PETRO-PILE®

 

Manufacturer of Engineered Offshore Water 

Disposal Systems for the separation of Oil, 

Water, and Sand.

     •  PROCESS EQUIPMENT 

      •  ENGINEERING 

      •  FABRICATION    

 

The Petro-Pile® Sump Pile is the most effective device available today for collection, treatment and discharge of waste water from offshore platforms.  Over thirty years of operating experience and design improvements have culminated in the patented Petro-Pile® design, available exclusively from PETREX.   

Petro-Pile® is now operating on offshore platforms in the United States, Russia, India, Indonesia, Africa, China, Thailand, Vietnam and Mexico. 

 

Petrex Home Page

Data Sheet

 


In Operation

In Fabrication


Information contained herein is protected by United States patent and trademark laws and is intended for use exclusively by PETREX, INC.


Function of Petro-Pile®

1.  To provide a means of disposal of deck and drip pans drainage due to rainfall and deck wash down.

2.  To consolidate platform discharges, produced water and deck drainage, into one location.

3.  To contain process water upsets until problem can be eliminated.

4.  To provide a conduit, protected from wave action, so that allowable discharges can be placed deep  enough to prevent sheens.

MMS Regulations:

30 CFR Part 250 "Oil, Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf"

Subpart C "Pollution Prevention"

Section 250.300 (a) (4)

Curbs, gutters, drip pans, and drains shall be installed in deck areas in a manner necessary to collect all contaminants not authorized for discharge.  Oil drainage shall be piped to a properly designed, operated, and maintained sump system which will automatically maintain the oil at a level sufficient to prevent discharge of oil into offshore waters.  All gravity drains shall be equipped with a water trap or other means to prevent gas in the sump.  SUMP PILES shall not be used as processing devices to treat or skim liquids but may be used to collect treated produced water, treated produced sand, or liquids from drip pans and deck drains and as a final trap for hydrocarbon liquids in the event of equipment upsets.  Improperly designed, operated, or maintained sump piles which do not prevent the discharge of oil into offshore waters, shall be replaced or repaired.

EPA Discharge Requirements:

40 CFR Part 435 "Oil and Gas Extraction Point Source Category"

Subpart A "Offshore Subcategory"

Section 435.13 Effluent Limitations (Milligrams/Liters) Oil and Grease

  Waste Source

Maximum for any one day Average Value for Thirty consecutive days shall not exceed:
  Produced water 42 29
  Deck Drainage No Discharge of Free Oil No Discharge of Free Oil

Penalties for Violations:

$10,000 per day

$10,000 per day and six (6) months in jail if records are tampered with

$25,000 per day and one (1) year in jail if cause is willful or negligent

Operation of Petro-Pile® 

The incoming oil wet mixture is introduced into the caisson through the down comer pipe.  The oily water flows into the caisson below the oil-water interface, which is set by the adjustable weir pipe.

The oily water then begins its flow downward toward the bottom of the caisson.  The oil particles that have a large enough diameter to provide them with a velocity greater than the downward velocity of the mixture, begin to float to the surface.  As they rise upward through the water, they contact and bond with smaller diameter oil particles and carry them to the surface. As the oil reaches the surface of the fluid level in the caisson, it spills over into the oil quiet chamber through the weir pipe.

Baffles are provided on opposite sides of the caisson and extend to the center.  These plates are sloped toward the bottom of the caisson and provide a means of rolling any sand entering the caisson to help strip it of oil.

The oil chamber is provided with bubbler tubes or level switches and either a submersible pump, diaphragm pump, blow case, or a discharge line with a foot valve.  As the oil level increases in the quiet chamber it reaches a preset point where the sensors send a signal to start the pump or blow case operation.  The oil is then removed from the chamber until it reaches a preset level that shuts off the pump or blow case operation.  If there is a failure of the blow case or pump and the oil level keeps rising in the chamber, another preset level is reached and a high level alarm sounds.

Samples of the water leaving the caisson are taken through a stainless steel sampling tube whose inlet is located near the bottom of the caisson. 

Advantages of Petro-Pile®

This pile is used as the "end of the system" unit to reduce the parts per million of oil in the sand and water collected on the platform before its final discharge overboard, and as a containment vessel for upsets in the produced water system.  Its major advantage is that it provides a large volume, and therefore a long settling time without taking up any deck space.  Due to its large volume and retention time the Petro-Pile® is able to handle large rainfall surges that can completely overwhelm conventional sump tanks.

The principle, and patented, main feature of the Petro-Pile® is the quiet oil spillover chamber.  This feature provides an oil collection area that is unaffected by wave action, tidal change or storm surge.  It also allows for a precise setting of the oil-water interface. 

All major pipe and equipment is in close proximity to the top of the pile for ease of maintenance and replacement.  Couplings and unions are provided so that no length greater than twenty feet has to be removed.

The flanged top allows for easy access into the caisson.  If the caisson should somehow become clogged, the top can be removed and the trash can be scooped out.

Contact PETREX for a more detailed description of our patented features and the numerous advantages of the Petro-Pile® .

History and Clients

This disposal caisson has been installed on platforms in the Gulf of Mexico since the 1970's.  It has governmental approval, in its general configuration, as an engineered disposal caisson meeting the requirements of the applicable MMS and EPA Federal Regulations.

 

A list of companies using Petro-Pile® on their offshore platforms in the United States, Russia, India, Indonesia, Africa, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Angola and Mexico is as follows:

 
AGIP DOMION EXPLORATION PHILLIPS PETROLEUM
AIOC (Russia) ELPASO ENERGY POGO
AMERADO HESS CORPORATION ENTIRE ENERGY SHELL OIL COMPANY
AMOCO EXXON OIL COMPANY SOUTHERN NATURAL GAS (SONAT)
ANADARKO FREEPORT McMORAN OIL & GAS SUPERIOR OIL COMPANY
ATLANTIC RICHFIELD (ARCO) KERR McGEE TATHAM OFFSHORE
BRITISH PETROLEUM LEVIATHAN OIL & GAS TEXACO, INC.
CENTURY OFFSHORE MOBIL OIL CORPORATION TOTAL FINA ELF
CHEVRON OIL COMPANY MURPHY EXPLORATION UNION TEXAS PETROLEUM
CONOCO, INC. ONGC (India) UNOCAL
DELOS ENERGY PEMEX VASTAR

 

 Photos:

 

 


Other Petro-Pile® Products

 

Sump Tank

Fully self contained with Pump, Panel, Level controls, Valving, Piping, Gauge Glasses, Drains, Drip Pan, Vents, Structural Skid, Pad eyes and removable Hatch Covers

         

Skim Tank

Utilizes an innovative flow path to insure 

maximum retention time. 


 

Contact us:

New Orleans, Louisiana

Phone: (504)341-2700     Fax: (504)341-2727

 

 

Houston, Texas

Phone: (281)361-8041 or  Fax: (281)361-7941 

 

  sales@petrex.com 
      

Petrex Home Page

Data Sheet

 

 

| Home | Site Map | About | Contact Us |

Copyright © 2006