Hydrocyclones: A Solution to Produced-Water Treatment

Abstract

Summary Progressing into deeper water and more hostile environments in the search for new oil and gas reserves has placed an increasing demand on the industry to develop lighter, more compact, and more efficient process equipment to replace their traditional counterparts. A recent application of cyclone technology for liquid/liquid separation of oil from produced water has shown considerable promise during extensive field testing. This paper outlines the basic construction and principle of operation of the deoiling hydrocyclone and discusses system design, early operational experiences, and test results from the first full-scale commercial application of the four-in-one hydrocyclone concept on the Murchison platform. In addition, and of perhaps more significance, early results from field tests of the larger 60-mm [2.4-in.] cyclones on the Hutton tension leg platform (TLP), where conventional equipment was adversely affected by platform motion, are discussed.