Mercer International logo representing oil water separator services and technology in Albany, NY. design center

Above Ground Oil Water Separators

400, 500, 600 GPM |90 – 140 m³/h| 13,712 - 20,568 BPD

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Above ground 400 GPM oil water separator with Multi-Pack coalescer plates, industrial wastewater treatment system.

OPERATING TIER

High-Capacity Industrial Oil Water Treatment Overview

Above-ground oil-water separators in the 400–600 GPM range occupy a critical operating tier. At this scale, wastewater treatment is no longer intermittent or peripheral. It is a continuous part of core operations, often tied directly to production uptime, environmental compliance, and downstream system protection.

Facilities selecting separators in this range are typically managing sustained flows, recurring solids loading, and variable oil characteristics over long operating cycles. Small design compromises that might be tolerated at lower flow rates become operational liabilities here, showing up as shortened maintenance intervals, unstable effluent quality, or forced shutdowns.

Mercer’s 400–600 GPM above-ground separators are built for this reality. They are designed to operate continuously under changing conditions, with internals sized and configured to manage solids, temperature effects, and hydraulic variability without relying on idealized influent assumptions.

Mercer has deployed systems at this scale in demanding industrial, utility, and energy environments where access, inspectability, and long-term serviceability determine whether a separator remains an asset or becomes a maintenance problem.

Mercer's above-ground 400 GPM oil water separator being lifted for installation, demonstrating large-system footprint

Built To Scale

Family Configurations

400 / 500 / 600 GPM

This product family follows Mercer’s large-system footprint and process design philosophy, with internal volume, coalescer configuration, and access features scaled to support continuous operation.

Above-ground 400 GPM oil water separator in industrial setting, 400-600 GPM capacity, field-proven operating system

400 GPM Configuration

Blue above-ground 400 GPM oil water separator with Multi-Pack™ coalescer internals and control panel, designed for 400-600 GPM capacity

500 GPM Configuration

Above-ground 400 GPM oil water separator, 600 GPM capacity, industrial wastewater treatment system.

600 GPM Configuration

Please Note: Exact dimensions and configurations vary by application.

FIELD-PROVEN SYSTEMS

Installed in Real Operating Environments

At this capacity, scale is visible and experience is not optional.

The installations below represent actual Mercer systems operating in the 400–600 GPM range, deployed in facilities where solids, oil variability, and continuous duty are part of normal operation.

Above-ground 400 GPM oil water separator with Multi-Pack coalescer, 600 GPM capacity, installed in a Schlumberger facility

Schlumberger

Ecuador

Above Ground

600 GPM

Above ground 400 GPM oil water separator system operating in a real industrial environment, 400-600 GPM capacity.

XCEL Energy

Colorado

Above Ground

600 GPM

Above-ground 400 GPM oil water separator with safety handrails in the Mercer fabrication shop.

J. Strickland

Mississippi

Above Ground

600 GPM

Above-ground 400 GPM oil water separator on transport trailer, 600 GPM Mercer system, Fermosa Chemical installation

Fermosa Chemical

China

Above Ground

600 GPM

Above ground oil water separator installed in a Duke, North Carolina industrial facility, 500 GPM

Duke

North Carolina

Above Ground

500 GPM

Above ground oil water separator in industrial facility, 600 GPM Mercer system, field-proven installation

Encana

Wyoming

Above Ground

600 GPM

Above ground 400 GPM oil water separator system in industrial facility, 600 GPM configuration with Mercer Multi-Pack™ coalescer

Canadian Pacific Railroad

Toronto

Above Ground

600 GPM

Above ground 400 GPM oil water separator system in field installation, 400-600 GPM capacity, industrial wastewater treatment.

Conectiv

Delaware

Above Ground

400 GPM

Above ground 400 GPM oil water separator system in industrial facility, 600 GPM Mercer separator installation.

Union Pacific

California

Above Ground

600 GPM

TRUSTED BY INDUSTRY LEADERS

Installed at Facilities Operated By

A small sampling of companies with Mercer separators within the 400–600 GPM family range.

