Abstract: A jet pump includes a housing having a first inlet for a first fluid, a second inlet for a second fluid and an outlet for a combined fluid comprising said first and second fluids. A nozzle assembly is removably received within the housing and configured to receive the first fluid from the first inlet, and a mixing tube/diffuser assembly removably received within the housing downstream of the nozzle assembly and configured to receive and combine the first and second fluids. The nozzle assembly and the mixing tube/diffuser assembly are removable from the housing through the first inlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for boosting the pressure of flowing fluids includes a plurality of jet pumps (10a, 10b), each having a LP inlet for LP fluid, a HP inlet for HP liquid and a MP outlet for MP fluid. A fluid separator device (16) is connected to receive the MP fluid from the outlets of the jet pumps, a gas outlet line (20) for a separated gas phase and a liquid outlet (22a, 22b) for separated liquid phase. A liquid return line (24b, 38) is connected to the liquid outlet of the fluid separator device and the HP inlets of the jet pumps (10a, 10b) for returning at least some of the separated liquid phase from the fluid separator device to the HP inlets of the jet pumps, and a mechanical pump (32) is connected into the liquid return line for boosting the pressure of the liquid delivered to the HP inlets of the jet pumps. A flow control system (6) is provided for controlling the flow of fluids through the respective jet pumps (10a, 10b).

Abstract: A slug mitigation system for subsea pipelines includes a riser located between a low level and an upper (above sea-) level of a pipeline, where an inline separator, e.g. an “I-SEP”, is located upstream of a first stage separator. A throttling valve or fixed restriction is located downstream or upstream in series with the inline separator. Further aspects may also include a surface jet pump upstream of the in-line separator and/or a cyclonic separator downstream of the in-line separator.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the flow of a fluid includes a LP fluid inlet (18) and a LP fluid outlet (9) connected to a flare/vent system. A LP flow line (20) connects the LP fluid inlet (18) to the LP inlet 6a of a jet pump (6). A supply of HP fluid is connected to jet pump inlet (6b), and a MP line (8) is connected to jet pump outlet (6c). A control unit (28) is configured to control operation of first and second LP flow control valves (4, 3) according to signals received from a flow meter (12), so that LP gas is diverted from the flare system to the LP inlet (6a) of the jet pump for pressurisation.

Abstract: A jet pump (26) includes an elongate tubular housing (30) that has a longitudinal axis (A), an upstream first end (32) and a downstream second end (34). A nozzle assembly (50) and a mixing tube/diffuser assembly (52) are removably received within the housing (30). The housing (30) includes a first inlet vent (40) for a HP first fluid, a second inlet vent (42) for a LP second fluid and an outlet vent (48) at the downstream second end (34) of the housing for the combined first and second fluids. The first and second inlet vents (40, 42) extend non-axially through a circumferential wall (31) of the tubular housing. The nozzle assembly (50) and the mixing tube/diffuser assembly (52) can removed from the housing (30) through the upstream first end (32).

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a fluid mixture includes a uniaxial cyclonic separator (2) having a separation chamber (18) for separating the fluid mixture by cyclonic action into a first fluid and a second fluid. An inlet (16) is located at a first end of the separation chamber (18) for receiving a fluid mixture, while a first outlet (22) for the first fluid and a second outlet (26) for the second fluid are located at a second end of the separation chamber. A gas injection means (12) is provided for injecting a gas into the fluid mixture to aid separation within the separation chamber (18). The gas injection may also be through an annular chamber surrounding the separator chamber (18). The gas in this case is introduced through a porous medium 130 via a gas supply line 136.

Abstract: A system for improving oil-water separator performance wherein an electrostatic coalescer (15) is located upstream of a cyclonic oil-water separator (16). Preferably, the electrostatic coalescer is able to be bypassed and/or is located in parallel with a mechanical coalescer (17). In the case of parallel arrangement, selection of the flow path route between the electrostatic coalescer (15) and mechanical coalescer (17) is determined by use of an upstream phase detector (18).

