A high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator oil-water interface detection device

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of high-temperature produced liquid three-phase separator oil-water interface detection device, it is related to oil and gas exploitation technical field, including multiple settings in different height position's liquid receiving pipeline, liquid receiving manifold and pipeline sight glass. Each liquid receiving pipeline is communicated with three-phase separator by liquid receiving pipe, flat gate valve and ball valve, and different height liquid receiving pipeline is sequentially opened when operating, and fluid type is observed by pipeline sight glass, so as to determine oil-water interface position. The device adopts closed structure, and there is no external leakage in detection process, can effectively avoid the risk of scalding and hydrogen sulfide gas leakage risk of high-temperature produced liquid to operator;By directly visualizing judging fluid type, avoid the problem of misjudgment of traditional interface instrument due to small density difference of thick oil, serious emulsification, realize the high-precision, safe detection of oil-water interface, suitable for high-temperature, high-viscosity thick oil produced liquid separation measurement system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of oil and gas extraction technology, specifically to a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator oil-water interface detection device. Background Technology

[0002] In the development of heavy oil in oilfields, due to the high viscosity and poor fluidity of heavy oil, a three-phase separator is typically installed in the gathering and transportation process to perform preliminary separation and metering of oil, gas, and water in the produced fluid to meet the requirements of subsequent processing. The key to accurate metering by the three-phase separator lies in the precise control and detection of the oil-water interface position. The accurate detection of the oil-water interface position directly affects the metering accuracy and separation effect of crude oil production.

[0003] Currently, the most common method for detecting the oil-water interface in existing technologies is to install an oil-water interface meter in a three-phase separator. This meter determines the interface location by detecting the differences in the physical properties of the oil and water phases (such as density and conductivity differences). This detection method can achieve high accuracy for light crude oil or conventional crude oil with a large density difference that is easy to separate, and basically meets production needs.

[0004] However, in the actual development and production of heavy oil, existing oil-water interface detection technologies have the following technical problems: First, heavy oil has high viscosity and high density, and its density is relatively close to that of water, making it difficult for traditional interface analyzers to accurately identify it. Second, heavy oil easily forms a large number of emulsified oil layers during separation. The presence of this transition layer can cause the interface analyzer to produce erroneous readings of "false oil-water interface," seriously affecting the accuracy of measurement. Third, heavy oil extraction usually requires thermal extraction methods such as steam injection, resulting in high temperatures of the produced fluid, generally reaching 80-150℃. The high-temperature environment not only places higher demands on the stability of the detection instruments but also increases the risk of burns during manual inspection. In addition, some heavy oil reservoirs contain large amounts of toxic and harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S). If closed-loop operation cannot be achieved during manual sampling and inspection or maintenance, it will pose a serious threat to the health and safety of the operators.

[0005] Therefore, existing oil-water interface detection methods and devices have technical defects such as poor detection accuracy and high safety risks when dealing with heavy oil produced fluids that are high temperature, high viscosity, contain emulsified oil and toxic gases. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator oil-water interface detection device. By setting multiple liquid receiving pipelines at different heights and using pipeline sight glasses for sealed visual detection, the device can accurately identify and safely determine the oil-water interface of heavy oil produced fluid.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model employs the following technical solution: A high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator oil-water interface detection device includes: Multiple liquid receiving pipelines are provided, each of which is located at a different height. Each liquid receiving pipeline includes a liquid receiving pipe, a first valve, and a second valve. One end of the liquid receiving pipe is used to connect to a three-phase separator. A liquid receiving manifold is connected to the other end of each of the aforementioned liquid receiving pipes; a pipe sight glass is installed on the liquid receiving manifold for observing the type of fluid. The location of the oil-water interface is determined by sequentially opening liquid receiving pipes at different heights and observing the type of outflowing fluid through the pipe sight glass.

[0008] Furthermore, the plurality of liquid receiving pipes are distributed at a preset interval in the vertical direction, and the height difference between two adjacent liquid receiving pipes is set according to the oil-water interface detection accuracy requirements.

[0009] Furthermore: the first valve is a flat gate valve, and the second valve is a ball valve. The flat gate valve is located on the side near the three-phase separator, and the ball valve is located on the side near the liquid receiving manifold.

[0010] Furthermore: one end of the liquid receiving manifold is provided with a sampling port, and the other end is connected to the separator drainage system, and the pipe sight glass is provided at the end connected to the drainage system.

[0011] Furthermore: the sampling port includes a threaded tube plug, which is threadedly connected to the liquid receiving manifold.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a shut-off valve, which is disposed between the pipe sight glass and the sewage system.