Gibson Energy logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base Martin Midstream Partners logo demonstrating trusted oil water separator clients. Schlumberger logo demonstrating trusted customer partnerships for Mercer International oil water separators.
ExxonMobil logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Buckeye Partners logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base. Oxy logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base and oil water separator solutions. Hess logo demonstrating trusted customer and Mercer International oil water separator system user.
INEOS Oligomers logo, demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport logo demonstrating Mercer's trusted customer base. Penske logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Firefly Aerospace logo demonstrating trusted equipment for Mercer International oil water separators.
Blue Origin logo showcasing a feather design, demonstrating trusted partnerships for Mercer International oil water separators.
Raytheon Technologies logo demonstrating trusted customer partnerships for Mercer oil water separators. U.S. Department of Homeland Security logo demonstrating trusted Mercer oil water separator clients.
Stellantis logo representing a trusted customer of Mercer International oil water separators. Daimler logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Cummins logo representing a trusted customer of Mercer International oil water separators. Harley-Davidson Cycles logo representing trusted customer partnerships and equipment reliability.
TechnipFMC logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base. Mercer International logo showcasing SELECT, demonstrating trusted oil water separator systems. Chevron logo representing industry leader trust in Mercer oil-water separators.
BWC Terminals logo showcasing bulk liquid storage, a trusted Mercer International customer.
Church & Dwight logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base. Indorama Ventures logo, showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base. DuPont logo showcasing trusted customer and engineering firm partnerships.
Formosa Plastics logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
UPS logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base. Blue Origin logo showcasing a feather design, demonstrating trusted partnerships for Mercer International oil water separators.
Lockheed Martin logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base
Pratt & Whitney logo demonstrating trusted customer and United Technologies Company.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers logo demonstrating Mercer's trusted customer base. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Mercer International logo showcasing trusted oil water separator systems CEMEX logo representing a trusted customer of Mercer International oil water separators.
Goodyear logo representing Mercer International's trusted customer base and reliable oil water separator systems. Toyo Tires logo representing Mercer International's trusted customer base.
CSX logo representing a trusted customer of Mercer International oil water separators. Canadian Pacific logo representing a trusted customer of Mercer oil water separators. Norfolk Southern logo representing trusted Mercer International customer and transportation infrastructure partner.
Siemens logo demonstrating trusted customer relationships for Mercer oil water separators.
Con Edison, Inc. logo showcasing Mercer International's customer base in the electrical and power utilities sector. DTE Energy logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base. PECO logo, an Exelon Company, showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Calpine logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Hydro-Québec logo showcasing trusted Mercer International customer. NRG logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base and oil water separator solutions.
Xcel Energy logo showcasing trusted customer and industry partnerships for Mercer oil water separators.
Southern Company logo showcasing trusted customer and Mercer oil water separator client.
Frito-Lay logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base. Mercer International customer logo: The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation, demonstrating trusted oil water separator clients.
Barrick logo representing Mercer International's trusted customer base and reliable oil water separator systems. Kinross logo demonstrating Mercer International’s trusted customer base.
Mercer International logo showcasing trusted customer Black & Veatch. Fluor separation technology component in Mercer oil-water separators.
Union Pacific logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base. BNSF Railway logo representing trusted customers and industries served by Mercer International. CN logo showcasing customer credibility and trusted oil water separator systems.
GE logo demonstrating trusted customer partnerships for Mercer International oil water separators.
New York Power Authority logo, demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base in electrical and power utilities. Georgia Power logo demonstrating trusted customer and electrical utility partnership. Mercer International logo showcasing Allegheny customer partnership and oil water separator reliability.
Duke Energy logo representing trusted customer and industry partner for Mercer International oil water separators.
NextEra Energy logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base. Reliant logo representing Mercer International customer credibility and oil water separator performance.
Bacardi logo representing trusted customer organizations and Mercer International's oil water separator solutions.
Coca-Cola logo showcasing trusted customer partnerships for Mercer International oil water separators.
AM/NS Calvert customer logo demonstrating trusted oil water separator clients. Nucor Tubular Products logo demonstrating trusted customer relationships for Mercer oil water separators.
Centerra Gold logo showcasing trusted customer of Mercer International oil water separators. Bechtel logo showcasing trusted customer partnerships for Mercer oil water separators.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction logo, demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base. GFL logo representing trusted customer partnerships and Mercer International's oil water separator solutions.
Gibson Energy logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base Martin Midstream Partners logo demonstrating trusted oil water separator clients. Schlumberger logo demonstrating trusted customer partnerships for Mercer International oil water separators.
ExxonMobil logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Buckeye Partners logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base. Oxy logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base and oil water separator solutions. Hess logo demonstrating trusted customer and Mercer International oil water separator system user.
INEOS Oligomers logo, demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport logo demonstrating Mercer's trusted customer base. Penske logo demonstrating Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Firefly Aerospace logo demonstrating trusted equipment for Mercer International oil water separators.
Blue Origin logo showcasing a feather design, demonstrating trusted partnerships for Mercer International oil water separators.
Raytheon Technologies logo demonstrating trusted customer partnerships for Mercer oil water separators. U.S. Department of Homeland Security logo demonstrating trusted Mercer oil water separator clients.
Stellantis logo representing a trusted customer of Mercer International oil water separators. Daimler logo showcasing Mercer International's trusted customer base.
Cummins logo representing a trusted customer of Mercer International oil water separators. Harley-Davidson Cycles logo representing trusted customer partnerships and equipment reliability.

