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advanced was a liquids and solids removal separator, but also using data from the well system used in 2014 to help clean out itself.

gas wells on a NAM-operated ? eld in the But, before Frames and IHC develop a full

Netherlands, taking it to TRL 7-8. subsea system, they will be looking to the

There will be ? eld trials beginning next operator community for a partner to make year on bulk separation together with a sure they’re developing what the indus-

Middle East customer, taking a liquid gas try needs, as well as to eventually take it separation version to TRL-7. Further experi- forward to trials. ments are also starting focusing on the They also have their sights set on subsea behavior of the separator when in liquid produced water treatment, which would degassing mode and the company plans to mean water could be reinjected instead continue lab work on bulk separation and of having to be lifted to the surface, says demisting, to further validate models, Liew Jeroen Bergman, says. product manager,

The next step will be developing the Produced Water technologies to withstand subsea con- Treatment, Frames. ditions. “One of the challenges we see The challenge will be over the life span of the components is what to do with any 3D model of the SwirlSep with ? ow scheme.

the maintenance intervals,” Cornegé says. sand that comes with “Onshore you can access them quite easily. Replacing components that water, as reinjecting sand can damage the subsea is not so easy. We are going to have to guarantee the life span reservoir. The market might not be quite ready and access by ROV (remotely operated vehicle), which means look- yet for such technologies, but it will come. “In

Jeroen Bergman, ing at choice of materials, wear patterns, etc.” the future we will see heavy oil ? elds, which con-

Frames

Another key challenge is designing a control system to control the tain sand being produced,” Bergman says. “So, outlet ? ow rates as well as the pressure drop over the system, similar we do see a serious challenge to deal with sand content in water,” to what is done on a hydrocyclone. However, as the equipment is especially when it comes to limited topsides space.

compact, it needs a fast control system with fast sensing. It will There’s a lot of work to be done, and it could be 2-3 years, before also require ? ow meters, which means you are e