Treatment of crude oil from a well including extraction of particulates therefrom

Abstract

In a method of crude oil production where at a well head a mixture of particulates, crude oil and water is produced for storing in a production tank for settlement of the mixture in to the constituent parts for separate extraction from the tank or the mixture is pumped though a pipeline to a remote location, the mixture is transferred from the well head to the production tank or to the pipeline through a transfer duct in which an initial separation of the mixture is caused by heating material in the duct by a surrounding jacket and by running an auger flight with a ribbon flight in the duct which carries the particulate materials along the duct for discharge.

1 . A method of crude oil production comprising: 
 producing at a well head a mixture of particulates, crude oil and water;    storing the mixture in a production tank for settlement of the mixture in to the constituent parts for separate extraction from the tank;    transferring the mixture from the well head to the production tank through a transfer duct;    and while transferring the mixture, commencing an initial separation of the mixture.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein heat is applied to the mixture as it is transferred.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the heat is applied by a jacket surrounding a transfer duct through which the material passes.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein the transfer duct is of large diameter to increase dwell time.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein the transfer duct is at least 12 inches in diameter.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein the transfer duct contains an auger flight.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the auger flight is rotated in a direction to move the particulate materials in a direction toward the tank d.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the auger flight has a variable pitch.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the auger flight has at least a section with a ribbon flight.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein the transfer duct is divided into two paths at its end at the tank for feeding a lighter section including the crude oil through an upper path and a heavier section including the water through a lower path.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the upper path includes a heat exchanger for receiving heat from the stack gases of the heater.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the transfer duct includes a gas vent which is located at the tank so that gases are released from the stream above the liquid level to avoid discharging bubbles into the liquid which can cause circulating currents which can interfere with the settlement within the production tank.  
   
   
       13 . A method of crude oil production comprising: 
 producing at a well head a mixture of particulates, crude oil and water;    storing the mixture in a production tank for settlement of the mixture in to the constituent parts for separate extraction from the tank;    transferring the mixture from the well head to the production tank through a transfer duct;    and while transferring the mixture in the duct, heating the mixture.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein heat is applied to the mixture in the duct sufficiently to avoid the requirement for heating in the tank.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein material from the tank is circulated through the transfer duct and back to the tank to avoid the requirement for heating in the tank.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the heat is applied by a jacket surrounding a transfer duct through which the material passes.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the duct is of large diameter to increase dwell time.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the duct is at least 12 inches in diameter.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the transfer duct contains an auger flight.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the auger flight is rotated in a direction to move the particulate materials in a direction opposite to the flow toward the tank so as to move the particulate materials to a discharge adjacent the well head end.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the auger flight has a variable pitch.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the auger flight has at least a section with a ribbon flight.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the transfer duct is divided into two paths at its end at the tank for feeding a lighter section including the crude oil through an upper path and a heavier section including the water through a lower path.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 23  wherein the upper path includes a heat exchanger for receiving heat from the stack gases of the heater.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the transfer duct includes a gas vent which is located at the tank so that gases are released from the stream above the liquid level to avoid discharging bubbles into the liquid which can cause circulating currents which can interfere with the settlement within the production tank.  
   
   
       26 . A method of crude oil production comprising: 
 providing a mixture of particulates, crude oil and water;    transferring the mixture through a transfer duct;    while transferring the mixture in the duct, heating the mixture;    and providing an auger flight in the duct operable to carry the particulate materials to one end of the duct for discharge, while the crude oil and water flow along the duct.    
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the heat is applied by a jacket surrounding a pipe through which the material passes.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the duct is of large diameter to increase dwell time.  
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the duct is at least 12 inches in diameter.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the transfer duct contains an auger flight.  
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the auger flight is rotated in a direction to move the particulate materials in the same direction as the flow.  
   
   
       32 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the auger flight has a variable pitch.  
   
   
       33 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the auger flight has at least a section with a ribbon flight.  
   
   
       34 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the auger flight is arranged to form a plug of the particulate material, a part of which is periodically released by a valve.  
   
   
       35 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the transfer duct transfers the mixture to a pump and a pipe line for transferring the mixture to a remote location.  
   
   
       36 . The method according to  claim 35  wherein the particulate material is discharged from the transfer duct prior to the pump.