Skid mounted oil well production processing system

Abstract

A modular skid mounted oil production system, comprising multiple skid sections that are connectable via alignment pins coupled to the skid beam structure. The alignment pins having a fork connector that is connected to a knife connector. When the skid sections are connected, the piping, electrical, and pneumatic tubing connectors are connectable to the other corresponding skid piping, electrical, and pneumatic tubing connectors without the need for welding or field construction of connecting components. The modular skid oil production system is capable of expansion or contraction as required by the operation of the system. For example the system includes removing a skid section having a larger separator and replacing it with a skid section having a smaller separator, without the need of welding or field construction of connecting components.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A skid mounted integrated petroleum separation system comprising:
 a. a horizontally oriented separator with a ventral side connected to a dorsal side of a skid, the horizontally oriented separator with a separator body further comprising:
 i. a proximally oriented wellhead fluid inlet extending from outside the separator body to inside the separator body; 
 ii. an inlet diverter within the separator body positioned distally from the wellhead fluid inlet; 
 iii. a sand weir plate within the separator body positioned distally to the inlet diverter; 
 iv. an oil weir within the separator body positioned distally to the sand weir; 
 v. a sand drain proximal to the sand weir; 
 vi. a water drain proximal to the oil weir and distal to the sand weir; 
 vii. an oil drain distal to the oil weir; and 
 viii. a sand level measuring device proximal to the sand weir; and 
   b. a skid with a dorsal side mounted to the ventral side of the horizontally oriented separator.   
     
     
         2 . The skid mounted integrated petroleum separation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sand leg discharge pipe connected to the sand drain. 
     
     
         3 . The skid mounted integrated petroleum separation system of  claim 1 , further comprising water draining piping connected to the water drain. 
     
     
         4 . The skid mounted integrated petroleum separation system of  claim 2 , further comprising a vortex flow meter connected to the water draining piping. 
     
     
         5 . The skid mounted integrated petroleum separation system of  claim 2 , further comprising a liquid control valve connected to the water draining piping. 
     
     
         6 . The skid mounted petroleum separation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sand choke valve. 
     
     
         7 . The skid mounted petroleum separation device of  claim 1 , wherein the sand level measuring device is a sonic measuring device, a radar measuring device, a capacitance measuring device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The skid mounted petroleum separation device of  claim 7 , wherein the sand level measuring device sends a signal to remove sand from the separator. 
     
     
         9 . The skid mounted petroleum separation device of  claim 8 , further comprising a control system, and wherein the signal sent by the sand level measuring device is sent to the control system. 
     
     
         10 . The skid mounted petroleum separation device of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more actuated valves, and wherein the control system controls actuation of the one or more valves upon receiving a signal from the sand level measuring device. 
     
     
         11 . The skid mounted petroleum separation device of  claim 1 , wherein the skid comprises a set of spaced apart beams and:
 a. an alignment beam fork member coupled to at least one of the beams comprising a first guide plate and a second guide plate and a first alignment pin disposed between the first and second guide plates; and   b. an alignment beam receiving member coupled to at least one of the beams.   
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a skid mounted petroleum separation device comprising:
 providing a separator mounted on a skid module, the separator comprising:
 a proximally oriented wellhead fluid inlet extending from outside the separator body to inside the separator body; 
 an inlet diverter within the separator body positioned distally from the wellhead fluid inlet; 
 a sand weir plate within the separator body positioned distally to the inlet diverter; 
 an oil weir within the separator body positioned distally to the sand weir; 
 a sand drain proximal to the sand weir; 
 a water drain proximal to the oil weir and distal to the sand weir; 
 an oil drain distal to the oil weir; and 
 a sand level measuring device proximal to the sand weir; 
 an actuated valve connected operatively connected to the sand drain; 
 a control unit; 
   connecting a wellhead to the wellhead fluid inlet;   flowing a liquid petroleum product from the wellhead into the separator through the wellhead fluid inlet of the separator;   trapping sand from the liquid petroleum product with the sand weir plate;   measuring a level of sand trapped by the sand weir plate with the sand level measuring device;   sending a signal to the at least one actuated valve through the control unit to actuate the valve open and drain sand from the separator upon reaching a set upper level of sand; and   sending a signal to the at least one actuated valve through the control unit to actuate the valve closed and stop draining sand from the separator upon reaching a set lower level of sand.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the level measuring device is an ultrasonic level device, a radar level device, or a capacitance level device and the method further comprises sending a signal from the level measuring device to the control system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the signal is a wireless signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the signal is a wired signal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising programming the control unit to actuate the sand valve on at least one predetermined setpoint and wherein the level measuring device sends a signal to the control system corresponding to the at least one setpoint. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first skid module further comprises a first piping manifold for fluid flow having a first piping manifold connection assembly having at least one first piping manifold connection assembly having at least one first piping manifold mating flange, and a first set of spaced apart beams on which the first piping manifold is mounted; and
 further comprising a second skid module comprising a second piping manifold for fluid   flow having a second piping manifold connection assembly having at least one second piping manifold mating flange, and a second set of spaced apart beams on which the second piping manifold is mounted; and wherein the method further comprises:
 providing a first alignment beam fork member coupled to at least one of the beams of the first skid module or at least one of the beams of the second skid module, the first alignment beam fork member comprising a first guide plate and a second guide plate, and a first alignment pin disposed between the first and second guide plates; 
 providing a first alignment beam receiving member coupled to at least one of the beams of the first skid module or at least one of the beams of the second skid module, wherein the first alignment beam fork member and the first alignment beam receiving member comprise a module connection assembly; and 
   aligning the first skid module with the second skid module; and   mating the alignment beam fork member of one module of the first or second module to the alignment beam receiving member of another module of the first or second module;   concurrently mating the flange of the first piping manifold to the flange of the second piping manifold.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising flowing oil drained from the separator through the first piping manifold into the second piping manifold. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising an electric conduit on each module capable of transmitting electronic signals from one module to another, and wherein the method further comprises sending signals from the level measuring device through the electric conduit to the control system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising a pneumatic conduit on each module capable of transmitting pneumatic signals from one module to another, and wherein the method further comprises sending gas pressure through the pneumatic conduit from the control system to actuate the at least one actuated valve to an open or closed position.