Integrated vent gas separator and flare stack

Abstract

According to one aspect, an apparatus includes a separator vessel adapted to separate solid and liquid materials from gas materials; a flame arrestor in fluid communication with the separator vessel and through which the gas materials are adapted to flow; and a flare stack adapted to burn off the gas materials. The flare stack includes a vent pipe and an igniter. In another aspect, a system at a wellsite includes one or more separators adapted to be in fluid communication with a wellbore; one or more vent gas lines in fluid communication with the one or more separators; and an integrated vent gas separator and flare stack. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more separators comprise at least one of a mud-gas separator and a shale-gas separator. In yet another aspect, a kit has first and second configurations. In still yet another aspect, a method is provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a separator vessel adapted to separate solid and liquid materials from gas materials;   a flame arrestor in fluid communication with the separator vessel and through which the gas materials are adapted to flow; and   a flare stack adapted to burn off the gas materials, wherein the flare stack is positioned so that the flame arrestor is vertically positioned between the separator vessel and the flare stack, and wherein the flare stack comprises:
 a vent pipe in fluid communication with the flame arrestor and positioned so that the flame arrestor is vertically positioned between the separator vessel and vent pipe; and 
 an igniter in fluid communication with the vent pipe, wherein the igniter is positioned so that the vent pipe is vertically positioned between the flame arrestor and the igniter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a skid on which the separator vessel, the flame arrestor, and the flare stack are mounted;
 wherein the flame arrestor is positioned so that the separator vessel is vertically positioned between the skid and the flame arrestor.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more guide wires extending from the skid to the flare stack to secure and stabilize the igniter. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising an outlet pipe generally centered on the top of the separator vessel and extending upward therefrom;
 wherein the flame arrestor is in fluid communication with the outlet pipe and is positioned so that the outlet pipe is vertically positioned between the separator vessel and the flame arrestor; and   wherein the separator vessel is generally centered on the skid.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more guide wires to secure and stabilize the igniter, each of the one or more guide wires extending to the flare stack from the skid; and
 wherein the centering of the outlet pipe on the top of the separator vessel, and the centering of the separator vessel on the skid, facilitates the securement and stabilization of the igniter by the one or more guide wires.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the separator vessel defines an internal region and comprises an access port and a cap flange removably connected thereto;
 wherein the access port provides access to the internal region; and   wherein, when the solid and liquid materials are separated from the gas materials, the cap flange is connected to the access port and the separator vessel is a closed vessel that is closed to the atmosphere.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the separator defines an internal region in which the solid and liquid materials are adapted to be separated from the gas materials;
 wherein the apparatus further comprises an inlet pipe via which the solid, liquid, and gas materials are adapted to flow into the internal region;   wherein the inlet pipe comprises a first connection that extends angularly towards the separator vessel and is connected thereto;   wherein the angular extension of the first connection defines an angle from a horizontal plane; and   wherein the angle from the horizontal plane ranges from greater than 0 degrees to less than 90 degrees.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein at least respective portions of the solid, liquid, and gas materials are adapted to flow into the internal region, via the first connection, in a generally angular direction that corresponds to the first angle; and
 wherein the first angle ranges from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the separator defines an internal region in which the solid and liquid materials are adapted to be separated from the gas materials;
 wherein the apparatus further comprises an inlet pipe via which the solid, liquid, and gas materials are adapted to flow into the internal region;   wherein the inlet pipe comprises a horizontally-extending portion that extends axially along the separator vessel, the horizontally-extending portion comprising first and second connections located at opposing ends, respectively, of the horizontally-extending portion;   wherein the first and second connections are connected to the separator vessel;   wherein the solid, liquid, and gas materials are adapted to flow into the internal region via the first and second connections.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second connections extends angularly towards the separator vessel;
 wherein each of the angular extensions of the first and second connections defines an angle from a horizontal plane; and   wherein the angle from the horizontal plane ranges from greater than 0 degrees to less than 90 degrees.   
     
