type with simple level and pressure control since the residence time is large. Compact gas-liquid separators, such as gas-liquid cylindrical cyclone (GLCC©—gas-liquid cylindrical cyclone—copyright, University of Tulsa, 1994), have emerged recently as alternatives to reduce size and increase separation efficiency for onshore, offshore, and subsea applications. As compared with the vessel-type separators, compact separators are simple, low-cost, low-weight, require little maintenance and are easy to install and operate. However, the residence time of the GLCC is very small. Consequently, it can be destabilized easily due to high flow variations at the inlet, for example, slugging, without the aid of fast and accurate control systems. In the past, lack of understanding of control system dynamics and design tools has prevented this technology from fast field deployment. The objective of this study is to present a review of the compact gas-liquid separator (GLCC) control technology. This includes the development of control strategies, control system design, dynamic simulation, experimental investigation, and field applications. The performance of compact gas-liquid separator (GLCC) strongly depends on the liquid level and/or separating pressure. In this investigation, several control strategies have been presented for field applications of gas-liquid compact separators. Especially, an optimal control strategy was developed for handling slug flow and optimizing the system performance in terms of reduced or eliminated liquid carry-over or gas carry-under. The developed strategies have been used for the design of several hundreds of GLCC applications, currently in operation in the field. Details of some of these applications are also presented. This study provides the state-of-the-art of gas-liquid compact separator control technology from the laboratory to the field.
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September 2010
Research Papers
The State-of-the-Art of Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Control Technology: From Laboratory to Field
Shoubo Wang
Dr. Shoubo Wang is a Senior Research Associate at the Tulsa Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), University of Tulsa, since 2001. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D degrees in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tulsa and his B.Sc. degree from University of Petroleum, China. Wang conducts research in the areas of multiphase flow in pipes, multiphase compact separators, process control, and instrumentation. Wang has numerous publications in the areas of multiphase separation, process control and instrumentation. He currently serves as technical editor for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Journal—“SPE Production and Facilities.”
Shoubo Wang
The University of Tulsa
, 800 S Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104
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Luis Gomez
Dr. Luis Gomez is a Senior Research Associate at Tulsa Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), University of Tulsa, since 2001. He received his Ph.D and M.Sc. degrees in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Tulsa and his B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Los Andes, Venezuela. Gomez teaches and conducts research in the area of modeling multiphase flow in pipes and its application in the oil/water/sand and gas production, transportation, and separation. He has served as a faculty member of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Los Andes from 1991 to 1995. Gomez is member of Sigma Xi, SPE, and ASME.
Luis Gomez
The University of Tulsa
, 800 S Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104
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Ram Mohan
Dr. Ram S. Mohan is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tulsa. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from University of Kentucky and his B.Sc. (Engineering) degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Kerala, India. Dr. Mohan teaches and conducts research in the areas of multiphase flow, instrumentation and measurements, control system design, compact separators, system optimization, and oil-water dispersion. He serves as the co-director of Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), supported by several oil companies. Mohan directs several projects supported by the Chevron TU Center of Research Excellence (TU-CoRE) and an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Ram Mohan
The University of Tulsa
, 800 S Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104
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Ovadia Shoham
Dr. Ovadia Shoham is F.M. Stevenson Distinguished Presidential Chair Professor of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Tulsa. He received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University and his M.S. and B.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston and the Technion in Israel. Since 1994 Dr. Shoham directs the Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), conducting research on compact separators. Shoham has authored or co-authored more than 90 publications in the areas of multiphase flow, multiphase separation, and production operations. Recently Shoham published a book on Mechanistic Modeling of Gas-Liquid Flow by SPE. Shoham is a recipient of the 2003 SPE Production and Operation award.
Ovadia Shoham
The University of Tulsa
, 800 S Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104
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Gene Kouba
Dr. Gene E. Kouba is a research consultant in Chevron Energy Technology Company (ETC) and a member of ETC’s Advanced Production Systems Team. His technical expertise is measurement and simulation of multiphase flow. Dr. Kouba currently manages Chevron’s participation in the Tulsa University Separations Technology JIP. His recent efforts have resulted in analysis of multiphase measurement uncertainty and improvements in gas/liquid cyclone separation. Kouba received B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University, Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa and currently holds memberships in SPE, ASME, and Sigma Xi.