ENGINEERED TO SOLVE

Problems This Family is Designed to Solve

Coalescer media with accumulated metal fines and oily residue, demonstrating separator performance issues.

Solids Fouling in Traditional Coalescers

At sustained high flows, conventional corrugated plastic or tube-style coalescers foul rapidly as solids accumulate within internal pockets. Fouling reduces oil removal efficiency and often renders cleaning impractical.

Maintenance Access Limitations

Large systems that cannot be easily accessed or cleaned force extended shutdowns, confined space entry, or full media replacement to restore performance.

Misapplied Large-Scale Designs

Separators specified strictly by flow rate without accounting for solids behavior, oil type, temperature, viscosity, and maintenance constraints often underperform in continuous industrial service.

CORE TECHNOLOGY

The Heart of the System: The Multi-Pack™ Coalescer

A tank provides residence time.
Separation performance is determined by what happens inside the coalescer.

Mercer’s Multi-Pack™ coalescer is not generic media. It is a purpose-engineered separation system built around five core design elements that control oil rise, solids shedding, hydraulic stability, and real-world maintainability—especially in applications where small systems are easy to ignore until they fail.

Crews setting a black coalescing plate module into an open top separator Top-down view of coalescing plate packs installed inside a large stainless separator bay Large coalescing plate packs staged on a shop floor before installation Top view of coalescing plate pack sections installed under water in a separator basin Workers guiding a coalescing plate pack into an oil water separator during an API retrofit Stainless hopper bottom separator tank with labeled outlets in a fabrication shop Overhead hoist lowering a coalescing plate pack into a separator with yellow railings Mercer Multi-Pack™ coalescer system demonstrating flat, steep-angled plates for industrial oil water separation.

Flat, Steep-Angled Plates

The Multi-Pack™ uses flat, steep-angled plates rather than corrugated or honeycomb media. Flat plates support predictable droplet capture while allowing solids to shed cleanly instead of lodging in pockets that quietly choke performance over time.

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Field-Adjustable Plate Spacing

Plate spacing can be adjusted beyond or below standard spacing to tune separation performance to actual conditions—oil type, temperature and viscosity effects, solids behavior, and desired maintenance intervals.

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Herringbone Plate Configuration

Plates are arranged in a herringbone configuration that organizes internal flow paths and segregates areas where oils rise from areas where solids settle. This stabilizes hydraulics when flows cycle on and off, which is common in low-GPM applications.

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Dedicated Chimney Zones for Oil and Solids

As oil coalesces and solids shed from the plates, they enter dedicated Chimney Zones™ designed for separation—not turbulence. These quiescent chambers allow oils to rise and solids to settle without re-entrainment, even during solids spikes.

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Ease of Cleaning with No Replacement Parts

The Multi-Pack™ is fully removable as a single assembly. Operators can remove the pack, visually inspect it, clean it, and return it to service without dismantling internals or replacing disposable media.

