Mud/Gas Separator Sizing

and Evaluation
G.R. MacDougall, SPE, Chevron Canada Resources Ltd.

Summary. Recent wellsite disasters have led to an increased emphasis on properly sized mud/gas separators. This paper reviews
and analyzes existing mud/gas separator technology and recommends separator configuration, components, design considerations, and
a sizing procedure. A simple method of evaluating mud/gas separation within the separator vessel has been developed as a basis for
the sizing procedure. A mud/gas separator sizing worksheet will assist drilling personnel with the sizing calculations. The worksheet
provides a quick and easy evaluation of most mud/gas separators for a specific well application. A brief discussion of other mud/gas
separator considerations is provided, including separator components, testing, materials, and oil-based-mud considerations.

Introduction
The mud/gas separator is designed to provide effective separation Fig. 2. The fluid level (mud leg) in the separator is controlled by
of the mud and gas circulated from the well by venting the gas and adjusting the fluid level in the mud tank or by moving the separa-
returning the mud to the mud pits. Small amounts of entrained gas tor up or down within the tank. Mud-tank height can restrict the
can then be handled by a vacuum-type degasser located in the mud maximum mud leg obtainable for open-bottom mud/gas separators.
pits. The mud/gas separator controls gas cutting during kick situa- Fluid level (mud leg) is maintained in a float-type mud/gas
tions, during drilling with significant drilled gas in the mud returns, separator 4 by a float/valve configuration, as shown in Fig. 3. The
or when trip gas is circulated up. float opens and closes a valve on the mud return line to maintain
This paper discusses design considerations for mud/gas separa- the mud-leg level. Valves can be operated by a manual linkage sys-
tors. The purpose of this paper is to allow drilling rig supervisors tem connected from the float to the valve, or the valve can be air-
to evaluate mud/gas separators properly and to upgrade (if required) operated with rig air. Mud-leg height can be controlled by adjust-
the separator economically to meet the design criteria outlined in ing the float assembly.
this paper, and to provide office drilling personnel with guidelines There are some inherent problems in the use of float-type mud/gas
for designing mud/gas separators before delivery at the drillsite. separators. The manual linkage separator has experienced prob-
lems with linkage failure resulting in improper opening or closing
Principle of Operation of the mud-return-line valve. Air-operated valves fail to function
if rig air is lost, resulting in no control of fluid level within the
The operating principle of a mud/gas separator is relatively sim- separator. Mud-return-line valves are prone to plug with solids,
ple. The device is essentially a vertical steel cylindrical body with preventing mud flowback to the mud pits.
openings on the top, bottom, and side, as shown in Fig.!. The Because of these problems, float-type mud/gas separators are not
mud and gas mixture is fed into the separator inlet and directed recommended and a closed-bottom separator is preferred. Open-
at a flat steel plate perpendicular to the flow. This impingement bottom separators are acceptable; however, one should be aware
plate minimizes the erosional wear on the separator's internal walls that they are restricted to a maximum mud leg, somewhat lower
and assists with mud/gas separation. Separation is further assisted than the mud-tank height. Although float-type mud/gas separators
as the mud/gas mixture falls over a series of baffles designed to are strongly discouraged, these separators can be modified easily
increase the turbulence within the upper section of the vessel. The for disconnection of the float, removal of the valve, and installa-
free gas is then vented through the gas vent line, and mud is returned tion of a mud leg in the mud return line.
to the mud tanks. For the purpose of this paper, a closed-bottom mud/gas separa-
Operating pressure within the separator is equal to the friction tor will be considered for all separator designs.
pressure of the free gas venting through the vent line. Fluid is main-
tained at a specific level (mud leg) within the separator at all times. Sizing the Mud/Gas Separator
If the friction pressure of the gas venting through the vent line ex-
Table 1 shows a mud/gas separator worksheet to assist with the
ceeds the mud-leg hydrostatic pressure within the separator, a blow-
sizing calculation. The mud/gas separator illustrated in Fig. 4 will
through condition will result sending a mud/gas mixture to the mud
be evaluated for sufficient sizing in this paper.
tanks. As one can readily see, the critical point for separator blow-
through eXists when peak gas flow rates are experienced in the sepa-
Peak Gas Flow Rate. As discussed previously, the critical time
rator. Peak gas flow rates should theoretically be experienced when for separator blow-through exists when peak gas flow rates are ex-
gas initially reaches the separator. perienced. Mud/gas separator blow~through is defined as inefficient
separator operation resulting in a mud/gas mixture returning to the
Types of Mud/Gas Separators mud tanks through the mud return line.
Three types of mud/gas separators commonly are used today: closed Two situations can cause separator blow-through.
bottom, open bottom, and float type. The principle of mud/gas sepa- I. Friction pressure of the gas venting through the vent line ex-
ration within each type of vessel is identical. Differences can be ceeds the mud-leg hydrostatic pressure, resulting in evacuation of
found in the method of maintaining the mud leg, as discussed fluid from the separator. Friction pressure of the mud through the
below.! mud return line is considered negligible because of its short length.
The closed-bottom separator, as the name implies, is closed at 2. Vessel ID is too small, causing insufficient retention time for
the vessel bottom with the mud return line directed back to the mud the gas to separate efficiently from the mud. This situation is com-
tanks, as shown in Fig. 1. Mud leg is maintained in the separator monly called insufficient' separator cut.
by installation of an inverted V-shaped bend in the mud return line. To estimate a peak gas flow rate properly, we must consider a
Fluid level can be adjusted by increasing/decreasing the length of "typical" kick. The typical kick will depend on the well location,
the V-shaped bend. depth, type size, and component ratios of influx. Kick data should
Commonly called the poor boy,2,3 the open-bottom mud/gas be based on previous offset well data and should be a realistic worst-
separator is typically mounted on a mud tank or trip tank with the case gas kick. The well and kick data in Fig. 5 will be used in this
bottom of the separator body submerged in the mud, as shown in paper.
The volume and pressure of the gas upstream of the choke must
Copyright 1991 Society of Petroleum Engineers first be calculated. Vsing the drilling applications module Dril-

