Setting Up an Oil and Gas Production Tank Battery

September 1, 2021

The tank battery is an essential component of any gas or oil operation. It’s a group of connected tanks that receive oil production and measure and test the oil before pumping it into the pipeline. Without a functioning tank battery, an oil facility simply cannot operate.

While you probably already know this information if you’re in the oil or gas industry, you might not know the different components of tank batteries. Keep reading to get caught up on everything you need to know about tank battery builds.

Assembling a tank battery

A tank battery will need to evolve over the lifespan of the oil well, which is one of the important reasons to understand the ins and outs of an oil tank battery. As the nature of oil production changes, the battery will need to be adapted to meet different needs.

For example, a new well may have sufficient natural pressure at first to produce a steady flow. When that pressure falls, you’ll need to install a gas or hydraulic lift system to produce the necessary oil amount.

By accounting for these changing needs (and advancing technologies) during the design and installation process, a company can rest easy knowing they won’t need to replace their entire tank anytime soon.

Essential vessels

The vessel is a name for the tanks and other equipment that receive the produced oil. These are the different types of equipment necessary for tank battery builds:

  • Stock tank: A stock tank is the type of tank used for storing oil before treating or selling it. Stock tanks are typically accompanied by another tank used for holding and measuring separated water. These tanks can be round or rectangular, and are usually not pressurized.
  • Separators: A regular and test separator are also needed by the essential vessels. The pressurized separator is the fluid’s first stop after leaving the well—these can either be two- or three-phase units. Two-phase separators only remove gas from oil and water. Three-phase units, on the other hand, separate oil, water and other impurities.
  • Circulation pump: A circulation pump is required in each tank battery to move fluids from one vessel to another.
  • Firewall: Today’s tank batteries require a firewall around unpressurized vessels to protect against leaks or other situations where oil might end up outside of a vessel.

Flow lines

The flow lines are the pipes connecting the tanks and production equipment to a well (or multiple wells). These flow lines are typically made of steel or a synthetic material like plastic or fiberglass. Steel lines are often the sturdier option, but synthetics are used in situations when the steel may corrode too quickly.

Do you need a team for a new build?

If you need a professional to assist with new tank battery builds or retrofit your current tank to meet new needs, call our pros at JB Electric LLC. We specialize in safe and efficient oil field builds, so you can trust your facility is in good hands when we’re on the job.

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