High pressure sand and asphaltene trap

Abstract

A high pressure trap for separating sand and asphaltene from a high pressure stream of oil includes a vessel having a longitudinal axis arranged substantially vertically; an oil inlet for introducing a high pressure stream of oil with entrained sand and asphaltene into the vessel; an impact plate in the vessel and arranged at the inlet so that the high pressure stream of oil impacts the plate such that the entrained sand and asphaltene separate from the stream and collect in a bottom portion of the vessel; and a chemical inlet at the bottom portion for introducing chemicals to contact separated sand and asphaltene in the bottom portion to facilitate removal of the separated sand and apshaltene from the vessel.

1 . A high pressure trap for separating sand and asphaltene from a high pressure stream of oil, comprising:
 a vessel having a longitudinal axis arranged substantially vertically;   an oil inlet for introducing a high pressure stream of oil with entrained sand and asphaltene into the vessel;   an impact plate in the vessel and arranged at the inlet so that the high pressure stream of oil impacts the plate such that the entrained sand and asphaltene separate from the stream and collect in a bottom portion of the vessel; and   a chemical inlet at the bottom portion for introducing chemicals to contact separated sand and asphaltene in the bottom portion to facilitate removal of the separated sand and apshaltene from the vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel comprises a substantially cylindrical vessel and the longitudinal axis is a central axis of the cylindrical vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion is substantially concave facing inward in the vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet is positioned in an upper portion of the vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising an outlet for separated oil, wherein the outlet is positioned in the upper portion of the vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising an outlet for separated sand and asphaltene at the bottom portion of the vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the impact plate extends downwardly from an upper inner surface of the vessel, past the oil inlet and toward the outlet for separated sand and asphaltene. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the impact plate is between the oil inlet and the outlet for separated oil. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a skirt extending downwardly from the vessel and a base at a lower end of the skirt for supporting the vessel. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a conduit is communicated with the chemical inlet and extends laterally from inside the skirt to outside the skirt through an opening in the skirt. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising an additional opening in the skirt to allow access to the bottom of the vessel and the chemical inlet. 
     
     
         12 . A method for separating sand and asphaltene from a high pressure stream of oil, comprising the steps of:
 feeding a high pressure stream of oil to a high pressure trap for separating sand and asphaltene entrained in the high pressure stream wherein the trap comprises:
 a vessel having a longitudinal axis arranged substantially vertically; 
 an oil inlet for introducing a high pressure stream of oil with entrained sand and asphaltene into the vessel; 
 an impact plate in the vessel and arranged at the inlet so that the high pressure stream of oil impacts the plate such that the entrained sand and asphaltene separate from the stream and collect in a bottom portion of the vessel; and 
 a chemical inlet at the bottom portion for introducing chemicals to contact separated sand and asphaltene in the bottom portion to facilitate removal of the separated sand and apshaltene from the vessel; 
   whereby oil substantially free of entrained sand and asphaltene exits an oil outlet of the trap; and   injecting chemicals through the chemical inlet to treat asphaltenes collected in the bottom of the vessel; and   removing sand and treated asphaltene from the bottom of the vessel.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the injecting and removing steps are carried out continuously. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of monitoring the bottom of the vessel and, when asphaltenes in the bottom of the vessel reach a predetermined level, carrying out the injecting and removing steps.