SPE Drilling Engineering, December 1991 279

 f:::::::1MUD & GAS MIXTURE
_

o
MUD

GAS

IMPINGEM ENT
PLATE
SEPARATOR INLET
-
~
I:.::.:.:::.::J MUD & GAS MIXTURE

o
MUD

GAS

IMPINGEMENT
PLATE

MUD TANK

Fig. 1- Closed-boHom mud/gas separator. Fig. 2-0pen-boHom mud/gas separator.

pro™,5 we concluded that Pc max = 1,750 psi and Vemax =75.9 Mud Leg. As previously discussed, mud-leg hydrostatic pressure
bbl. must exceed vent-line friction pressure to prevent a separator blow-
The driller's method was used for calculation purposes. Use of through condition. Minimum mud-leg hydrostatic pressure would
the wait-and-weight method would result in a lower peak gas flow occur if an oil/gas kick was taken and the mud leg was filled with
rate. Driller's method calculations provide a worst-case well-control 0.26 psi/ft oil. 8 This minimum condition mayor may not occur,
scenario for mud/gas separator sizing. depending on the well location. Offset well data should be evaluat-
The following equation calculates the time necessary to vent gas: ed to establish a minimum mud-leg fluid gradient. For example,
t= Vemax /qk=75.9/3=25.3 minutes ................... (1) the 0.26-psi/ft mud-leg gradient would be considered extremely con-
servative if dry gas were expected for the sample problem. A more
With Boyle's gas law,2 calculate the volume of gas downstream realistic estimate would approach the gradient of whole mud for
of the choke, Ve' Assume an atmospheric pressure of 14.7 psi. 6 the dry-gas case. A realistic mud-leg gradient for a gas/water kick
Neglect the effects of gas temperature and compressibility. would be the gradient of native salt water.
Pemax Vcmax =Pc Vc; .................................. (2) In this paper, a worst-case scenario is considered with a mud-
leg fluid gradient of 0.26 psi/ft. If we assume a 7-ft mud leg,
therefore, Ve =(1,750X75.9)/(l4.7)=9,036 bbl.
PmZ=h mzg mZ =7xO.26=1.8 psi, ...................... (6)
Calculate the peak gas flow rate, qmax' as
where PmZ>PI(1.8> 1.0 psi).
qmax = Ve /t=9,036/25.3=357.2 bbl/min ............... (3)
Therefore, a blow-through condition does not exist when vent-line
Convert barrels per minute to cubic feet per day, 5 friction pressure is calculated at peak gas flow rates.
qmax =357.2x8,085.6=2,887,806 ft31D.
Separator ID. A blow-through condition may exist because a small
Vent-Line Friction Pressure. The formula used by this paper to vessel ID results in insufficient separator cut. Several complicated
calculate friction pressure of gas through a vent line is derived from models exist to describe gas movement within a liquid. 9 A sim-
the Atkinson-modified Darcy-Weisbach equation:? plified approach, taken in this paper, states that the gas migration
rate upward within the separator must exceed the liquid velocity
hi =fsLq 2/5.2A3.
downward within the separator to give 100% separator cut and to
If we assume an empirical friction factor for smooth, straight, prevent a separator blow-through condition. Gas migration rate is
steel pipe-lOxlO- lO Ibm-min 2/ft4 and gas density =0.01 Ibm/ estimated at 500 ft/hr, or 8.4 ft/min,9 within the separator. This
gal 6 -the following much simpler equation can be used: estimation is conservative and more realistic values would be higher;
PI =5.0x 10-12Leq'1max/df . ......................... (4) however, the slow gas migration rate serves as a worst-case
scenario. Liquid flow rate through the separator can be estimated
Effective length,? Le, can be defined as the total vent-line length as 2xqk; for this paper 2x3=6 bbllmin. This factor of two was
plus equivalent lengths for various bends, corners, etc. (Table 2), determined from gas volume at depth calculations (Boyle's law)
for the mud/gas separator shown in Fig. 4. The vent line consists using Drilpro ™ for various depths and kick sizes. Correlation of
of 200 ft of a 7-in.-ID circular steel line with three sharp right bends. the data shows that the mud flow from the well approaches twice
