US20140020775A1

US20140020775A1 - Manifold battery for hydrocarbon fields

Info

Publication number: US20140020775A1
Application number: US14/039,245
Authority: US
Inventors: Cristian Javier Iboldi; Carlos Andres Maeda; Norberto Osvaldo Rodriguez; Juan Alberto Ignacio Churrarin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-03-05
Filing date: 2013-09-27
Publication date: 2014-01-23

Abstract

A manifold battery for hydrocarbon fields has an entrance manifold which is connected to a plurality of separators which are operatively connected through ducts and valve sets, with gas storage devices and a pair of circulating pumps. A purging chamber is also provided which is connected to the storage devices and to the separators. An auxiliary tank reduces the adverse impact to the environment, accidents, dangers and consequential risks of flammable, toxic and damaging substances concentration, as well as reducing the operative times and the related costs.

Description

This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from prior Argentine Patent Application No. 2013 010713, filed Mar. 5, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of means or dispositions employed for the temporary storage and treatment of hydrocarbons, more particularly, it refers to a manifold battery that, unlike traditional batteries, reduces the impact on the environment, the consequential accidents, dangers and risks of the flammable, toxic and damaging substances concentration, as well as the operative times and connected costs.
Even when the present description refers more particularly to the technical and commercial advantages of its implementation as a manifold battery for hydrocarbon fields, it is clear that its use accommodates the pertinent environmental safety rules and cooperates with awareness for the environment.

BACKGROUND

In order to better understand the purpose and scope of the present invention, it is convenient to describe the current state of the art regarding the traditional manifold tanks or batteries used and the drawbacks that occur.
Manifold batteries are well known in the field of the art and it is well known that they receive the oil extracted from the wells, to treat the same in a first stage prior to its refining process. A battery is generally used in small plants constituted by a collector or “manifold”, such as it is known in the art, provided in the battery entrance to be connected to the plurality of wells available in the place, and to receive the oil which is simultaneously extracted from them. In turn, it is known that the oil comes accompanied by gas and water, among other components, for which a gas separator, a pair of heaters, a plurality of general production tanks (160 m3) and control tanks (40 m3), some pumps, flowmeters, liquid separators, etc. are provided. Thus, the oil, the water and the natural gas coming from the wells flow are separated in the mentioned tanks and separated by diverse methods, subsequently being prepared for the following treatments or purposes.
In addition, the storage tanks are designed to store and handle great oil and gas volumes, being generally of big dimensions. The storage constitutes a valuable element in the exploitation of hydrocarbon services since it acts as a core zone between production and/or transportation to absorb the consumption variations. Known tanks comprise a cylindrical form with a flat bottom, vaulted top structure, being floating some times, so as to avoid flammable gas accumulation within them. The tanks may be or not be provided with a heating system.
On the other hand, in case an extremely dangerous defect or drawback in the mentioned tanks occurs, there will be a containment pool surrounding each of them, in order for a rapid evacuation so as not to damage and impact the environment.
However, the batteries' infrastructure demands high economic investments. This occurs since the conditions in which both the oil and the gas have to be stored in such storage tanks are quite specific and, consequently, the materials used for their construction present very high costs. In turn, due to safety matters, such pools surrounding each of the tanks are built, leading to an additional cost. To this, the costs for the periodic controls carried out are added, as well as the facilities maintenance, more particularly the storage tanks, which generate high costs for the use of heavy machinery and time loss, which could be used to optimize production. So, the purchase, assembly, installation and maintenance of the storage tanks generate high costs which very few companies may bear.
On the other hand, tanks which comprise big dimensions, store a great amount of oil and gas that may be dangerous in the event that they are not in optimal conditions, and due to various reasons, leaks or other types of drawbacks that occur endangering operators, the production zone and especially the environment.
Considering the current state of the art available for manifold batteries, it would be advantageous to have a new manifold battery, constituted and constructed to reduce the impact on the environment, the accidents, dangers and consequential risks of the flammable, toxic and damaging substances concentration, as well as the operative times and the connected costs.
Therefore, it is one of the purposes of the present invention to provide a new manifold battery which is constituted and constructed to reduce the impact on the environment, the accidents, dangers and consequential risks of the flammable, toxic and damaging substances concentration, as well as the operative times and the connected costs.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a manifold battery which reduces the costs, as well as, the generation, accumulation and release of gases, thus achieving a greater operative security.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a manifold battery which adjusts to the needs of individual circumstances, being able to adapt as a mobile battery to measure the wells, either in marginal, new or distant fields.
Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide a manifold battery that reduces the environmental impact.