Abstract: An improved gas lift system for use in oil production from a well bore (11) utilising a gas lift injection (10) system of the known type and further including a surface jet pump (16) downstream of the well head (13) for reducing the flowing well head pressure and capable of discharging produced fluid (14) at a pressure required by a downstream production system.

Abstract: A separation system for separating a fluid mixture includes a uniaxial cyclonic separator (2) having a first inlet (16) for receiving a fluid mixture, a separation chamber (18) for separating the fluid mixture by cyclonic action into a dense first fluid and a less dense second fluid, a first outlet (22) for the first fluid and a second outlet (26) for the second fluid. The system further includes a reverse flow cyclonic separator (32) having a second inlet (30) for receiving the first fluid from the first outlet (22), a separation chamber for separating the first fluid by cyclonic action into a dense third fluid and a less dense fourth fluid, a third outlet (34) for the third fluid and a fourth outlet (36) for the fourth fluid. A method for the bulk separation of water from an oil/water mixture is also provided.

Abstract: A system for the production or handling of heavy oil comprises means (18) for introducing an immiscible viscosity-reducing fluid into the heavy oil at an upstream end of a flow line (10,22) to create a dispersion of oil and viscosity-reducing fluid, and means (24,30) for separating the viscosity-reducing fluid at least partially from the oil at a downstream end of the flow line. The separating means comprises a cyclonic fluid conditioning unit (24) connected receive the dispersion of oil and viscosity-reducing fluid from the downstream end of the flow line (22), said cyclonic fluid conditioning unit being constructed and arranged to subject the dispersion to a cyclonic conditioning process; and a gravity separator unit (30) connected to receive the conditioned dispersion from the cyclonic fluid conditioning unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating multi-phase fluids, comprising a cyclonic separator (40) having an inlet (42) for multi-phase fluids, a cyclonic separation chamber, a first outlet (44) for relatively high density fluids and a second outlet (46) for relatively low density fluids, and a secondary separator (52) comprising a separation vessel in which fluids are separated primarily by gravity, a first inlet (96) connected to receive the relatively high density fluids, a second inlet (94) connected to receive the relatively low density fluids, a first outlet (54) in the upper part of the vessel for a separated gas phase and a second outlet (56) in the lower part of the separation vessel for a separated liquid phase.

Abstract: A sand separation system includes a first separator (2) that is constructed and arranged to receive a first mixture of gas, sand and liquid, and separate gas at least partially from the first mixture to leave a second mixture of sand and liquid. A second separator (22) comprising a uniaxial cyclonic separator is constructed and arranged to receive the second mixture and separate liquid at least partially from the second mixture to leave a third mixture of sand and liquid. A third separator (34) comprising a gravity separator is constructed and arranged to receive the third mixture and separate liquid at least partially from the third mixture.

Abstract: A cyclonic separator for separating fluids comprises an inlet chamber (6) having means for inducing fluids flowing through the chamber to swirl around an axis, a cyclonic separation chamber (10) connected to receive fluids from the inlet chamber, and an outlet chamber (8) connected to receive fluids from the cyclonic separation chamber. The outlet chamber (8) has a tangential outlet (22) for relatively dense fluids and an axial outlet (24) for less dense fluids. The separation chamber is elongate and has a length L and an inlet diameter D, where L/D is in the range 1 to 10.

Abstract: A system for pumping multiphase fluids includes a phase separator (14), a gas-gas jet pump (30) and a liquid pump (36). The phase separator (14) receives a LP multiphase fluid and separates a LP gas phase and a LP liquid phase from the LP multiphase fluid. The gas-gas jet pump (30) receives the LP gas phase from the phase separator (14) and a HP gas supply from a sustainable gas source, and has an outlet providing outlet gas at a pressure higher than that of the LP gas phase. The liquid pump (36) receives the LP liquid phase from the phase separator (14), and has an outlet providing outlet liquid at a pressure higher than that of the LP liquid phase.