Products Solutions Services

Separator measurement

Errors in level measurement and their solutions

Slide 1 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

O+G GWR Level

Introduction

Mark Hodgins
Product Marketing Manager – Level

23 year C&I, mainly O&G level

FS Eng (TÜV Rheinland)

Slide 2 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

O+G GWR Level

Separation

Control Parameters: Desired Outcome:

1. Pressure 1. Gas with acceptable liquid content
2. Inlet flow rate 2. Hydrocarbon liquid with acceptable water content
3. Bulk level (HC outlet) 3. Water with acceptable hydrocarbon content
4. Interface level (water outlet) 4. Safe
5. Maximise throughput

Slide 3 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

O+G GWR Level

Typical observations
• Level and interface measurements 100mm or more error

• Slow response times

• No / incorrect measurement during startup

• Increased measurement error during upset conditions

• Bridles needing regular blowdowns

• Drift over time

• Errors due to density changes

• Errors caused by mounting

• Regular intrusive maintenance required

All of these problems have solutions

Slide 4 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins
O+G GWR Level

Typical 3 phase separator

What the data sheet said…

Gas
The reality can be more challenging!

• Emulsion
-HHLL • Sand
-HLL
• Foam
-NLL
• Entrained gas
-HHIL
-HIL -LLL • Entrained liquids
-NIL -LLLL
-LIL • Changes to HC
-LLIL
properties
• Etc…
Water Oil

Slide 5 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

O+G GWR Level

Typical 3 phase separator

Requirements of level
measurement
• Accurate measurement of levels

• No drift over time

• Low maintenance

The perfect separator • Ability to cope with upset conditions

• Ability to cope with changing operating

parameters
Is reliable level information enough?

Slide 6 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

O+G GWR Level

Typical 3 phase separator

More information from

your separator
• Sand level

• Presence of emulsion

• Density profile

The less than perfect • Foam measurement

separator

Knowing what is actually happening allows informed decisions about how

to operate the separator.

Slide 7 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

IMC Separator Level

Bridle mounted

Measurement in a bridle has advantages and disadvantages:

For: Against:
 Easy calibration*  Sand blocking lower tapping
 Isolation for cleaning*  Waxing due to lower temperature
 Isolation for repair*  Care required with tapping point heights
 Less emulsion in bridle  Bridle balances hydrostically with the vessel

* With modern capacitance or guided wave radar transmitters that have no moving or electronic parts in the
process these factors become less important.

Slide 8 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

 IMC Separator Level

Potential Error

1542mm

1236mm Vessel and bridle balance hydrostatically

100% 306mm error in bridle measurement

ρ= 820kgm-3
1542mm

0%

Slide 9 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

IMC Separator Level

Vessel mounted

Measurement directly in the vessel has advantages and disadvantages:

For:
 Direct measurement of actual vessel conditions.
 Problems with tapping points eliminated.
 Can measure the full vessel range, useful during startup or upset conditions.

Against:
 Isolation for removal or repair not possible without shutdown.*
 Large diameter stilling well needed if buildup possible.

* With modern capacitance or guided wave radar transmitters that have no moving or electronic parts in the
process these factors become less important.

Slide 10 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

IMC Separator Level

GWR build up

Why intermediate spacers are not

desirable

The image is from a dehydrator

where it was necessary to remove
intermediate spacers due to them
acting as sites for asphaltene
formation as pictured.

Correctly a 100mm stilling well had

been used as build up was a known
issue.

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O+G GWR Level

Guided wave radar – The hype

Slide 12 12/04/2018
Is this true?
Mark Hodgins
Endress+Hauser Separation

The truth - Gas phase effects

0 xBarg
Pressure

• For a constant pressure a fixed

compensation could be applied.
Distance
Measured • If a constant correction is applied
distance the error will be in the opposite
Liquid level direction when depressurised.

Is the error large enough to be of

Measured level
concern?

Slide 13 12/04/2018 MDH

O+G GWR Level

Polar Gases
Polar media:
One atom has a greater electro-negativity than the other  constant dipole moment

polar bonding
O δ-
H δ+ δ+
H

• Molecules align with the electric field of the applied microwave pulse.

• This effects the wave propagation speed and hence the accuracy of the device.

• The presence of polar molecules in a gas has a great effect on the microwave propagation speed.

• Always taken into consideration with GWR on steam applications.

Slide 14 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

O+G GWR Level

Non-polar gases

• Is there an effect with non-polar gas molecules?

• Molecules are polarized by and align with the electric field of the applied microwave pulse.

