SLUG CATCHER

DESIGN
Badzlina Khairunizzahrah
Slug Catcher
◦ A multi-phase flow pipeline is intended for transporting the gas and liquid phases
simultaneously from a production field to a processing unit.
◦ A gas plant slug catcher may be situated at the end of the pipeline to separate the
phases and to provide temporary storage for the liquid received.
◦ A liquid-receiving facility known as a slug catcher is connected to a two phase
pipeline.
◦ These occasionally very large volumes of liquids encountered must be handled and
stored as they emerge from the pipeline, preferably without any reduction in velocity,
which would be reflected in the gas production
◦ In order to prevent the acceleration of the gas/liquid mixture, the inlet diameter of the
pipes entering the slug catcher should be the same as that of the pipeline
◦ Normally the slug catcher is made up of a series of pipes that are parallel and inclined
in order to give the hold-up volume for the liquid
THEORY
Multi-phase Separator Selection
Two-phase separator
◦ The slug catcher is a separator, where separation typically occurs between the heavy
liquid hydrocarbons and the gaseous lighter ends i.e. the gas or vapor is separated
from the liquids.

A. Vapor-Liquid Separator
◦ A vapor-liquid separator is a vessel into which a liquid and vapor mixture is fed and wherein the
liquid is separated by gravity, falls to the bottom of the vessel, and is withdrawn.
Three-phase Separator
Three phase separation is commonly applied when there are water, liquid hydrocarbon
and hydrocarbon gases in the process stream. As with two phase design, three phase
units can be either vertical or horizontal.
Vertical vessel is mainly applied when there is a large amount of vapor to be separated
from a small amount of the light and heavy fluid (less than 10-20% by weight). Example:
compressor suction drums.
Horizontal vessels are most efficient where large volumes of total fluid and large amounts
of dissolved gas are present with the liquid. Example: spent caustic de-oiling drum
 Vertical Vessel
Horizontal Vessel
◦ The three phase separation vessel commonly contains four major sections as listed
below:
Three-phase Separator
◦ A vessel used to separate gas and two liquids of
different densities (e.g. gas, water, and oil) into three
distinct streams.
◦ "Three-phase separator" is a term that is used to
describe pressure vessels that are designed to
separate and remove the free water from a mixture of
crude oil and water.
◦ Three-phase separator is normally used when there is a
large amount of gas to be separated with the liquid,
and the dimensions of the vessel are determined by
the gas capacity equations.
Storage
Gravity Separation
Retention Time Method
Slug
◦ Liquid slugs may form in pipelines due to the following:
1) Two-phase flow variation in velocity (due to changes in pipe size or pipeline flow rate)
resulting in liquid holdup: when the inlet flow rate increases, the liquid inventory in the pipeline
decreases, and the excess liquid forms a slug or series of slug
2) Changes in terrain resulting in a pipeline low-point (or multiple low-points) where liquid can
build up: liquid collects at a sag in the pipelines and blocks the gas flow
3) Wave formation on the gas-liquid interface causing a liquid slug to push through
4) Pigging of the pipeline in which all liquid is removed: the entire liquid inventory of the line is
swept ahead of the pig
SLUG CATCHER
TYPES
1. Vessel Type Slug Catcher
◦ Vessel type slug catcher Is simply gas−liquid separator that
combine slug catching with liquid storage.
◦ Usually employed where operating pressures are relatively
low.
◦ Can range from a simple to a more complicated knock-
out vessel which is mainly used for limited plot sizes such as
offshore platforms due to its small size.
◦ Is also normally used or crude-oil stream, where foaming
sometimes emerges as a major problem.
2. Multiple-pipe Slug Catcher
◦ The multi-pipe slug catcher is made up of a liquid and gas
separation entry slot and a series of parallel tilted bottles
where the liquid is stored.
◦ However, this design requires special pigs to
accommodate the change in line size.
◦ Multiple-pipe slug catchers have been widely applied in
facilities processing a gas condensate stream.
◦ Multiple-pipe slug catcher is mainly used when liquid
volume is larger than 100 m3.
◦ The multiple-pipe slug catcher consist of several
components:
a) Inlet Section
b) Bottle section
c) Gas outlet section
d) Liquid outlet section
◦ In a slug catcher, the separation of the liquid from the gas occur in different manners,
including:
1. Stratification: in the inlet manifold, down comers, and primary bottles
2. Droplet Settling: in the primary bottles
3. Deposition: in bends and primary bottles
4. Tee-junction separation: an entry into a gas riser
Slug Catcher Selection
◦ Multi-phase separator selection that based on function and liquid volume
◦ The appropriate design of the slug catcher avoids problems at the receiving terminals.
◦ In order to prevent the acceleration of the gas/liquid mixture, the inlet diameter of the
pipes entering the slug catcher should be the same as that of the pipeline.
◦ Normally the slug catcher is made up of a series of pipes that are parallel and inclined
in order to give he hold-up volume for the liquid.
Slug Catcher Sizing
Pigging
◦ Pigging is the process of forcing a solid object through a pipeline.
◦ Function:
- Pipeling clening and inspection
- Reduce pressure drop by lowering the liquid hold-up volumes
- Reducing slug catcher size
- Reducing corrosion from any free water or other contaminants in the line
Liquid Hold-up Volume
◦ Key element in sizing slug catcher facilities
◦ For long pipeline (longer than 5 miles), the liquid hold-up calculation and bypass pig
will be important in determining if frequent pigs should be run in the pipe to avoid
having large slug volumes.
◦ In most cases with a shorter pipeline, the slug catcher should be sized at least the liquid
hold-up in the pipeline
Fluid Flow Regime
 ZONES IN
SEPARATOR
Inlet Section
◦ Provides bulk separation of the liquid from the gas.
◦ Ideally designed to direct gas and liquid in a direction to enhance operation of the gas
polishing section and the liquid accumulation section without shearing the liquid and
reducing the droplet size.
Gravity Separation
◦ Located downstream of the inlet device and upstream of the mist eliminator.
Gas Polishing Section
◦ Improves the overall separation efficiency by providing a medium to capture and
coalesce roplets
Liquid Accumulation Section (Outlet
Section)
Multiple-pipe slug catcher design
procedure
Instruments