[0013] Furthermore: the liquid receiving pipe is connected to the three-phase separator through a container interface flange, and the liquid receiving pipe, the first valve, the second valve, and the liquid receiving manifold are connected by flanges.

[0014] Furthermore, the diameter of the liquid receiving pipeline is 15mm to 48mm.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: I. This utility model directly acquires fluid samples at different heights within a three-phase separator by setting multiple liquid receiving pipelines at different heights. Visual observation and judgment are then performed through a pipe sight glass, enabling direct identification of the true fluid type. This direct observation detection method is unaffected by factors such as crude oil viscosity, density, and emulsification degree, effectively avoiding the problem of "false oil-water interfaces" caused by traditional interface analyzers due to the close density of heavy oil and water phases and the presence of a large amount of emulsified oil layers. This significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of oil-water interface detection.

[0016] Second, this utility model achieves fully closed-loop testing, with all fluids flowing within a closed pipeline system and observed through a pipe sight glass. After testing, the fluid is directly discharged into the separator's wastewater system. This closed-loop operation effectively avoids the risk of burns to operators from high-temperature produced fluid (80-150℃), while also preventing the leakage of toxic and harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide, thus ensuring the health and safety of operators.

[0017] Third, this invention does not rely on the physical property differences between the oil and water phases, but rather determines the fluid type through direct observation. Therefore, it is applicable to various types of crude oil, and is particularly effective for detecting high-viscosity, highly emulsified, and heavy oil produced fluids with small oil-water density differences. Furthermore, the diameter of the receiving pipe can be selected within the range of 15mm to 48mm, and the height difference between adjacent receiving pipes can be adjusted according to actual detection accuracy requirements, meeting the detection needs under different working conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to this utility model. In the picture: 1. Liquid inlet pipe; 2. Flat gate valve; 3. Ball valve; 4. Threaded pipe plug; 5. Liquid inlet manifold; 6. Shut-off valve; 7. Pipe sight glass; 8. Container interface flange. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0020] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0021] As attached Figure 1As shown, the high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator oil-water interface detection device provided by this utility model mainly includes multiple liquid receiving pipelines, a liquid receiving manifold 5, a pipeline sight glass 7, and other core components. Each liquid receiving pipeline consists of a liquid receiving pipe 1, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve is preferably a flat gate valve 2, and the second valve is preferably a ball valve 3. The flat gate valve 2 has good high-temperature and high-pressure resistance and is suitable for use as a main isolation valve; the ball valve 3 has the characteristics of rapid opening and closing and good sealing performance, which facilitates rapid control of fluid flow.

[0022] In practice, multiple liquid receiving pipelines are arranged at preset intervals along the vertical direction of the three-phase separator cylinder. (See attached...) Figure 1 As can be seen, these liquid-contacting pipes are arranged sequentially from left to right, with their height decreasing accordingly. The height difference between two adjacent liquid-contacting pipes can be flexibly set according to the required oil-water interface detection accuracy. For example, when higher detection accuracy is required, the height difference can be set to 50-100mm; when lower accuracy is required, the height difference can be set to 150-200mm. This adjustable design allows the device to adapt to detection needs under different operating conditions.

[0023] One end of the receiving pipe 1 is fixedly connected to the three-phase separator cylinder via a container interface flange 8, enabling communication with the internal space of the separator. The other end is connected to the receiving manifold 5 via a flange. The receiving manifold 5 serves as the collection channel for various fluids, and its structural design fully considers operational convenience and safety. One end of the receiving manifold 5 is equipped with a manual sampling port, which uses a threaded plug 4 and connects to the receiving manifold 5 via threads. When fluid sampling and analysis are required, the operator can easily unscrew the threaded plug 4 to take a sample.

[0024] The other end of the manifold 5 is connected to the separator's sludge discharge system, enabling closed-loop discharge of the fluid after testing. A sight glass 7 is installed at the end connected to the sludge discharge system. The sight glass 7 is made of high-temperature and high-pressure resistant tempered glass, capable of withstanding the working conditions of high-temperature produced fluid. Through this sight glass, operators can directly observe the type of fluid in the manifold and determine whether it is an oil phase or a water phase. To further improve operational safety and controllability, a shut-off valve 6 is also installed between the sight glass 7 and the sludge discharge system, used to disconnect the connection to the sludge discharge system when necessary.

