How Sand Separators are Used in the Oil and Gas Industry

What is a Sand Separator?

A pressure vessel pre-engineered to remove sand particles and sediments from natural gas is called a Sand Separator. With this equipment, you can prevent plugging, erosion, and other issues related to sand in well-streams. Sand separators are utilized in waste management and other industries to remove particulate from the liquid as well.

How Does a Separator Work?

The primary technique used in the Sand Separator is centrifugal force combined with gravity. Here, the materials are loaded to a centrifuge and spun. The materials, thus, get collected in various locations based on their weight. The sand, generally, is pushed to the bottom which can then be separated and removed. The oil, gas, and other lightweight particles remain at the top without mechanical agitation. Once the separation occurs, a filtering system will assist in clearing out finer particles and materials.

The oil and gas industry uses sand separators to separate oil and gas for purification. However, this is done only in the absence of a three-phase sand separator. The gravity first separates the gas from oil components, after which the gas and oil are extracted separately. Heaters come in handy to aid flow throughout the system.

To create a homogenous stream, there is a need for both oil and gas separators and sand separators. These types of equipment are used as the first step to processing and refining crude oil. They help cut down issues related to oil and gas drastically. They help prevent leaks caused by the transportation of oil, gas, and sand at once.

Why Should You Use a Sand Separator?

A two-phase Sand Separator can quickly separate sand from liquid, like crude oil used in the oil and gas industry. A three-phase separator can separate the third component, usually gas, resulting in gas, oil, and particulate equipment. Sand Separators, in general, are the most economical and efficient equipment to separate sand and sediments.

A sand separator coupled with a filtration system can remove most of the particulate from oil, thus making it easier to recover and transport. Without this system, it can exert more pressure on the extraction system, wasting energy and resources needed to filter out large amounts of particulates or invest in more complicated refining devices.

Forged Components specializes in the manufacturing of ASME pressure vessel connections for your pressure vessel applications. Please contact our sales team for more information on our forged products and services. Call us today at (281) 441-4088 or contact us online at www.forgedcomponents.com to get a quote.