     
         11 . A system at a wellsite, the system comprising:
 one or more separators adapted to be in fluid communication with a wellbore at the wellsite;   one or more vent gas lines in fluid communication with the one or more separators; and   an integrated vent gas separator and flare stack, comprising:
 a skid; 
 a vessel mounted on the skid, in fluid communication with the one or more vent gas lines, and adapted to separate solid and liquid materials from gas materials; 
 a flame arrestor in fluid communication with the vessel and positioned so that the vessel is vertically positioned between the skid and the flame arrestor; and 
 a flare stack in fluid communication with the flame arrestor and adapted to burn off the gas materials, wherein the flare stack is positioned so that the flame arrestor is vertically positioned between the vessel and the flare stack. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the flare stack comprises a vent pipe and an igniter connected thereto. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more guide wires extending from the skid to the flare stack;
 wherein the one or more guide wires secure and stabilize the igniter.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the vessel defines an internal region and comprises an access port and a cap flange removably connected thereto;
 wherein the access port provides access to the internal region; and   wherein, when the solid and liquid materials are separated from the gas materials, the cap flange is connected to the access port and the vessel is a closed vessel that is closed to the atmosphere.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more separators comprise at least one of a mud-gas separator and a shale-gas separator. 
     
     
         16 . A kit which, when assembled, is adapted to process a multiphase flow at a wellsite, the multiphase flow comprising solid, liquid, and gas materials, the kit comprising:
 a skid;   a vessel mounted on the skid and into which the multiphase flow is adapted to flow to separate the solid and liquid materials from the gas materials, wherein the mounting of the vessel on the skid defines opposing first and second side portions of the skid, and wherein the vessel is positioned between the opposing first and second side portions of the skid;   an inlet pipe connected to the vessel and via which the multiphase is adapted to flow into the vessel, wherein at least a portion of the inlet pipe extends above the first side portion;   a flame arrestor;   a vent pipe; and   an igniter;   wherein the kit has:
 a first configuration in which:
 each of the flame arrestor, the vent pipe, and the igniter either is mounted on the second side portion of the skid or extends over the second side portion of the skid; and 
 each of the vent pipe and the igniter extends horizontally; 
 
 and 
 a second configuration in which:
 the flame arrestor extends vertically and is positioned so that the vessel is vertically positioned between the skid and the flame arrestor; 
 the gas materials are adapted to flow through the flame arrestor; 
 the vent pipe extends vertically and is positioned so that the flame arrestor is vertically positioned between the vessel and the vent pipe; 
 the gas materials are adapted to flow through the vent pipe; 
 the igniter extends vertically and is positioned so that the vent pipe is vertically positioned between the flame arrestor and the igniter; and 
 the igniter is adapted to burn off the gas materials. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16  wherein, when the kit is in the first configuration:
 one of the vent pipe and the igniter is mounted on the second side portion of the skid; 
 the other of the vent pipe and the igniter extends above the second side portion of the skid; and 
 the flame arrestor is mounted on the second side portion of the skid. 
 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 16  wherein the vessel defines an internal region and comprises an access port and a cap flange removably connected thereto;
 wherein the access port provides access to the internal region; and 
 wherein, when the solid and liquid materials are separated from the gas materials, the cap flange is connected to the access port and the vessel is a closed vessel that is closed to the atmosphere. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 providing a skid and a separator vessel mounted on the skid, wherein the mounting of the separator vessel on the skid defines opposing first and second side portions of the skid, wherein the separator vessel is positioned between the opposing first and second side portions of the skid, and wherein each of a flame arrestor, a horizontally-extending vent pipe, and a horizontally-extending igniter either is mounted on the second side portion of the skid or extends over the second side portion of the skid;   accessing the flame arrestor at the second side portion of the skid;   connecting the flame arrestor to the separator vessel so that the flame arrestor extends vertically;   accessing the horizontally-extending vent pipe at the second side portion of the skid;   connecting the vent pipe to the flame arrestor so that the vent pipe extends vertically;   accessing the horizontally-extending igniter at the second side portion of the skid; and   connecting the igniter to the vent pipe so that the igniter extends vertically.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising connecting one or more guide wires between the igniter and the skid to secure and stabilize the igniter. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein an inlet pipe is connected to the separator vessel and at least a portion of the inlet pipe extends over the first side portion of the skid; and
 wherein the method further comprises:   connecting one or more fluid lines to the inlet pipe;   conveying a multiphase flow into the separator vessel via the one or more fluid lines and the inlet pipe, the multiphase flow comprising solid, liquid, and gas materials;   separating, using the separator vessel, the solid and liquid materials from the gas materials;   conveying the gas materials upwardly into the flame arrestor; and   conveying the gas materials upwardly from the flame arrestor and into the igniter.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more fluid lines comprise at least one vent gas line that is in fluid communication with one of a mud-gas separator and a shale-gas separator. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the separator vessel defines an internal region and comprises an access port and a cap flange removably connected thereto, and wherein the access port provides access to the internal region.