[0025] The connections between components are mainly made using flange connections, including the connections between the liquid receiving pipe 1 and the flat gate valve 2, the flat gate valve 2 and the ball valve 3, the ball valve 3 and the liquid receiving manifold 5, the liquid receiving manifold 5 and the shut-off valve 6, and the shut-off valve 6 and the pipe sight glass 7. All connections are sealed by bolting the flanges together. This connection method not only ensures the system's sealing performance but also facilitates the installation, disassembly, and maintenance of the equipment.

[0026] The diameter of the liquid receiving pipeline can be selected according to the actual working conditions, usually in the range of 15mm to 48mm. For crude oil with low viscosity and good fluidity, a smaller pipe diameter such as 15-25mm can be selected; for heavy oil with high viscosity, a larger pipe diameter such as 32-48mm is recommended to ensure that the fluid can flow out smoothly.

[0027] In actual use, the operation method of this device is as follows: First, connect the entire device to the preset oil-water interface detection connection port of the three-phase separator via the container interface flange 8. When it is necessary to detect the oil-water interface position, the operator starts from the liquid receiving pipe at the highest position and opens the flat gate valve 2 and ball valve 3 on the pipe in sequence. At this time, the fluid at this height flows out under the pressure inside the separator, passes through the liquid receiving pipe 1 and the valve into the liquid receiving manifold 5, and finally flows through the pipe sight glass 7.

[0028] The operator observes the characteristics of the outflowing fluid through the sight glass 7 of the pipeline to determine whether it is an oil phase or a water phase. An oil phase is typically dark brown or blackish-brown and has a higher viscosity; a water phase is relatively clear and has good fluidity. After observation, the valve on that pipeline is closed, and then the valve on the receiving pipeline at the next higher elevation is opened, repeating the above observation process.

[0029] When the fluid at a certain height changes from oil to water or vice versa, the oil-water interface can be determined to be located between the heights of the two adjacent contact pipes. This step-by-step detection method allows for accurate location of the oil-water interface. After detection, all open valves are closed sequentially, and the fluid is discharged into the separator's drainage system through contact pipe 5.

[0030] It is particularly important to note that the entire testing process is completed within a closed system, preventing the leakage of high-temperature produced fluid and the escape of toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide, thus fully ensuring the safety of operators. Furthermore, because the fluid type is determined through direct observation, it is unaffected by factors such as crude oil viscosity and emulsification level. Even for heavy oil with a large emulsion layer, it can accurately identify the true oil-water interface location, effectively solving the "false oil-water interface" problem present in traditional interface analyzers.

[0031] When more detailed analysis of the fluid is required, a sample can be taken by unscrewing the threaded plug 4 on the liquid receiving manifold 5 and sending the sample to the laboratory for testing of indicators such as water content and density, providing more comprehensive data support for production operations.

[0032] This device has a simple structure, is easy to operate, provides accurate detection, and is safe and reliable. It is particularly suitable for detecting the oil-water interface of heavy oil produced fluids that are high temperature, high viscosity, and contain toxic gases. It has good engineering application value and prospects for promotion.

[0033] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this utility model, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this utility model and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this utility model. All equivalent transformations or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A device for detecting the oil-water interface in a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator, characterized in that, include: Multiple liquid receiving pipelines are provided, each of which is located at a different height. Each liquid receiving pipeline includes a liquid receiving pipe, a first valve, and a second valve. One end of the liquid receiving pipe is used to connect to a three-phase separator. A liquid receiving manifold is connected to the other end of each of the aforementioned liquid receiving pipes; a pipe sight glass is installed on the liquid receiving manifold for observing the type of fluid. The location of the oil-water interface is determined by sequentially opening liquid receiving pipes at different heights and observing the type of outflowing fluid through the pipe sight glass.

2. The oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple liquid receiving pipes are distributed vertically at a preset interval, and the height difference between two adjacent liquid receiving pipes is set according to the oil-water interface detection accuracy requirements.

3. The oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first valve is a flat gate valve, and the second valve is a ball valve. The flat gate valve is located on the side near the three-phase separator, and the ball valve is located on the side near the liquid receiving manifold.

4. The oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the liquid receiving manifold is provided with a sampling port, and the other end is connected to the separator drainage system. The pipe sight glass is located at the end connected to the drainage system.

5. The oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sampling port includes a threaded tube plug, which is threadedly connected to the liquid receiving manifold.

6. The oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a shut-off valve, which is located between the pipe sight glass and the sewage system.

7. The oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid receiving pipe is connected to the three-phase separator via a container interface flange, and the liquid receiving pipe, the first valve, the second valve, and the liquid receiving manifold are connected by flanges.

8. The oil-water interface detection device for a high-temperature produced fluid three-phase separator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the liquid receiving pipeline is 15mm to 48mm.

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