Incomplete separation of high viscosity oils can seriously affect well testing. Hydrate-forming production fluids may clog the separation equipment, leading to increased non-productive time.
Sovonex™ steam heat exchangers elegantly solve this problem by rapidly heating the well effluents before they are fed into a 2 or 3-phase well test separator.
Designed as a compact skid-mounted unit, the Sovonex™ steam heat exchanger requires minimal space and can be installed quickly.
Simple Operation Principle
Superheated steam from an external source, such as a steam generator, is applied to a pressurized vessel containing a tube bundle through which the effluent passes.
Direct heat transfer from the steam to the tubing effectively reduces the viscosity of the effluent and breaks down emulsions, leading to enhanced separation and reduced retention time in a downstream phase separator.
Using finned instead of bare tubes increases heat transfer by providing a larger surface area.
Advantages of Steam Heat Exchangers
- Advanced insulation of the vessel for maximum efficiency
- Preheating of effluent
- Automatic temperature control
- Skid-mounted for easy installation and transportation
Multiple Heat Source Crude Preheater
Where a reliable source of steam cannot be guaranteed, our multiple heat source heat exchanger provides an elegant solution. Designed with an additional combustion chamber and water jacket, this heat exchanger not only can use steam as its heat source but also diesel and natural gas.
Advantages of Multi-Source Crude Preheaters
- Same design advantages as the steam heat exchanger
- Self-contained, no additional steam source needed
- Extra small footprint without a steam generator.
- Adapts to the conditions on different oil fields by using steam, diesel, or gas as a heat source