METHOD OF PRODUCING GASEOUS AND LIQUID COMPONENTS FROM ONE OR MORE MULTI-PHASE STREAMS AND AN APPARATUS THEREFOR

摘要

THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A METHOD OF PRODUCING GASEOUS AND LIQUID COMPONENTS FROM ONE OR MORE MULTI-PHASE STREAMS IN ONE OR MORE PIPELINES AND AN APPARATUS THEREFORE, THE METHOD COMPRISING AT LEAST THE STEPS OF: (A) PASSING A FIRST MULTI-PHASE STREAM ALONG A FIRST PIPELINE (10); (B) PASSING THE FIRST MULTI-PHASE STREAM THROUGH A FIRST SLUGCATCHER SYSTEM (30) TO PROVIDE A FIRST GASEOUS COMPONENT STREAM (100) AND AT LEAST ONE FIRST LIQUID COMPONENT STREAM (102); (C) SELECTIVELY OPENING A FIRST BRANCH PIPELINE (20) FROM THE FIRST PIPELINE UPSTREAM OF THE FIRST SLUGCATCHER SYSTEM (30) TO PASS AT LEAST A FRACTION OF THE FIRST MULTI-PHASE STREAM THROUGH THE FIRST BRANCH PIPELINE (20) TO PROVIDE A FIRST BRANCH MULTI-PHASE STREAM; AND (D) PASSING AT LEAST A FRACTION OF THE FIRST BRANCH MULTI-PHASE STREAM TO A FIRST GAS/LIQUID SEPARATOR (40) TO PROVIDE AN OVERHEAD GASEOUS STREAM (200) AND A BOTTOM LIQUID STREAM (202).