SUMMARY

In keeping with one aspect of the present invention, a manifold battery for hydrocarbon fields includes an entrance manifold which connects to a plurality of separators, which are operatively interconnected through ducts and valve sets, with a disposition of gas storage devices and a set of circulating pumps. A purging chamber connects to the storage devices and separators. The manifold battery has three-way valves connected to at least a general line and at least a control line. The separators are connected to the general and control lines, and include at least two control separators and at least two general separators are connected among themselves, providing an auxiliary tank connected to those separators and to those circulating pumps through the respective ducts and valve sets, wherein one of the gas storage devices is a reserve gas vessel for instruments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding and clarity of the present invention purpose, the same has been illustrated in a unique drawing, in which the invention has been represented in one of the preferred performance forms, all at the example title, where:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the present manifold battery.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a new manifold battery for hydrocarbon fields is constituted and constructed to significantly reduce adverse impact on the environment, avoid gas accumulation which may endanger the facility and operators, and particularly reduce the operative costs and times.
The manifold battery for hydrocarbon fields of the present invention includes an entrance collector or “manifold” 1 constituted by a three-way valve disposition which present at least a general line 1A and at least two control lines 1B and 1C, being interconnected to a plurality of separators by means of an entrance valve set 2A, 2A′ and 2A″ respectively. All the production of a determined field derives to such three-way valve disposition, where the complete production flows through the general line 1A, while the control lines 1B and 1C are used to evaluate the individual production of a determined well.
The plurality of separators includes at least two general separators 3A and at least two control separators 3B. That is why the hydrocarbons coming from the manifold 1 through the general line 1A pass through the entrance valves 2A and enter the general separators 3A, while the hydrocarbons flowing through the control lines 1B and 1C, pass through the valves 2A′ and 2A″ respectively, and enter the control separators 3B. In the general 3A and control 3B separators, hydrocarbons are separated by decantation, remaining in the liquid phase in the bottom zone of them, while the gaseous phase is in the upper one. Once the general 3A and control 3B separators have accumulated a pre-established level, the opening of one of the control 2B valves occurs for the case of separators 3A, and of one of the control valves 2B′ and 2B″ for the case of 3B separators, respectively, so as to send the fluid to a discharge line 4, towards a circulating pump set 5. In addition, the gas is evacuated from a set of exit valves 2C in the case of general separators 3A, while it is evacuated from control separators 3B by a set of exit valves 2C′ and 2C″, towards a gas storage disposition device.
Referring again to the circulation pumps 5, the same comprise a first operation pump 5A and a second auxiliary pump 5B, where both circulating pumps are the type comprising a double effect piston, with a flow of at least 185 m3/h minimum at a maximum labor pressure of 75 kg/cm2, and a minimum suction pressure of at least 1 Kg/cm2. The circulating pump 5A operates in a constant manner, evacuating the production, while, such circulation pump 5B begins operating when pump 5A is under preventive maintenance and/or under eventual fault.
In regards to the gas storage devices, they include a gas separator 6 which allows the elimination of the liquid existing in the gas coming from the separators 3A and 3B, a burning ditch 6A and a reserve gas vessel for instruments 6B which feeds the facility instruments with gas. That is how gas evacuates from the separators 3A and 3B, passes primarily through a gas measuring bridge, and then resides in the gas separator 6 and/or in the burning ditch 6A and/or in the reserve gas vessel 6B.
The excess gas is evacuated and directed to related motor compressor stations or treatment plants by means of a valve 6C. In addition, the mentioned gas measuring bridge has a first pneumatic valve 6D and a second pneumatic relief or venting valve 6E. The first valve 6D is connected to the general gas separator 6, while said second valve 6E is connected to the burning ditch 6A. The latter is activated in case the pressure is higher than that established in the event of the gas pipeline break.
It should be pointed out that the liquid that is separated from the gas within the gas separator 6, is purged and discharged through a valve 6F towards a purging chamber 7, which receives all of the purges of all the process elements through the purging lines 4A and which have an emergency pool and a level indicator. Generally, the gas captured in the batteries is for consumption, as heater fuel, explosion motors, instrument gas, while the excess gas is destined for sale.
The manifold battery is provided with an auxiliary tank 8 connected to the separators 3A and 3B, and to the circulation pumps 5A and 5B, through the respective ducts and valve sets, where it has at least one entrance valve 8A, a pneumatic control valve 8B, at least an overflow pipe 11 and a pneumatic controller configured with a pressure lower than the separators' working pressure. It is then that, in the case of fault in the facility, either by the separators or by the pumps, the hydrocarbon production enters the tank 8, through the entrance valve 8A which is activated by the pneumatic controller. When such production reaches a determined level within the tank 8, it sends a signal to a remote terminal unit “RTU”, which controls the opening of the pneumatic valve 8B and the closing of a pneumatic valve located between the pumps 5A and 5B. The remote terminal unit RTU is of the type that performs the collection of the information supplied by the sensors connected to the process, the command of final control elements and the communication with a control center. Thus, pump 5B starts operating so that it evacuates the tank production 8. On reaching a vacuum pre-established height level, it should close the pneumatic valve 8B and stop pump 5B. In the event that the tank 8 overflows, there is an overflowing pipe 11 provided with a pneumatic valve and a level sensor which opens and evacuates the production to the purging chamber 7 through the purging line 4A, avoiding in this way leaks in the facility zones and the consequential environmental impact.
On the other hand, each general separator 3A has a level sensor 12 which acts when the interface level exceeds the point established activating the entrance pneumatic valve 2A, closing and diverting the production to the other general separator 3A. Moreover, it has a pressure sensor 13 which acts when the working pressure declines, activating the entrance pneumatic valve 2A so that it closes and directs the production to the other general separator 3A. In the event of fault in both general separators 3A, either by level or by pressure, production is diverted to the tank 8 through a relief valve 10 that acts by pressure. In fact, each control separator 3B also has a level sensor 14 which acts when the interface level exceeds the established point, activating a three way pneumatic valve which delivers the production through the individual line and through the general separators 3A entrance. It also has a pressure sensor 15 which, when the separator working pressure 3B is under the established point, activates the three way pneumatic valve closing the same, passing the production by individual line and by general separators entrance line. It may be pointed out that each of the separators 3A and 3B are provided with a level controller 16, a sensor and pressure transmitter 17 and principally with a continuous level controller 18, which prevents the pumps 5A or 5B from working in fault or being stopped due to fault of a minimum flow. In the event that all of the general separators 3B and control separators 3B start working in fault, control separators 3B production is diverted through valves 2A′ and 2A″ to the entrance line of the general separators 3A and afterwards, starting from them, diverting to tank 8 through relief valve 10.
It is thus that the hydrocarbons coming from the wells are primarily delivered to the battery through collector 1 which allows delivering them to different separators, having two control separators 3B and two general separators 3A, where the control separators 3B allow determining the individual production of each well by mass sensor meters. In the general separators 3A, the general production is passed and the liquid phase is separated from the gaseous phase by densities difference, where the gaseous phase is directed to the gas pipeline or gas separator 6 and the liquid phase is discharged to a suction pipe or discharge line 4 which otherwise goes directly to pumps 5A or 5B, which send the previously separated oil to the crude treatment plant.
Thus, the manifold battery of the present invention reduces the impact to the environment, preventing gas accumulation which may endanger the facility or the operators, due to the fact that it prevents the use of the usual storage tanks in the traditional batteries, reduces the purchase, assembly and maintenance costs, and notoriously optimizes the operative times.

