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Fabrication Services — Vessel Fabrication

2-Phase Separators

Horizontal and vertical two-phase separators engineered to split well effluent into gas and liquid streams — sized to API 12J and GPSA guidelines, with inlet diverters, mist extraction, and sour-service construction.

Overview

The first vessel a well stream sees, and the one that sets everything downstream

A 2-phase separator extracts gas from the liquids present in well effluent or process feed, allowing operators to measure and route each stream independently. Three mechanisms work in sequence inside the vessel: momentum reduction at the inlet, gravity settling through the vessel body, and mist elimination before the gas exits — each stage removing progressively finer liquid droplets from the gas phase.

Fintelius sizes every separator against both governing constraints simultaneously — gas capacity from droplet settling velocity (Souders-Brown) and liquid capacity from required retention time — then selects horizontal or vertical geometry to match the gas-to-liquid ratio and plot-space available.

  • Horizontal configuration for low-to-mid gas ratios; vertical for high-ratio, space-constrained duty
  • Inlet diverter, gravity settling section & mist extraction (wire mesh or vane pack) internals
  • Corrosion-resistant & H₂S-safe construction for sour gas service
  • Sized to API 12J / GPSA guidelines, fabricated to ASME Section VIII
2-phase separator vessel — shop fabrication
How It Works

From process data to a hydrostatically tested separator

Every separator follows the same disciplined path through the shop, whatever its orientation.

1

Process Sizing

Gas rate, liquid rate, operating pressure & gas-to-liquid ratio are used to size the vessel against both gas-capacity and liquid-retention constraints.

2

Geometry Selection

Horizontal or vertical orientation and slenderness (L/D) ratio are selected to match the sizing basis and available plot space.

3

Shell & Internals Fabrication

Shell is rolled and fitted with the inlet diverter, mist eliminator, vortex breaker, and instrumentation nozzles.

4

Welding, NDE & PWHT

Welds are radiographed and ultrasonically tested; thick-walled sections undergo post-weld heat treatment.

5

Hydrostatic Testing & Dispatch

The complete vessel is hydrostatically tested, coated, and prepared for shipment as a skid-mounted or standalone unit.

Separator Configurations

Matched to gas-to-liquid ratio & plot space

HZ

Horizontal Separator

Best for low-to-mid gas ratios and high liquid volumes — larger L/D ratios (3:1 to 5:1) extend gas residence and improve foam management.

VT

Vertical Separator

Suited to high gas-to-liquid ratio applications above roughly 10,000 scf/bbl, slugging service, and space-constrained installations — shorter L/D ratios (2:1 to 4:1) use the full cross-section for gas flow.

SP

Spherical Separator

A compact alternative geometry for high-pressure, moderate-volume service where minimal footprint and weight are priorities.

Separation Internals

Three stages, each removing a finer droplet size

Momentum reduction, gravity settling, and mist elimination work in sequence — no single stage does the whole job.

01

Inlet Diverter

Deflector plates, half-open pipes, or proprietary devices reduce incoming fluid momentum so liquid droplets drop out at the inlet rather than carrying through the vessel.

02

Gravity Settling Section

The vessel body provides residence time for density-driven separation — heavier liquid settles down while lighter gas rises to the outlet.

03

Wire Mesh Mist Eliminator

Removes fine liquid droplets from the gas outlet stream by coalescing them onto a woven mesh pad ahead of the gas nozzle.

04

Vane Pack Mist Eliminator

An alternative mist-extraction technology that redirects entrained liquid downward using a series of angled vanes, tolerant of higher liquid loading.

05

Vortex Breaker

Positioned over the liquid outlet nozzle to prevent gas or oil entrainment as liquid drains from the vessel.

06

Level Instrumentation

Low, low-low, high, and high-high level switches manage liquid retention and trigger shutdown before carryover or dry-out.

Core Equipment & Mechanical Design

What reliable gas-liquid separation demands

01

Shell & Head Fabrication

Plate rolling and head forming to the design diameter, length, and wall thickness set by the gas-capacity and retention-time sizing basis.

02

Nozzle & Instrumentation Fabrication

Inlet, gas outlet, liquid outlet, relief, drain, and instrumentation nozzles with reinforcement pads.

03

Internals Installation

Inlet diverter, mist eliminator, and vortex breaker fitted and supported inside the shell to the process design.

04

Saddle & Skirt Supports

Support design engineered for horizontal saddle-mounted or vertical skirt-supported orientation and full liquid loading.

05

Sour Service & CRA Construction

Corrosion-resistant alloy cladding or full CRA construction, plus H₂S-safe design for sour gas duty.

06

Post-Weld Heat Treatment

Stress-relief heat treatment for thick-walled shell and head sections per code requirements.

07

Radiography & Ultrasonic NDE

Weld integrity verification across all shell and nozzle welds before hydrostatic test.

08

Instrumentation & Control Panel

Comprehensive level, pressure, and safety instrumentation integrated for asset and personnel protection.

09

Skid Mounting & Portability

Skid-mounted, field-portable configurations for onshore well-test and temporary production applications.

Design Specifications

Capability at a glance

Configurations
Horizontal, vertical & spherical
Sizing Basis
API 12J & GPSA — gas capacity (Souders-Brown) & liquid retention time, sized concurrently
Governing Code
ASME Section VIII
Horizontal L/D Ratio
Typically 3:1 to 5:1
Vertical L/D Ratio
Typically 2:1 to 4:1
Mist Eliminator K-Factor
Wire mesh ~0.35 ft/s; vane pack ~0.20 ft/s; multi-cyclone ~0.50 ft/s (varies with pressure)
Liquid Retention Time
Typically 1–3 minutes for 2-phase oil service
Level Switch Guidance
Low, low-low, high & high-high, 3–15 min interval per service criticality
Gas Ratio Guidance
Vertical preferred above roughly 10,000 scf/bbl
Materials
Carbon steel standard; corrosion-resistant alloys for sour (H₂S/CO₂) service
Testing
Radiography, ultrasonic testing & full hydrostatic test
Delivery Format
Skid-mounted, field-portable or fixed-installation vessel
Applications

Where our 2-phase separators go to work

WH

Wellhead & Production Separation

First-stage gas-liquid separation directly at the wellhead or gathering manifold, ahead of downstream processing.

TS

Well Testing

Portable separators supporting well-test measurement to inform field development and production decisions.

GP

Gas Processing Plants

Inlet scrubbing and bulk separation ahead of dehydration, dew point control, and compression equipment.

PC

Petrochemical & Refinery Processing

Process-stream separation across refining and petrochemical process trains.

OF

Offshore Production

Compact, weight-optimized separators for offshore platform topside processing.

SG

Sour Gas Service

H₂S-safe construction protecting personnel and equipment in corrosive, sour-service gas streams.

Need a 2-phase separator sized for your well stream or process feed?

Send us your gas rate, liquid rate, and operating conditions for a fabrication proposal.

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