The course is aimed to give fundamental principles and apparatus description on the first essential treatments on oil such as water, sludge separations as well as degas process: Gas Oil Separation Plant (GOSP). GOSP processes crude oil from the wellhead and separates gases and contaminants from the crude for reasons of safety, economy, and environmental protection.

The course will provide the basic knowledge on mass transfer between two-phase system knowledge about: solid/liquid separation, gas stripping, gas absoption and gas adsorption. The course will provide the knowledge of the apparatus used to perform the unit operation in the oil field; in the mean time several processes used will be considered in order to put the student in the position to be able to read and analyze the most popular flow diagram. Particular attention will be devoted on the control systems of the performance of the apparatus in order to train the student to a holistic approach of the system.

Basic concepts of chemistry and physics, as well basic thermodynamics are prerequisites to successfully follow the course.

Principles of separation (12hrs): thermodynamics of separation; theoretical stage, stage separation evaluation efficiency; batch and continuous separation system; factor affecting separation with particular attention on the device able to control mass transfer limitation; agitation and impeller.
Separator devices (20 hrs): vertical and horizontal separators; absorption column separation; adsorption column separation; liquid/liquid separation device; degassing devices; gas purification column; solid/liquid separation: decanter and filter, batch vs. continuous filtration; methods for dehydration; water content and it nature: dehydration by cooling, dehydration by adsorption, by absorption, dehydration by chemical reaction (Glycol Dehydration Process).
Process description and comments (16hrs): analysis and evaluation of processes used in the separation plants for oil and gas processing: solid elimination, water removal, Glycol Dehydration, Solid-Desiccant Dehydration, The Absorption Method, Sulphur and Carbon Dioxide Removal.
Measure and control (12hrs): introduction on theory and practice measure and control on the separation apparatus of: temperature, pressure, flow and level measurements; analysis of device instrumentation and practical use in the control loop applications.

During the course several numerical exercises will be posed to the student in order to well understand the principles and concepts introduced during the lectures. Several exercise on separation process will be posed at the beginning of the course and for each of them step by step according with lectures they will be completed till to draw an entire flow diagram along with the instrumentations for measure and control purposes.

Before each lecture, related texts and exercises will be available on the course site of the web. Besides the subject explained in the lesson, also chapters of technical books and/or full paper useful for a best comprehension of the argument will be furnished as paper copy.