Le can be calculated as the mud flow into the well (kill rate) for various kick sizes, kill
L e =L+L eq =2oo+(3x70)=41O ft .................... (5) rateS, and wellbore geometries. A more accurate determination of
mud flow from the well can be incorporated into the design
Vent-line friction pressure is procedure.
PI =(5.0x 10- 12 X41OX2,887,806)217.0 5 = 1.0 psi. By calculating the liquid velocity downward within the separator
Note that effective vent-line lengths will be significantly affect- vL =2qk ICsp, ..................................... (7)
ed by the installation of flame arresters or some auto-igniters. 8 The
where C sp =d;/1,029 bbllft. If we assume a 36-in. separator,
effect of this additional backpressure should be included in the cal-
culation of vent-line friction pressure. vL =[(2x3)/36 2 ]/1,029=4.8 ft/min.

280 SPE Drilling Engineering, December 1991

 -
r:;::::::::I TABLE 1-MUD/GAS SEPARATOR SIZING WORKSHEET
~ MUD & GAS MIXTURE

MUD Slow pump rate information, qslow

Strokes per min 33
D GAS psi 790
bbl/stroke 0.091
IMPINGEMENT
PLATE
bbllmin 3.0
Mud/gas separator data
Separator body 10, in. 36
Gas vent-line 10, d j , in. 7.0
Gas vent-line effective length,
BAFFlES La =L+Leq, Leq from Table 2, ft 410
Kick data
Old mud weight, Ibm/gal 15.2
Initial shut-in drillpipe pressure, psi 520
Initial shut-in caSing pressure, psi 640
Pit gain, bbl 24
True vertical depth, ft 14,400
Peak gas-flow rate calculation
Pcmax for driller's method, psi 1,750
Volume of gas upstream of choke,
Vcmax , bbl 75.9
Time to pump gas out of well,
t= Vcmax/qslow, minutes 25.3
Volume of gas downstream of choke,
Fig. 3-Float-type mud/gas separator. Vc =Pcmax Vcmax/Pc' bbl 9,036
Peak gas flow rate, qmax = V c 8085.61t, ft3/D 2,887,806
Vent-line friction-pressure calculation
We find that the gas migration rate is greater than the liquid veloc-
pf= (5.0 x 10 -12)(La)(qmax)2/d/, psi 1.0
ity in the separator, 8.4>4.8 ft/min. Therefore, a blow-through Mud-leg calculation
condition caused by insufficient separator cut does not exist. Minimum mud leg required, PI/gmt' ft 3.8
Note that a separator cut < 100% frequently exists with mud/gas Separator 10 calculation
separators, and under some conditions, is not a major concern. As Minimum separator 10, 15.56 X Jqslow (bbllmin), in. 27
stated earlier, the mud/gas separator is designed to provide effec- If the mud/gas separator does not meet the sizing criteria, refer
tive separation of mud and gas with small amounts of entrained to the section on trouble-shooting for suggested modifications.
gas handled by a vacuum-type degasser located in the mud pits.
Therefore, large active pit volumes may tolerate < 100% separa-
1. Gas kicks in oil-based mud can approach "possibly soluble"
tor cut.
conditions while the kick is circulated from the well.
2. Gas kicks in oil-based mud that pass through the gas bub-
Sizing Conclusion. Having evaluated sizing criteria for the mud/gas
blepoint while being circulated from the well can experience higher
separator (Fig. 4), we may conclude that the separator is sized suffi-
Pcmax and Vcmax values than were calculated for a kick of the same
ciently to handle our worst-case kick properly.
initial pit gain in a water-based mud. This results in higher peak
gas flow rates through the separator and thus the requirement for
OII·Based·Mud Considerations a more stringent separator design.
The effects of oil-based mud on the operation of the mud/gas sepa- 3. Gas kicks in oil-based mud that do not pass through the gas
ration can signifiantly affect sizing and design requirements. l bubblepoint until the gas is downstream of the choke will severely
These concerns are currently being evaluated. However, some con- affect mud/gas separator sizing and design. Peak gas flow rates will
clusions can be made at this stage. 10 be extremely high relative to those calculated for water-based mud

