Vapor and Liquid Recovery Tower

Abstract

A vapor and liquid recovery tower (VLRT) includes a top section adapted to receive a liquid stream with entrained gas that gravity flows down through the VLRT, and a packing section comprising packing material adapted to release the entrained gas from the liquid stream to produce a VLRT liquid output and a VLRT gas output. The VLRT may further include a lower section adapted to receive a gas stream that rises up through the packing section, wherein the packing material is further adapted to increase surface area contact between the liquid stream and the gas stream, and wherein the VLRT gas output includes the entrained gas and the gas stream.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 flowing a liquid stream downwardly through a packing material within a vessel; and   flowing a gas stream upwardly through the packing material;   wherein the flowing steps cross-exchange the liquid stream with the gas stream to produce:
 a vessel liquid output with a higher volume than the liquid stream; and 
 a vessel gas output with a lower volume than the gas stream. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 releasing entrained gas from the liquid stream.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 gravity feeding at least a portion of the vessel liquid output to a storage tank or to a liquid transfer pump.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 pumping at least a portion of the vessel liquid output to a storage tank or to a liquid transfer pump.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 dispersing the gas stream before flowing the gas stream through the packing material.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 separating a live crude oil to produce the liquid stream and the gas stream.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 separating a live crude oil into at least a separator oil output and a separator gas output;   flowing the separator oil output through a heater treater to produce the liquid stream; and   flowing the separator gas output through the heater treater to produce the gas stream.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the vessel liquid output comprises a vessel oil output. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 flowing a recirculating portion of the vessel oil output back through the packing material.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 flowing the vessel gas output through a vapor recovery unit (VRU) to produce a VRU gas output and a VRU oil output.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 flowing the VRU oil output through the heater treater; and   flowing a recirculating portion of the VRU gas output through the heater treater.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 flowing a water stream through a second packing material in a second vessel to produce:
 a VLRT water output; 
 a VLRT oil output; and 
 a VLRT gas output. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 producing the water stream during the separating step.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 flowing the separator oil output through the heater treater to produce the water stream.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 producing a first portion of the water stream during the separating step;   flowing the separator oil output through the heater treater to produce a second portion of the water stream; and   combining the first portion and the second portion to produce the water stream.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 gravity feeding the VLRT water output to a water storage tank.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 combining the VLRT oil output with the vessel liquid output to produce a combined liquid output; and   gravity feeding at least a portion of the combined liquid output to a storage tank.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 combining the VLRT gas output with the vessel gas output to produce a combined gas output; and   flowing at least a portion of the combined gas output through a vapor recovery unit (VRU) to produce a VRU gas output and a VRU oil output.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 flowing a recirculating portion of the VRU gas output through the heater treater.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 combining at least a portion of the VRU gas output with the separator gas output to produce an end user gas output.