3M unveils new filtration skid

March 12, 2009
3M's Oil & Gas business has launched a new compact DNV 2.7-1 rated Cuno High Flow Triplex skid.

Offshore staff

BRACKNELL, UK -- 3M's Oil & Gas business has launched a new compact DNV 2.7-1 rated Cuno High Flow Triplex skid. Available for trial, rent, or purchase it is suitable for the filtration of small to medium volumes of fluids (200 bbl to 20,000 bbl) in both deck-side offshore and onshore applications with absolute-rated performance ranging from 1µ to 70µ.

Its three-vessel design offers increased run options - three vessel sequential, parallel or individual vessels – providing increased operational flexibility including constant on-line capability to eliminate rig downtime, the company says. Continuous flow is achieved by isolating the blocked vessel for cartridge change-out while re-directing the flow through one or both of the other two vessels. The three-vessel system also allows staged filtration and sharing of dirt load to maximize performance.

The new skid offers 99 kg total dirt loading capacity, single-handed cartridge change-outs in only five minutes per vessel, and connection to standard 4-in. (10-cm) service pipework.

Although it houses three vessels, the skid uses fewer cartridges than a conventional duplex skid resulting in reduced transport, labor, storage, and disposal costs. Each 6½-in. (16.5-cm) diameter x 40-in. (102-cm) long Cuno High Flow cartridge provides 13 sq m (140 sq ft) effective filtration area, resulting in a total of 117 sq m (1,259 sq ft) effective filtration area in the skid: 15% to 20% more than a conventional duplex skid.

Operational opportunities for the new skid include treatment of waste waters recovered for drill cuttings processing and generated from pit clean-ups, conditioning brine fluids used for wellbore completion and well kill operations, and filtration of seawater prior to well test operations.

A compound radial pleat design maximizes the usable surface area per filter, the company says. Blown micro-fiber forms the basis of the filter media, which is made to tightly controlled fiber diameter specifications to produce a media with absolute-rated particle retention characteristics. The manufacturing process embosses the media to produce a more uniform pleat pattern which, in turn, allows a greater use of the media by evenly distributing the fluid throughout the entire filter structure. This results in consistent particle retention in a compact, space-saving design, the company says.

03/12/2009