1-:-:-:-:1 MUD & GAS

•---
_
MIXTURE
MUD
T4' Well Data :

o GAS Straight Hole 14,400 It

Casing 9%" x 8'12" at 12.200 It
Shoe Test 16.6 Ibm/gal Mud WI. Equiv.
BHA 310'-6'12" x 2";\." DC
465'-5" x 50.2 Ibm/It HWDP
Drillpipe 5", 16.6 Ibm/It
27' Mud Weight 15.2 Ibm/gal
Pump 5'12" x 13" Triplex at
95% elf. (output - 0.091 bbllstroke)
Pit Volume - 1,000 bbl

Kick Data :
7 O' VENT LINE
Shul·ln Drlllpipe Pressure _ 520 psi
Shul-in Casing Pressure - 640 psi
Pit Gain - 24 bbl
Slow Pump Rate
790 psi at 33 strokes/min (3 bblJmin)

Fig. 4-Mud/gas separator sizing. Fig. 5-Well configuration.

SPE Drilling Engineering, December 1991 281

 TABLE 2-BEND/CORNER EQUIVALENT LENGTHS I':':':':j
.... .
~
MUD & GAS MIXTURE

SOURCE MUD
SKETCH EQUIV. LENGTH (FT)

BEND· ACUTE,
ROUND rr=====:::::- 3

BEND· ACUTE,
SHARP fr=:::::::- 150

BEND· RIGHT,
ROUND (( 1

BEND· RIGHT,
SHARP
II 70

BEND· OBTUSE,
ROUND ~ 1

BEND - OBTUSE,
SHARP ~ 15

---------
~

------
CONTRACTION,
GRADUAL 1

CONTRACTION, Fig. 6-Mudlgas separator components.

10
ABRUPT ----r-

EXPANSION,
GRADUAL --~
1 Closed-bottom mud/gas separators should be designed with a

-------
minimum 1-ft sump at the bottom of the vessel. The sump will help
prevent solids from settling and plugging the mud-retum-line outlet.
EXPANSION, --r--
20 A lower manway should be located on the lower part of the sepa-
ABRUPT
rator to permit sump cleanout or unplugging of the mud return line.
The manway should be equipped with a replaceable rubber seal to
prevent leakage.
as outlined in this paper. Additional evaluation of the separator sizing
The mud/gas separator should be equipped with a valved inlet
should be completed if these well conditions exist.
on the lower section of the vessel to permit mud to be pumped into
the separator. Mud can be pumped into the lower section of the
Other Mud/Gas Separator Considerations 1 .4,8
separator during operation to decrease the possibility of solids
Fig. 6 shows other separator components. A minimum 8-in.-ID mud settling in the mud return line. The valved inlet also permits clean-
return line is recommended for closed-bottom separators. Smaller ing solids from the lower portion of the separator, especially after
lines may encounter problems with solids plugging the line. A larger- separator use.
ID line would be considered beneficial. The impingement plate A siphon breaker or antisiphon tube may be required to prevent
should be perpendicular to the separator inlet line and field having to siphon mud from the separator into the mud tanks, espe-
replaceable. cially with configurations that require the mud return line to be ex-
Baffles within the separator should be located in the upper part tended below the separator elevation to allow mud to return to the
of the separator and may continue into the lower part of the vessel. mud tanks. The siphon breaker is simply an upward-directed open-
Typically, baffles consist of near-horizontal plates. The plates may ended pipe attached to the highest point of the mud return line.
be solid or have holes in them. The baffles should not impede the All separators must be built in compliance with the ASME Boil-
flow of liquid through the separator, which would cause fluid build- er and Pressure Vessel Code, Sec. VIII, Div. I with all materials
up above the baffles. Solids buildup in the baffles can also be a . meeting requirements of NACE Standard MROJ-75-8412 (1980
problem if the baffles are too restrictive. Revision). All welding on the vessel must meet ASME requirements.
An upper manway should be located on the upper part of the sepa-
rator to permit visual inspection of the interior of the separator.
12
The manway should be large enough to permit replacement of the
impingement plate and equipped with a replaceable rubber seal to
prevent leakage. 10

