AGAR CORPORATION

Process Measurement & Control Solutions

NOTE 7: WATER KNOCK-OUT CONTROLS for

HEATER-TREATERS & FREE WATER SEPARATORS
INTRODUCTION
Produced oil contains water in highly variable amounts. This process is complicated by the presence of complex
Heater-treaters heat the produced fluid to break oil/water emulsions that do not give a clear cut oil/water interface.
emulsions and to reduce the oil viscosity. The water is
then typically removed by utilizing gravity to allow the free A typical installation on a separator has an AGAR ID-201
water to separate from the oil. The water is then removed Interface Detector inserted hori­zontally, 24 inches above
through a dump valve on the bottom of the separator. Oil the vessel’s water draw-off nozzle through a 2” ball valve
in the discharged water is a loss of valuable product and and an AGAR Seal Housing. The AGAR ID-201 Interface
causes an increase in water treatment costs. Detector controls the on/off dump valve when the water
concentration at the ID-201’s probe tip exceeds a preset
Control of the water dump valve is com­plicated by the value, such as 80%. The setting for the probe is checked
nature of the produced fluids, such as those from heavy oil by analysis of samples taken from the seal housing.
fields using steam flood. Steam injec­tion is used to push Additional checks are made by taking samples above
the oil to the producing well. The produced fluid contains and below the seal housing. Since oil/water emulsions
highly variable amounts of water, oil and sand. It is very containing more than 80% water are not stable, the AGAR
viscous, forms stabilized emulsions, and severely fouls/ ID-201 Interface Detector control ensures that only oil-free
coats instrumentation. water is dumped from the vessel and that emulsions build
above the probe.
AGAR WATER KNOCK-OUT CONTROL
Both free water knock-out drums and heater-treaters are In the installation shown below, an AGAR ID-201/RL/PN
gravity separators. Water sinks to the bottom and oil floats system solenoid valve directly controls the pneu­matic-
to the top because of density differences. The separator actuated, fail-closed water dump valve. The pres­ence of
must be large enough to allow the water sufficient residence 20% or more oil will vent the actuator to close the dump
time and laminar conditions that enable the water to settle valve. Water content over 80% opens the solenoid valve,
to the bottom instead of being carried overhead with the supplies air to the dump valve, and opens the water valve
oil. - thus dumping oil free water. The opening and closing
speed of the dump valve is controlled by the air supply
valve for opening and the solenoid’s throttling when closing
the valve.

APPLICATION NOTE 7
All Agar Corporation Instruments are covered by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 4,503,383; 4,774,680; 5,099,697; 5,101,163; 5,101,367; 5,263,363;
5,503,004; 5,551,305; 5,589,642; 5,741,977, RE 36,597. Other patents pending in the USA and other countries.
 APPLICATION NOTE 7 - Water Knock-Out

INTERFACE DETECTOR INSTALLATION DETAILS NOTES ON INTERFACE FLOAT CHAMBERS

AND LEVEL GAUGE GLASSES
1. Free gas is seen by the AGAR ID-201 Interface Detector
as oil. To avoid false readings, the fluid at the probe’s Most vessels are fitted with level gauges or float chambers
antenna must be gas free. to give a visual indication of the height of the interface in the
vessel. These are mounted in bridles that are separate from
2. The ID-201 is not affected by coatings because it operates the vessel so that they can be isolated for maintenance.
at high frequency and can “see” through normal coating However, the readings from a gauge glass or a float
build-up. Because velocities inside the vessel are low, chamber must be interpreted with caution because:
oil films tend to form to a maximum thickness and remain
stable, so routine recalibration is usually not necessary. 1. The connections between the level gauge and the
vessel usually are located so that emulsions can not
3. The ID-201 is calibrated on-site using the actual oil and enter. Instead of accurately being filled with oil, an
process water. If fluids other than oil and process water emulsion layer, and water, the level gauge will be filled
are to be used, the AGAR factory should be informed with only oil and water layers. Moreover, the narrow
so that any required modi­fications can be made before tube acts as a separator and shows only clear-cut
shipment to the end user. interfaces.
4. Normally, changes in oil and water char­acteristics will
2. The level bridle is actually a manometer showing a
not affect the ID-201. If, however, the water’s NaCI pressure balance between two columns of fluids: one
content falls below 2000 PPM, the probe may have to inside the vessel and one outside. Having the same
be recalibrated. interface height in the chamber as in the vessel is only
a coincidence.
5. The ID-201 probe can be adjusted to work within one inch
of grounded metal. However, Agar rec­om­mends that no 3. Level gauge connections are sometimes located so that
metal be closer than six inches to the tip of the probe. the gauge can only fill with water. Over time, oil and
emulsion will become trapped at the top of the gauge
6. Rapid cycling of the dump valve is usually not a glass. This gives a false indication of water height.
problem because the ID-201 incorporates a 5% water The height and density of the trapped oil will affect the
content hysteresis, and an approximate three second water height shown.
delay. However, if rapid valve cycling is a problem and
restriction of the drain rate is not acceptable, there are 4. A change in fluid densities in the vessel will affect the
two alternatives: (a) A time-delay relay may be fitted to interface height shown in the level gauge. Temperature
the ID-201 to reduce cycling; and (b) Two ID-201s can differential from the ves­sel to the gauge, changes in
be used - a high probe and a low probe. The dump cycle oil density, emul­sion composition, or water salinity will
begins when water covers a high probe and ends when all affect the gauge’s level.
the water drops below the low probe (System 2).
5. Particles in the oil can cause a blockage of the small
openings in the isolation valves for a level gauge.
This blockage, which prevents the level gauge from
functioning, is not detectable unless the level gauge
is purged.

HEADQUARTERS - CAYMAN ISLAND: Agar Corporation, LTD - P.O. Box 10206 - Grand Cayman, BWI - KY1-1002 - Tel: (345) 945-5242 - [email protected]

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ER No. 5485: ACI-A-7.2-DOC-016 Rev 01