Patent ID: 8273151

Claim:
An undersea liquid/gas separator device for separating liquid and gaseous phases of a fluid, in particular liquid and gaseous phases of crude oil, wherein the device comprises a structure resting on the sea bottom and supporting: a) a plurality of first separator pipes extending from a horizontally-extending cylindrical first tank of elongate shape and circular section, the first separator pipes being connected thereto at their upstream ends, said first separator pipes being inclined at an angle α lying in the range 1° to 5° relative to the horizontal with a gentle downward slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal first cylindrical manifold to which said first pipes are connected downstream, said first tank being fed by at least one fluid feed pipe, and said first manifold being connected to a first liquid evacuation pipe of downward slope; b) a plurality of second separator pipes disposed above said first pipes from and above said first tank with a gentle rising slope from said first tank towards a substantially horizontal second cylindrical manifold, said second separator pipes being inclined relative to the horizontal at an angle β greater than α, said second manifold being connected to a first gas evacuation pipe; c) a plurality of vertical link third pipes between each said first separator pipe and each said second separator pipe; and d) a system of actuators enabling the inclination of said first and second separator pipes to be adjusted accurately and enabling said first tank and said first and second manifolds to be positioned horizontally.