...
....
. -Qu MignItoft Rite 500 ftlhr
-
friction •
(pol)
•
-
..., 0.. ...,__ AMI 1000 ftJhr

.. 0. MIgtIIIOn RaIl 1100 M'Ir

~2' -.. 0. ........ RMI 2000 M'lr
•• - <1M Migration RUe 2500 Mw
_*kin
t.
to " OM RI" 3000 Mlr 2

012*4,'7" o 7 10

Fig. 7-Effect of circulating kill rate on minimum separator 10. Fig. 8-Effect of kill rate on vent·llne friction pressure.

282 SPE Drilling Engineering. December 1991

 18 1.4

16 - mud 16 Ibmlgal
1.2
mud 14 Ibmlgal
14
mud 12 Ibm/gal P 1
12 f
- saft water B.6lbmlgal (pol)
10 0.8
P light oil 5 Ibm/gal -~--,- . -' --
ml
(pel) 8 0.6

4
.... - --- 0.4

0.2
2

0 ~ ~ ~ ~ s _ ~ _ _ _
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
E_l.engtlt{n)
Mud Leg Helght(lI)

Fig. 9-Effect of mud-leg height on mud-leg hydrostatic Fig. 10-Effect of effective length on vent-line friction
pressure. pressure.

New mud/gas separators should be hydrostatically tested to 188

psi to give a maximum working pressure of 150 psi, as recom- 10

mended by ASME. 11 Periodic nondestructive testing should in-

clude radiographic examination of wall thickness and ultrasound
verification of weld continuity. 12 At each initial hookup, every
separator should be circulated through with water at the maximum
possible flow rate to check for possible leaks in the connections.
Frequency of testing should depend on anticipated and historical
~
(pol)
.
use of the separator.
Bracing the mud/gas separator has always been a major prob-
lem. When gas reaches the surface, separators tend to vibrate and,
if not properly supported, can move, resulting in near-catastrophic
problems. Thus, it is critical that all mud/gas separators be suffi-
ciently anchored and properly braced to prevent movement of both .. 5 6 7 10 11 12
Vont Une In_I Ol.me.... (In.)
the separator body and the lines.

Trouble·Shootlng an Insufficiently Fig. 11-Effect of vent-line 10 on vent-line friction pressure.

