Why Join TUSTP? – Top Twenty Reasons

TULSA UNIVERSITY SEPARATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS (TUSTP)

Summary of capabilities of TUSTP and benefits that TUSTP offers to current and prospective members:

1. TUSTP is Pioneer and leader in developing compact separators for field applications. The goal of TUSTP is to advance the state-of-the-art of separation technology.  

2. TUSTP conducts research on compact separation components/devices such as GLCC (Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone), LLCC (Liquid-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone), GLLCC (Gas-Liquid-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone), Liquid-Liquid Hydrocyclone (LLHC), Solid-Liquid Hydrocyclone (SLHC), Horizontal Pipe Separator, gas-liquid-solid separator, Slug Damper, Helical Pipe Separator, Elevated Distribution manifold and Compact Multiphase Separation System (CMSS).

3. There are eight deliverable software from TUSTP - GLCC Steady-state, GLCC Transient, LLCC, Hydrocyclone, Slug Damper, Gas/Liquid Flow Pattern prediction, Oil/water flow pattern prediction and Oil-Water pressure gradient codes. In addition to these software TUSTP also releases GLCC Design document and Programming Guidelines/Software standards to its member companies.

4. New release of these software are delivered every 6 months to members incorporating new research and development results.

5. Active TUSTP web site (www.tustp.org) provides the most up to date information on compact separation technology. It has features such as field applications, publications search, downloading of publications, MS Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertation, and discussion board, and other details.

6. TUSTP supports numerous applications in petroleum, chemical and minerals industries. Since the inception of TUSTP in 1994, more than 1450 GLCCs have been implemented in the field (by May 2007) successfully. The GLCC technology is poised for exponential growth.

7. Continuous support of member companies in running the computer code and field applications for two-phase and three-phase separation.

8. Several major oil companies have experience with the technology. Chevron, Texaco, PDVSA, Shell, ExxonMobil, Saudi Aramco, PEMEX, UNOCAL, Conoco, ARCO, Petrobras, Ecopetrol, BP, etc.

9. At least 5 vendor companies offer GLCC and/or GLCC integrated systems.

10. Through external funding, TUSTP is able to leverage 30~50 fold the annual membership of each member company.

11.  Numerous high quality, experience students have been through the TUSTP program and are returning to home offices with GLCC application expertise.

12.  At any given point of time TUSTP faculty and students have a combined experience of 125 years.

13. TU personnel have developed industry short courses on multiphase flow, GLCC and compact separation control that have been taught in Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, India, USA, Indonesia, Ecuador, China, etc.  

14. TU personnel have successfully completed several consulting services on multiphase flow, compact separators, conventional separators, separation systems, control systems design, slug dissipation models, Analysis of process and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID), development of universal dispersion models for different separation components, etc. for companies such as Chevron, CPI, Shell, ExxonMobil, Jiskoot Inc., NATCO, Systems Measurement Services, PDVSA, ARCO, UNOCAL, ONGC, Saudi Aramco, Schlumberger, Texaco, etc.

15. The GLCC technology is being introduced to undergraduate Petroleum engineers in at least 2 universities.

16. The GLCC is an order of magnitude smaller, cheaper, and most often clearly superior to conventional separation alternatives.

17. Sizing and performance predictions are at a level unsurpassed by any other separation technology currently available.

18. GLCC got its start as a “technology of last resort” called upon when other options were ruled out. Now the GLCC is becoming the “technology of first choice”, i.e., the first option or standard of comparison in evaluating alternatives for new applications.

19. TUSTP team has developed unique expertise in Mechanistic modeling of multiphase flow and Rheological Characterization of oil/water dispersions.

20. TUSTP members have access to TUSTP flow loop at significantly subsidized rates.