Method and Apparatus for Processing Fluid from a Well

Abstract

A method is for processing fluid from at least one well. A related apparatus has at least one separator which is arranged to receive production fluid from the well downstream from at least one wellhead. The separator is used to remove solids from the production fluid, to produce a cleaned fluid which travels downstream on a flow path from the separator through either or both of: a Christmas tree on the wellhead from which the separator receives the fluid; and a Christmas tree on another wellhead.

1 . A method of processing production fluid from at least one well, the well having a wellhead, the method comprising:
 (a) providing at least one separator, receiving the production fluid in the separator downstream from said wellhead, the production fluid travelling through a Christmas tree on said wellhead to the separator; and   (b) using the separator to remove solids from the production fluid, to produce a cleaned production fluid which travels downstream on a flow path from the separator through either or both of: the Christmas tree on said wellhead from which the separator receives the production fluid; and a production Christmas tree on another wellhead.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , which further includes using the separator to remove gas from the production fluid in order to produce the cleaned production fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , which further comprises cleaning the removed solids to remove contaminants so as to allow disposal. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cleaned production fluid from the separator travels through a well choke, and the method includes operating the choke on the cleaned production fluid downstream from the separator to control extraction of the fluid from the well. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes inserting a tube into the Christmas tree to provide the flow path. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for processing production fluid from at least one well, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one separator for receiving the production fluid from the well downstream from at least one wellhead, wherein the production fluid, in use, travels to the separator through a Christmas tree on the wellhead, the separator being operable for removing solids from said fluid for producing a cleaned production fluid; and   a flow path for the cleaned production fluid to travel downstream from the separator through either or both of: the Christmas tree on said wellhead from which the separator receives the production fluid; and a production Christmas tree on another wellhead.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the flow path is obtained by a tube inserted into the Christmas tree. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the Christmas tree has a bore through which production fluid can travel from the wellhead to the separator, and the tube comprises a bridge tube arranged to bridge radially across the bore such that the cleaned production fluid from the separator can pass through the bridge tube to exit the Christmas tree. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the Christmas tree has a service wing and a production wing and the bridge tube is inserted to span between respective bores of the service and production wings for allowing the cleaned production fluid from the separator to pass through the bridge tube and exit the Christmas tree from the production wing. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the bridge tube can be removed from operation if required for allowing full diameter access to the well through an access bore of the Christmas tree. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising an actuator configured to be mounted to the Christmas tree for inserting the bridge tube into the access bore for operation, or retracting the bridge tube from operation so as not to obstruct the access bore. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the Christmas tree has a vertical access bore for accessing the well from above, and the tube is inserted along the access bore. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a stinger which includes the tube, the stinger being arranged to deliver the tube into position inside the Christmas tree. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said tube is an inner tube of the stinger and is removable from an outer tube of the stinger for removing the inner tube from the Christmas tree and allowing full diameter access to the access bore of the Christmas tree through the outer tube. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the inner tube is arranged to be fished out of the stinger by deploying fishing equipment. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein at least one tank of the separator is mounted to a body on top of the Christmas tree on the wellhead from which the separator receives the production fluid, so as to be supported thereupon. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a body having a vertical bore, the body being arranged to mate with the Christmas tree so that the vertical bore of the body is aligned with a vertical bore of the Christmas tree for production fluid from the well to travel to the separator through the bore. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the separator is mounted to the body. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the body comprises a riser, or is arranged to connect with a riser, the riser being connected to the Christmas tree so that production fluid from the well can travel through a section of the riser, to the separator to clean the production fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the riser is an intervention riser, the apparatus being configured to allow access to the well through the riser to perform an intervention, in an intervention mode, if desired. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising a tube of a stinger arranged to be provided along a bore of the Christmas tree or a tube for bridging across a bore of the Christmas tree, wherein the tube is removable out of operation, to allow an intervention to be performed with full diameter access through the bore in the intervention mode. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising either or both of an emergency shut down valve and a well choke along the flow path downstream from the separator. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a hub in which is mounted any one or more of:
 at least one tank of the separator; an emergency shut down valve; a well choke; and at least one connecting body for mating with the Christmas tree for either or both conveying fluid from the well to the separator and supporting at least partially the weight of the hub upon the Christmas tree.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the separator comprises a de-sander. 
     
     
         25 . A method of using an apparatus for processing production fluid from at least one well, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one separator for receiving the production fluid from the well downstream from at least one wellhead, wherein the production fluid, in use, travels to the separator through a Christmas tree on the wellhead, the separator being operable for removing solids from said fluid for producing a cleaned production fluid; and   a flow path for the cleaned production fluid to travel downstream from the separator through either or both of: the Christmas tree on said wellhead from which the separator receives the production fluid; and a production Christmas tree on another wellhead, the method comprising:   providing the flow path; and   processing production fluid using the apparatus by:
 receiving the production fluid in the separator; 
 operating the separator to remove solids from the production fluid to produce cleaned production fluid; and 
   letting the cleaned production fluid from the separator travel downstream via the provided flow path.   
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the flow path is provided by inserting a tube into the Christmas tree. 
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the tube is inserted by inserting a stinger into a vertical bore of the Christmas tree. 
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 27  wherein the tube is inserted by inserting a bridge tube across a bore of the Christmas tree. 
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the production fluid is received in the separator by opening a valve to direct the production fluid from the Christmas tree to the separator. 
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the production fluid travels downstream by opening an exit line from the separator. 
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 25 , which further comprises:
 halting the processing of the production fluid;   removing the flow path to allow full bore access through a vertical bore of the Christmas tree; and   performing an intervention or drilling operation in the well by delivering equipment through the vertical bore and into the well while the separator remains in place.   
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the flow path is removed by removing or moving an inserted tube from the vertical bore of the Christmas tree, and wherein the equipment is delivered into the well via the vertical bore. 
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 31 , which, after the intervention or drilling operation has been performed and the equipment has been removed, further comprises re-establishing the flow path for cleaned production fluid to travel downstream from the separator; and re-commencing the processing of production fluid from the well using the separator.