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The term separator in oilfield terminology designates a pressure vessel used for separating well fluids produced from oil and gas wells into gaseous and liquid components. A separator for petroleum production is a large vessel designed to separate production fluids into their constituent components of oil, gas and water. A separating vessel may be referred to in the following ways: Oil and gas separator, Separator, Stage separator, Trap, Knockout vessel , Flash chamber , Expansion separator or expansion vessel, Scrubber , Filter. These separating vessels are normally used on a producing lease or platform near the wellhead, manifold, or tank battery to separate fluids produced from oil and gas wells into oil and gas or liquid and gas. An oil and gas separator generally includes the following essential components and features:
1. A vessel that includes primary separation device and/or section, secondary “gravity” settling section, mist extractor to remove small liquid particles from the gas, gas outlet, liquid settling section to remove gas or vapor from oil , oil outlet, and water outlet.
2. Adequate volumetric liquid capacity to handle liquid surges from the wells and/or flowlines.
3. Adequate vessel diameter and height or length to allow most of the liquid to separate from the gas so that the mist extractor will not be flooded.