Patent ID: 8057580

Claim:
A method of processing and separating a multiphase well effluent mixture, the method comprising: transferring the multiphase well effluent mixture via a multiphase well effluent flowline to a gas liquid separator in which the multiphase well effluent mixture is separated into substantially gaseous and liquid fractions; transferring the substantially liquid fraction into a liquid flowline in which a liquid pump is arranged; transferring the substantially gaseous fraction into a gas flowline in which a gas compressor is arranged; protecting the gas compressor against pressure and/or liquid surges by recirculating a recycled gas stream via a gas recycling conduit through the gas compressor in response to detection of a pressure and/or liquid surge in the compressor; cooling the recycled gas stream by injecting cooled recycled liquid into the recycled gas stream, which recycled liquid is cooled in a heat exchanger.