• A smaller effect than for molecules with a permanent dipole.

• Not always considered when applying GWR.

Slide 15 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins
 Endress+Hauser Separation

GWR error per metre of gas

Methane
Sweet gas
Sour gas
Steam
-58mm
-77mm
Error at a given pressure
-95mm
and temperature is
dependent on the gas.

At 110 bar a GWR will

under read the level in a
sour gas vessel by 95mm
per metre of gas space

Slide 16 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

Typical example

Indicated Level 0%... But is this correct?

110 barg
Actual level 9.2%
300mm

The actual vessel level is 230mm

higher than the measured level!
2500mm
Would this be considered
acceptable?
? 0%

Slide 17 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

Gas phase compensation

0 xBar
Pressure
Ref0
RefxBar
Step in Waveguide
D0 Ref0
DxBar = RefxBar
x
D0
DxBar
• The reference distance is a constant
Liquid surface physical distance.

• DxBar and are RefxBar measured.

• Therefore D0 is calculated directly.

Slide 18 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

Gas phase compensation

• Despite gas phase compensation being in regular use

on steam boiler applications for many years no tests
had been carried out on hydrocarbon gases.

• Tests carried out in collaboration with a major global

oil company in 2015

• Independent test found error reduced from 230mm

with methane to ~4mm

• Full report available

Slide 19 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

Methane and nitrogen

Slide 20 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

Gas phase implications

• The error caused by the gas phase will cause the

transmitter to under read the level if not corrected.

• In a normal downward looking level measurement the

error is greatest at 0%.

• The error increases the further the measured liquid is

from the transmitter.

• Safety implications particularly for high level trip points

low down in a vessel.

Slide 21 12/04/2018 MDH

Products Solutions Services

Interface measurement

• Capacitance • Capacitance and GWR combined

• Guided wave radar • Nucleonics

Slide 22 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

 O+G GWR Level

Interface measurement

Performance / Reliability

Guided radar DP Capacitance Multiparameter

Radiometry

• Overall level • Clear interface • Clear interface •• Interface

Overall level
with emulsion layer
• Clear interface • Interface with emulsion layer • Interface with emulsion layer • liquid
Clear /interface
liquid liquid / liquid
liquid / liquid liquid / liquid liquid / liquid •• Interface
Interface liquid
with emulsion
/ solid layer
• Multiple
liquid / liquid
layer interface liquid /
solid

Levelflex Deltabar Liquicap Gammapilot

Levelflex FMP55
FMP51/52/54 FMD7x FMI51/52 FMG60

Slide 23 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

Endress+Hauser Separation

Guided wave radar interface

• In an emulsion there is little or no

step change in dielectric.

Distance • This can mean that no interface echo

is present.
Liquid level
• Alternatively an echo may be
Measured
distance
received from the top of the
emulsion
Interface level
• The amplitude may be used to
indicate the thickness of the
Echo
emulsion…
Amplitude

Slide 24 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

Capacitance interface

• Measured capacitance increases

with an increasing water level.

• Not effected by the presence of

Liquid level emulsion – measured interface
somewhere in emulsion

• Effected by build-up. Non-conductive

Interface level
wax build up will cause an under-
reading of the interface level

Slide 25 12/04/2018 MDH

 O+G GWR Level

Capacitance measurement

Capacitance :
C = 55,6 pF / m ⋅
h0


 h0
 ln (d iso / d )
L h1 ε1 = 1.4 … 10  + ln (D / d iso )
 ε iso
σ1 < 0.4 μS/cm
h1
+
h2 ε2 > ε1+10 ln (d iso / d ) ln (D / d iso )
+
σ2 > 200 μS/cm diso ε iso ε1
 result of non-conductive build-
h2 ⋅ ε iso The
+ 
ln(d iso / d )up
 is an under-reading of the
interface measurement
D
d
Slide 26 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins
Endress+Hauser Separation

FMP55 – operation
Automatically recalibrates the
capacitance to match the GWR –
Compensates for build-up
Subtracted curve
If the GWR signal is lost due to
emulsion - interface level from
Overall level the capacitance value
Interface echo loss
DC 1 = const.