Sized Separator
Frequently, the situation arises where a mud/gas separator is picked example, if the kill rate for the previously sized separator were re-
up with the rig contract, and the drilling rig supervisor and engi- duced from 3 to 1.5 bbl/min, the peak gas flow rate would decrease.
neer must evaluate the suitability of the separator for the wellioca- Combining Eqs. 1 and 3 and converting, we obtain
tion. This evaluation typically should be conducted during the rig
bid analysis process. If the separator is insufficient or marginal, (=75.9/1.5=50.6 min
it may be more economical to upgrade the existing separator to meet and qmax=9,036/50.6=1,443,903 ft31D.
the sizing criteria as an alternative to renting or building a suitable
one. This decrease in peak gas flow rate would significantly decrease
the excessive vent-line friction pressure and improve the operation
Small Vessel ID. We frequently do our calculations and determine of the separator (Eq. 4).
that our vessel ID is too small. Reducing the kill rate will improve
Pj(5.0X 10- 12 x410x 1,443,903)217.0 5 =0.25 psi.
this situation; e.g., if the kill rate for the previously sized separa-
tor were reduced from 3 to 1.5 bbl/min, then from Eq. 7: Fig. 8 shows the effect of kill rate on the calculation of vent-line
vL = [(2 x 1.5)/36 2 ]/1,029 =2.4 ft/min. friction pressure for the previously sized separator.
2. Increase the mud leg. Another solution may be to increase the
Thus, reducing the kill rate also reduces the liquid velocity rate height of the mud leg. For example, if we increased the previously
in the separator, which increases the mud/gas retention time and sized separator from a 7-ft mud leg to alOft mud leg, the mud-leg
improves the efficiency of mud/gas separation. hydrostatic pressure should increase (Eq. 6).
Also note that a gas migration rate of 500 ft/hr (8.4 ft/min) is
a worst-case scenario and values could be higher. Therefore, when Pml=lOxO.26=2.6 psi.
vessel ID is considered, a marginal separator probably would be
Thus, the mud-leg hydrostatic pressure increased from 1.8 to 2.6
sufficient because of this built-in safety factor. Higher gas migra-
psi, allowing the separator to operate more efficiently.
tion rates may also be used in the sizing procedure, as previously
Fig. 9 shows the effect of mud-leg height on the calculation of
discussed. Fig. 7 shows the effect of kill rate on the calculation
mud-leg hydrostatic pressure for different mud-leg gradients. Note
of minimum separator ID for different gas migration rates.
that the mud-leg height cannot exceed the separator height. The
Vent-Line Friction Pressure Exceeds Mud-Leg Hydrostatic Pres- mud leg may also be restricted by bell-nipple elevation. If the mud
sure. Another area of concern is vent-line friction pressure exceed- leg is higher than the bell nipple, additional surface equipment may
ing mud-leg hydrostatic pressure, Pj > Pml' Several options exist be required to permit the separator to operate when drilling with
to help alleviate this problem. significant gas in the mud returns.
1. Reduce the circulating kill rate. As discussed previously, a 3. Adjust vent-line bends. As shown in Table 1, the type and
reduction in the circulating kill rate may improve a separator's op- number of bends in the vent line significantly affect the effective
eration when vessel ID is considered and also when excessive vent- vent-line length, which in turn affects the calculation for vent-line
line friction pressures are considered. This reduction in kill rate friction pressure. If we were to replace the targeted T-bends on
may be the most economical solution to the sizing concern. For the previously sized separator with right-rounded bends, the cal-

