The Lynx 250 gas/liquid separator performed as expected, confirming the efficiency and K-factor up to 90 bar. Test series were performed with variations in gas/liquid ratios and flow speeds at the Statoil High Pressure test facilities at Rotvoll, Trondheim, in Norway. The liquid ratios were tested from smallest amount to the maximum amount possible within the rig capacity.
The results confirmed that the basic Lynx design is extremely compact and handles variations in both flow rates and liquid volume percentages of gas. One impressive aspect was how little the increased pressure affected the overall efficiency of the Lynx. Conventional gas/liquid separator steadily decrease in efficiency and capacity as pressure rises. The Lynx qualified at less than a third of this reduction.
This is a major milestone, confirming that our scientific calculations are on par. Together with the PED certification, the compact Lynx 250 is ready to complete the final steps of the Technology Readyness Levels. This is scheduled for Q1-2017 in a multi-client JIP in collaboration with the Norwegian Research Council and the DEMO 2000 program.
The JIP/DEMO2000 will target the carry-over challenges from existing, conventional separators:
- Retrofit: After main separator in order to separate unwanted carry-over that normally is dried in gas driers
- Retrofit: In front of rotating equipment (compressors etc) as the final risk-reducing element for carry-over
- Retrofit: Parallel “de-bottlenecking” of existing separators
- Replacement of main separator internals
- Replacement of main separator
Operators that have challenges in one or more of these situations and require elimination of carry-over can contact InnSep directly, or visit our demonstration stand at ONS in Stavanger from 29th August to 1st September 2016. Deadline for confirmation of participation in the InnSep DEMO2000 JIP is October 1st 2016.