Interface level

DC 2 diso
Overall Level
TDR
Interface
Capacitance Capacitive value

Slide 27 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

FMP55 – benefits
The multi-parameter device for interface measurement

• Up to 3 measurements (overall level,

interface, upper phase thickness) with one
device

• Determination of interface and/or level if one

echo is lost (e.g. due to emulsion, damping,
bypass fully flooded)

• Continuous plausibility check of TDR echoes

• Automatic recalibration of the capacitance

measurement

Slide 28 12/04/2018 MDH

Endress+Hauser Separation

Endress+Hauser Radiometrics
19xx 1977
FTG130/280 FTG380/480Z
AG30/100 DG17/27Z GM tube
1962 QG20/100
NG31/33+D1/D20
SG10 1984
2019
1983
1994 FTG470Z FMG573
Gammapilot FMG50 2-
FMG671 DG57 wire 4-20mA
2004
Gammapilot
FMG60 SIL
2/3
FMG60 2013
SIL for min. limit FTG20
2009 2015
Modulator FQG66
FHG65 2010
Density 2011
Profiling FQG60
FQG61/62
FQG63

Slide 29 12/04/2018 MDH

Radiometric measurement - Principle Interface / Profile

Interface – Working principle

Source
container Count rate [cnt/s]
e - function

max
~  µ··
H = Dose rate [µSv/h]
(proportional to count rate)
µ = Absorption coefficient
ρ = Density medium [g/cm3]
d = beam path through medium [mm]
Weir
Oil
MR

Density
Water min
Detector ρ max
ρ min
Oil Water

Slide 30 12/04/2018 MVB

Radiometric measurement - Principle Interface / Profile

Interface – Working principle with 2 detectors

Source
container Count rate of both
detectors cascaded [c/s]

max

Weir 2. Detector

Oil
MR

Density
min
ρ max [g/cm³]
ρ min
Water 1. Detector
Oil Water

Slide 31 12/04/2018 MVB

Radiometric measurement - Principle Interface / Profile

Interface – Working principle with 2 detectors, water level low

Source
container Count rate of both
detectors cascaded [c/s]

max

Weir 2. Detector

Oil
MR

Water Density
min
ρ max [g/cm³]
ρ min
1. Detector
Oil Water

Slide 32 12/04/2018 MVB

Radiometric measurement - Principle Interface / Profile

Interface – Working principle with 2 detectors, water level high

Source
container Count rate of both
detectors cascaded [c/s] e - function

max
~  µ··
H = Dose rate [µSv/h]
(proportional to count rate)
µ = Absorption coefficient
ρ = Density medium [g/cm3]
d = beam path through medium [mm]
Weir Oil 2. Detector
MR

Water
Density
min
ρ max [g/cm³]
ρ min
1. Detector
Oil Water

Slide 33 12/04/2018 MVB

Repsol Flotta Desalters Proposal

Density Profiling – Working principle

Source
container  Source container with extension
for source is installed on
flange connection with dip pipe
Detectors

6
 Several detectors are mounted outside
on the tank wall
6 5
Oil
MR max. 1200mm

5 4  The measuring range MR

4 is subdivided into layers
Layers

3
Emulsion 3
 Density value is calculated
2
for each layer
1 2
Water 1  Analogue tracking of layer boundaries due to
diagonal paths.

Slide 34 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

Repsol Flotta Desalters Proposal

Density Profiling – Working principle

Source
container
Layer (1 … 6)

6
6

Measuring range(MR)
Oil
MR max. 1200mm

5
5
4 4
Layers

3 3
2 2
1
1 Density
[g/cm³]
Water ρ min ρ max
Oil Water

Slide 35 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

Repsol Flotta Desalters Proposal

Density Profiling – Working principle

Layer (1 … 6)

6
6
Oil 6 5

Measuring range(MR)
5
5 4
4 4
Layers

3 3
Emulsion
2 3
2
1 2
1 Density
Water 1 [g/cm³]
ρ min ρ max
Oil Water

Slide 36 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins

 Profile Vision Compact

Example retrofit design

Source insertion drywell manufactured

with adaptor flange to suit existing
flange or stilling well

A variety of
mounting
methods for
retrofit are
available

Slide 37 12/04/2018 MDH

DPS - Density Profiling System

Profile Measurement – Density profiling / 3D Density profiling

Density Profiling

3D-Density Profiling

To see the
separation effect
as a continues process

SEPARARATION

Slide 38 12/04/2018 MVB

Separator optimisation

The bottom line

The benefits of getting it right

• Reduce trips
• Reduce maintenance
• Reduce chemical usage
• Increase safety
• Increase separation efficiency
• Increase long term flexibility

=
Reduced Costs
Increased Operational Efficiency
Increased Safety
Slide 39 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins
O+G GWR Level

Any questions?

Slide 40 12/04/2018 Mark Hodgins