SPE Drilling Engineering, December 1991 283

 Author Leq = equivalent length of bends, ft
Pc = pressure of gas downstream of choke=atmospheric
G.R. MacDougall Is a drilling engineer pressure, 14.7 psi
at Chevron Canada Resources Ltd. In Pcmax = pressure of gas upstream of choke, psi
calgary. Previously, he was an engineer PI = gas vent-line friction pressure, psi
at Chevron Services' Drilling Technolo- Pml = mud-leg hydrostatic pressure, psi
gy cantre. He holds a BS degree In min-
Ing engineering from the Technical U. of q = gas flow rate, bbllmin
Nova Scotia. qk = kill rate, bbl/min
qmax = peak gas flow rate through mud/gas separator,
bbl/min or ft3fD
qslow = slow pump rate, psi
s = gas vent-line perimeter, ft
t = time venting gas at surface, minutes
culations for the effective length (Eq. 5) and vent-line friction pres- vL = liquid velocity in the mud/gas separator, ft/min
sure (Eq. 4) would change: Vc = volume of gas downstream of choke, bbl
L e =200+(3 X 1)=203 ft Vcmax = volume of gas upstream of choke, bbl
and PI =(5.0x 10- 12 x203x2,887,806)217.0 5 =0.5 psi.
Acknowledgments
Hence, a vent-line friction-pressure decrease from 1.0 to 0.5 psi I thank Chevron Services Co., Chevron Canada Resources, and
increases the efficiency of the separator for a given mud leg. In Chevron's Drilling Technology Centre for their assistance and per-
addition, the vent-line friction pressure increases proportionally to mission to write and publish this paper.
the effective length (Fig. 10).
4. Increase vent-line ID. Increasing the vent-line ID is generally References
the most expensive alternative but may be the only adjustment pos-
1. Turner, E.B.: "Well Control When Drilling With Oil-Based Mud,"
sible to increase separator efficiency. Larger-ID vent lines will
Offshore Technology Report OTH86260, U.K. Operations & Safety,
decrease the vent-line friction-pressure calculation. For the previ- Dept. of Energy, London (Oct. 1986).
ously sized separator, if an 8.0-in.-ID vent line were used, the cal- 2. Butchko, D. et al.: "Design of Atmospheric Open-Bottom Mud/Gas
culation for vent-line friction pressure (Eq. 5) would change to Separators," paper SPE 13485 presented at the 1985 SPEIIADC Drilling
Conference, New Orleans, March 5-8.
PI =(S.Ox 10- 12 X41OX2,887,806)217.0 5 =O.S psi.
3. Grigg, P.C.: "The Poor Boy Degasser as a Well Control TooI,'~ paper
Again, a vent-line friction-pressure decrease from 1.0 to 0.5 psi presented at the 1980 IADC/CAODC Drilling Technology Conference,
will increase separator efficiency for a given mud leg. Fig. 11 shows Dallas, March 17-20.
the effect of vent-line ID on the calculation of vent-line friction pres- 4. Swaco Mud-Gas Separator Operation and Service Manual. Report No.
0380-0250, Dresser Industries Inc. (April 1982).
sure for the previously sized separator.
5. Brewton, I., Rau, W.E., and Dearing, H.L.: "Development and Use
of a Drilling Applications Module for a Programmable Hand-Held Cal-
Conclusions culator," paper SPE 16657 presented at the 1987 SPE Annual Techni-
1. The principle of mud/gas separation within most commonly cal Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, Sept. 27-30.
used mud/gas separators is identical. Differences can be found in 6. Engineering Data Book, ninth edition, Gas Processors Suppliers Assn.,
the method of maintaining the mud leg. Tulsa (1979) Chap. 16, 1-41.
7. Hartman, H.L.: Mine Ventilation and Air Conditioning, John Wiley
2. A closed-bottom mud/gas separator is the preferred configu- & Sons Inc., New York City (1982) 131-61.
ration. Open-bottom and float-type separators work well but are 8. Spec. 121, Specificationfor Oil and Gas Separators, sixth edition, API,
subject to limitations and prone to failure. Dallas (June 1, 1988).
3. Sizing of a mud/gas separator should be specific to individual 9. Rader, D.W., Bourgoyne, A.T., and Ward, R.H.: "Factors Affecting
well conditions. Bubble-Rise Velocity of Gas Kicks," JPT (May 1975) 571-84.
4. Modeling of gas flow through a mud/gas separator can be ap- 10. O'Bryan, P.L. and Bourgoyne, A.T.: "Methods for Handling Drilled
proximated by a simple procedure in a limited time. Gas in Oil-Based Drilling Fluids," SPEDE (Sept. 1989) 237-46.
S. A complete list of mud/gas separator components and con- 11. Boiler and Pressure Code, Section Vlll Div. 1, Pressure Vessels, ASME,
Dallas (Dec. 1989) 101-36.
siderations was compiled to assist with the design of mud/gas sepa-
12. Standard MROl-75-84, Material Requirement, Sulfide Stress Cracking
rators. Resistant Metallic Materials for Oil Field Equipment, NACE, Houston
6. A trouble-shooting guide was developed to address economi- (Jan. 1984).
cal upgrading of an existing insufficiently sized separator to meet
sizing guidelines as an alternative to building or renting a new 51 Metric Conversion Factor.
separator. bbl x 1.589.873 E-Ol m3
ft x 3.048* E-Ol m
Nomenclatu... ft3 x 2.831685 E-02 m3
A = cross-sectional area of gas vent line, ft2 gal x 3.785412 E-03 m3
CqJ = separator capacity, bbl/ft in. x 2.54* E+OO cm
d j = gas vent-line ID, in. Ibm x 4.535924 E-Ol kg
d s = separator ID, in. psi x 6.894757 E+OO kPa
t= empirical friction factor, Ibm-min 2/ft4
• Conversion factor is exact. SPEDE
gml = mud-leg fluid gradient, psi/ft
hml = mud-leg height, ft Original SPE manuscript received for review Sept. 2, 1990. Paper accepted for publication
Sept. 30, 1991. Revised manuscript received Sept. 12, 1991. Paper (SPE 20430) first
L = gas vent-line length, ft presented at the 1990 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in New
Le = gas 'vent-line effective length, ft Orleans, Sept. 23-26.

284 SPE Drilling Engineering, December 1991