Gene Kouba
Chevron Energy Technology Company
, 1400 Smith Street, Houston, TX 77002
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Jack Marrelli
Dr. Jack Marrelli received his Ph.D. (Biol.-Engineering -Electrical and Neurophysiology) and his M.S. and B.Sc. (electrical engineering) from the University of Connecticut. Following appointments with the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation Foreign Exchange Scholar program, and the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Marrelli joined the oil industry with Getty in 1982, then Texaco and now Chevron. Dr. Marrelli is a specialist in multiphase systems and is an inventor of microwave watercut and multiphase meters and process control systems. His work includes 27 U.S. patents and over 40 publications including brain science, genetic engineering, microwave engineering, process control, and multiphase measurement systems.
Jack Marrelli
Chevron Energy Technology Company
, 1400 Smith Street, Houston, TX 77002
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Shoubo Wang
Dr. Shoubo Wang is a Senior Research Associate at the Tulsa Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), University of Tulsa, since 2001. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D degrees in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tulsa and his B.Sc. degree from University of Petroleum, China. Wang conducts research in the areas of multiphase flow in pipes, multiphase compact separators, process control, and instrumentation. Wang has numerous publications in the areas of multiphase separation, process control and instrumentation. He currently serves as technical editor for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Journal—“SPE Production and Facilities.”
Luis Gomez
Dr. Luis Gomez is a Senior Research Associate at Tulsa Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), University of Tulsa, since 2001. He received his Ph.D and M.Sc. degrees in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Tulsa and his B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Los Andes, Venezuela. Gomez teaches and conducts research in the area of modeling multiphase flow in pipes and its application in the oil/water/sand and gas production, transportation, and separation. He has served as a faculty member of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Los Andes from 1991 to 1995. Gomez is member of Sigma Xi, SPE, and ASME.
Ram Mohan
Dr. Ram S. Mohan is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tulsa. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from University of Kentucky and his B.Sc. (Engineering) degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Kerala, India. Dr. Mohan teaches and conducts research in the areas of multiphase flow, instrumentation and measurements, control system design, compact separators, system optimization, and oil-water dispersion. He serves as the co-director of Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), supported by several oil companies. Mohan directs several projects supported by the Chevron TU Center of Research Excellence (TU-CoRE) and an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Ovadia Shoham
Dr. Ovadia Shoham is F.M. Stevenson Distinguished Presidential Chair Professor of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Tulsa. He received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University and his M.S. and B.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston and the Technion in Israel. Since 1994 Dr. Shoham directs the Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP), conducting research on compact separators. Shoham has authored or co-authored more than 90 publications in the areas of multiphase flow, multiphase separation, and production operations. Recently Shoham published a book on Mechanistic Modeling of Gas-Liquid Flow by SPE. Shoham is a recipient of the 2003 SPE Production and Operation award.
Gene Kouba
Dr. Gene E. Kouba is a research consultant in Chevron Energy Technology Company (ETC) and a member of ETC’s Advanced Production Systems Team. His technical expertise is measurement and simulation of multiphase flow. Dr. Kouba currently manages Chevron’s participation in the Tulsa University Separations Technology JIP. His recent efforts have resulted in analysis of multiphase measurement uncertainty and improvements in gas/liquid cyclone separation. Kouba received B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University, Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa and currently holds memberships in SPE, ASME, and Sigma Xi.
Jack Marrelli
Dr. Jack Marrelli received his Ph.D. (Biol.-Engineering -Electrical and Neurophysiology) and his M.S. and B.Sc. (electrical engineering) from the University of Connecticut. Following appointments with the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation Foreign Exchange Scholar program, and the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Marrelli joined the oil industry with Getty in 1982, then Texaco and now Chevron. Dr. Marrelli is a specialist in multiphase systems and is an inventor of microwave watercut and multiphase meters and process control systems. His work includes 27 U.S. patents and over 40 publications including brain science, genetic engineering, microwave engineering, process control, and multiphase measurement systems.
J. Energy Resour. Technol. Sep 2010, 132(3): 032701 (9 pages)
Published Online: September 29, 2010
Article history
Received:
March 27, 2005
Revised:
January 29, 2010
Online:
September 29, 2010
Published:
September 29, 2010
