PROCESS SYSTEMS
MOZLEY Wellhead Desander
™
SOLIDS
Proven efficient separation systems
MOZLEY Wellhead Desanders are used to remove sand and other solid particles from multi-phase wellstreams of the
wellhead choke. The units can be used as a permanently installed facility or as a temporary well service tool.
Overview
MOZLEY Wellhead Desanders are utilized at the production wellhead and
consist of single or multiple cyclone inserts housed inside a vessel operating
at the appropriate wellhead design pressure. These efficient units protect
downstream equipment from mechanical damage and erosion. They also
prevent partial blocking and settlement of sand in separators that lead to a
reduction in capacity.
Operating Principle and Key Features
MOZLEY Wellhead Desanders typically consist of single or multiple cyclone
inserts housed inside a vessel. The cyclone inserts are specifically designed for
each application using our proprietary computer simulations. Wellstream fluids
enter the cyclone tangential inlet, which forces the mixture to spin, and causes
the gas to disengage quickly. Both gas and liquids migrate toward the center
of the cyclone, as a reduction in cyclone diameter accelerates the fluid while at
the same time generating strong centrifugal forces.
The gas and liquid flow then reverses and moves upward towards the
overflow vortex finder. Solids are separated from the gas and liquid, forced
towards the cyclone wall and travel down the length of the conical section
of the cyclone in a spiral pattern towards the solids outlet. The separated
solids fall through into the accumulator vessel situated on the underflow of
the wellhead desander or a continuous hydrotransport device can be utilized.
The accumulator vessel is periodically isolated and collected solids are flushed
out. The wellhead desander itself remains on-line and operating while the
accumulator is being cleaned.
Performance
Depending on solids particle size distribution and wellstream properties,
up to 99% by weight solids removal is achieved on typical wellhead sand size
distributions. Pressure drops are only in the range of 5 to 150 PSIG (0.35 Kg/cm2
to 10.5 Kg/cm2).
Product Range
• Up to 30-inch (762 mm) diameter cyclone inserts available as standard with
larger sizes available if required
• Liquid capacity up to 50,000 BPD (7950 m3/day) per wellhead desander
• Optional geometry for a range of gas void/volume fractions in oil and gas
wells
• Housing designs up to 15,000 PSIG (1055 Kg/cm2)
• Hydrocyclone insert materials available in stainless, duplex, super duplex
steels, a range of ceramics and tungsten carbide
Data Sheet | TC9814-003
PROCESS SYSTEMS
Benefits and Advantages
Proven reliable experience over many years
with units operating worldwide in a wide
variety of applications.
• Significant capital and operating cost
savings
• Allows increased flowrates from wells that
are choked back due to sand production
• Avoid wellhead choke and manifold erosion,
significantly reducing changeout frequency
• Avoid erosion, solids build-up and blockage
in downstream process equipment
• Avoid need of highly erosive vessel sandjetting systems
• Removal of clean sand prior to oil
contamination in separators
Options and Types
• Upstream or downstream of the choke
L O C AT I ONS
Installation Examples
United States of America
• Offshore - Shell Brent, UK - High sand
11210 Equity Dr., Suite 100
producing wells
• Offshore - BP Marlin - GOM
• Onshore - Maersk, Harald West, Denmark
Houston, TX 77041 USA
TEL +713.849.7500
United Kingdom
Cameron House
Applications
61-73 Staines Road West
• High sand production wells
Sunbury-on-Thames
• Coiled tubing clean-out
• Solids removal for produced water
re-injection
• Underbalanced drilling cuttings removal
• Increased flow rates from sand “constrained”
wells
• Re-start production from sand plugged wells
Wellhead Desander Diagram
Middlesex, UK TW16 7AH
TEL +44.1932.732000
Singapore
2 Gul Circle (Gate 2)
Jurong, Singapore 629560
TEL +65.6861.3355
OTHER LOCATIONS
Abu Dhabi
Australia
Brazil
Calgary
Colombia
France
Japan
Mexico
Saudi Arabia
Russia
www.c-a-m.com
© 2010 Cameron | MOZLEY is a trademark of Cameron | Printed in USA, 1M | 07/10 TC9814-003