Claims

1. A manifold battery for hydrocarbon fields comprising:

an entrance manifold connected to a plurality of separators, which are operatively interconnected through valve ducts and valve sets,

a gas storage device and a set of circulating pumps, and

a purging chamber connected to said storage device and said separators, and

an auxiliary tank connected to said separators and to said circulating pumps through the respective ducts and valves sets, and

wherein said manifold comprises a three-way valve disposition which present at least a general line and at least a control line,

said plurality of separators is connected to said general and control lines, and comprises at least two control separators and at least two general separators connected among themselves,

wherein at least one of said gas storage devices is a reserve gas vessel for instruments.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein since each of said control and general separators are connected to entrance valves and to control valves.

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein said control and general separators are provided with outlet valves and a relief valve.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein said control separators have a level sensor, a pressure sensor and a mass sensor, while said general separators have at least a level sensor and a pressure sensor.

5. The battery of claim 4, wherein said control separators and general separators have a level controller, a sensor, a pressure transmitter, and a continuous level controller.

6. The battery of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary tank is provided with at least an entrance valve, a pneumatic control valve, at least an overflow pipe and a pneumatic controller configured with a pressure lower than the separators working pressure.

7. The battery of claim 1, wherein said gas storage devices also comprise a gas general separator which is connected to said purging chamber and to said gas vessel by means of a gas measuring bridge.

8. The battery of claim 7, wherein said gas measuring bridge comprises a first pneumatic valve and a second relief or venting pneumatic valve, said first valve being connected to said gas general separator, while said second valve is connected to a burning ditch.

9. The battery according of claim 1, wherein said circulating pumps comprise a first operating pump and a second auxiliary pump.

10. The battery according of claim 9, wherein said circulating pumps comprise a double effect piston, with a flow of at least 185 m3/h at a minimum maximum working pressure of 75 kg/cm2, and a minimum suction pressure of at least 1 Kg/cm2.