Crude Oil Separation Is Custom-Built
Crude Oil Separation requires advanced, engineered-to-order equipment built around your exact water conditions, flow rate, and site requirements — that’s why we don’t list generic units online. Request a quote and one of our engineers will call you to walk through your application and build a solution designed specifically for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of oil-water separator systems do you offer?
We offer API gravity separators for large free oil separation, CPI (Corrugated Plate Interceptor) separators for medium-duty applications where footprint is constrained, and DAF (Dissolved Air Flotation) units for emulsified oil and suspended solids requiring coagulant-assisted flotation. System selection depends on oil droplet size distribution, flow rate, inlet oil concentration, and target discharge or reuse quality.
What oil concentration can your systems achieve in the treated effluent?
API separators typically achieve effluent oil and grease below 50-100 mg/L. CPI plate pack separators can consistently reach below 20-30 mg/L. DAF systems with coagulant treatment achieve below 10 mg/L, which meets most industrial discharge limits and is required for many permit conditions. Achieving below 5 mg/L for direct surface water discharge or reuse typically requires polishing with a coalescing media filter following the primary separator.
What industries use oil-water separators?
Primary users include oilfield and gas production facilities treating produced water, automotive service and manufacturing plants, airport fuel handling areas, marine bilge water treatment, food processing plants handling vegetable oils and fats, and industrial laundries. Regulatory drivers include EPA effluent guidelines, NPDES discharge permits, and stormwater regulations that prohibit sheen-producing oil discharges to surface waters.
What is the difference between free oil and emulsified oil and why does it matter?
Free oil forms a visible layer and separates by gravity. API and CPI separators handle free oil efficiently. Emulsified oil consists of microscopic droplets stabilized by surfactants or mechanical shear, and does not separate by gravity alone. DAF with coagulation is required for emulsified oil. Misidentifying emulsified oil as free oil and installing only a gravity separator will result in permit violations and system failure.
How often does collected oil and sludge need to be removed from separators?
Accumulated oil should be removed by oil skimmer or vacuum truck when the oil layer exceeds the system design limit, typically when oil thickness in the sump reaches 6-12 inches. Sludge accumulation at the bottom of gravity separators requires cleanout every 6-24 months depending on solids loading. Neglecting oil and sludge removal reduces effective separator volume, degrades effluent quality, and increases risk of permit violations.
Can produced water from oil and gas operations be treated for reuse or safe disposal?
Yes. Oilfield produced water treatment typically requires multiple stages: primary API or CPI separation for free oil removal, followed by coagulation-flotation for emulsified oil, then filtration, and optionally RO or evaporation for TDS reduction if injection or discharge limits require it. Treated produced water can be reused for drilling mud, dust control, irrigation (if TDS allows), or injected into disposal wells. We design complete produced water treatment trains.