There has never been a Multi-Pack™ removed from a tank where operators could not see through to the opposite side before cleaning begins. Surface films may be present. Clogged pockets are not.

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Why This Matters

Most oil-water separators fail over time not because gravity separation is flawed, but because internal components foul, plug, or cannot be realistically cleaned.The Multi-Pack™ is engineered to remain cleanable, adjustable, and effective over the life of the system.

Learn more about the Mercer Advantage

PROVEN LONGEVITY

Legacy Installations in Active Service

Built to Stay in Service

Many of the systems shown below were installed years ago and remain in continuous operation today. These are not retired examples or decommissioned assets. They are active separators, still managing oil and solids under real operating conditions.

Longevity at this scale is not accidental. It is the result of internal designs that can be inspected, cleaned, and adjusted over time rather than replaced.

Above-ground oil water separator on flatbed trailer, demonstrating proven longevity in active service.

Westinghouse LS Power

Wisconsin

Above Ground

600 GPM

Above-ground 400 GPM oil-water separator in industrial setting, demonstrating long-term durability and continuous operation.

Madison Paper

Maine

Above Ground

500 GPM

Above ground 400 GPM oil water separator in industrial setting, Mercer Multi-Pack coalescer technology, proven longevity

Sithe Mystic

Massachusetts

Above Ground

400 GPM

Above ground 400 GPM oil water separator, Mercer system in Pennsylvania, demonstrating proven longevity and

Calpine

Pennsylvania

Above Ground

400 GPM

Above ground oil water separator, Mercer Multi-Pack™ coalescer technology, 400-600 GPM industrial wastewater treatment.

Connective

Above Ground

400 GPM

Above-ground oil water separator, 400-600 GPM, on flatbed trailer, Exxon installation in New Jersey and Michigan.

EXXON

New Jersey & Michigan

Above Ground

400 GPM

INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

Applications Where This Family
Has Been Deployed

Above-ground oil-water separators in the 400–600 GPM range are deployed in operations where wastewater treatment is continuous, not intermittent, and where solids loading, oil characteristics, and maintenance access determine long-term performance more than nominal flow rate.

Rendering of a petrochemical facility with silver storage tanks and distillation columns

Heavy Industrial & Process Facilities

Large industrial plants generate continuous oil-bearing wastewater with sustained solids loading from production, washdown, and process support activities. At this scale, Mercer systems are selected for durability, full access to internals, and predictable long-term performance under non-ideal operating conditions.

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Aerial view of an industrial refinery with tank farms and a coal yard

Energy & Oil Handling Operations

Upstream, midstream, and downstream facilities rely on Mercer separators to manage high-volume wastewater where oil type, temperature, and solids vary over time. These applications demand stable separation performance through changing operating cycles and extended run times.

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Power plant cooling towers releasing steam beside a river

Utility & Infrastructure Operations

Major utility facilities, maintenance yards, and infrastructure hubs require separators capable of continuous operation with minimal downtime. Mercer systems are applied where access for inspection and cleaning is critical to maintaining compliance and protecting downstream assets.

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Orange locomotive and black rail cars on tracks beside city buildings

Transportation & Logistics Facilities

Large transportation hubs, fueling terminals, and logistics centers generate high-volume wastewater from fueling, equipment washing, and maintenance operations. Reliable separation and serviceability are essential to sustaining operations and avoiding unplanned shutdowns.

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When an Engineering Audit Is Recommended

Influent composition, solids loading, oil type, temperature, flow variability, and maintenance constraints determine real-world performance. When those factors matter, and they usually do, Mercer recommends an engineering audit or consult to ensure the system is properly tailored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.

How often does the Multi-Pack™ require cleaning?

A.

Cleaning frequency depends on solids loading and operating conditions. The removable design allows rapid inspection and cleaning without extended downtime.

Q.

Is this family suitable for stormwater?

A.

Yes, when solids loading and site conditions are properly evaluated.

Q.

What effluent levels can be expected?

A.

In many applications, Mercer systems achieve 5–10 ppm free hydrocarbons. Performance depends on influent characteristics.

Engineering drawing of a coalescing plate pack for an oil water separator showing dimensions and layouts

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Calculation sheet sizing the inlet zone of a coalescing plate oil water separator

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