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Flow assurance for offshore and subsea facilities: Difference between revisions

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Flow assurance, by definition, focuses on the whole engineering and production life cycle from the reservoir through refining, to ensure with high confidence that the reservoir fluids can be moved from the reservoir to the refinery smoothly and without interruption.  
Flow assurance, by definition, focuses on the whole engineering and production life cycle from the reservoir through refining, to ensure with high confidence that the reservoir fluids can be moved from the reservoir to the refinery smoothly and without interruption.
 
== Overview ==


==Overview==
The full scope of flow assurance is shown in '''Fig. 1'''. Flow assurance matters specific to subsea tieback systems are shown in '''Fig. 2'''. Flow assurance is sometimes referred to as “cash assurance” because breakdown in flow assurance anywhere in the entire cycle would be expected to lead to monetary losses. A few specific flow assurance issues are discussed next.
The full scope of flow assurance is shown in '''Fig. 1'''. Flow assurance matters specific to subsea tieback systems are shown in '''Fig. 2'''. Flow assurance is sometimes referred to as “cash assurance” because breakdown in flow assurance anywhere in the entire cycle would be expected to lead to monetary losses. A few specific flow assurance issues are discussed next.


<gallery widths=300px heights=200px>
<gallery widths="300px" heights="200px">
File:Vol3 Page 554 Image 0001.png|'''Fig. 1—Full scope of flow assurance (courtesy of MSL Engineering).'''
File:Vol3 Page 554 Image 0001.png|'''Fig. 1—Full scope of flow assurance (courtesy of MSL Engineering).'''


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</gallery>
</gallery>


==Special considerations==
== Special considerations ==
 
=== Pressure support consideration ===


===Pressure support consideration===
It is necessary for sufficient pressure to be available to transport the hydrocarbons at the required flow rates from the reservoir to the processing unit. Matters that require consideration in this regard include:
It is necessary for sufficient pressure to be available to transport the hydrocarbons at the required flow rates from the reservoir to the processing unit. Matters that require consideration in this regard include:


* Pressure loss in flowlines
*Pressure loss in flowlines
* Separator pressure setpoint
*Separator pressure setpoint
* Pressure loss in wells
*Pressure loss in wells
* [[Artificial lift selection methods|Artificial lift method selection]]
*[[Artificial_lift_selection_methods|Artificial lift method selection]]
* Remote multiphase boosting
*Remote multiphase boosting
* Drag reduction
*Drag reduction
* Slugging in horizontal wells
*Slugging in horizontal wells
* [[Gas lift|Gas lift system]] stability
*[[Gas_lift|Gas lift system]] stability
* Interaction with reservoir performance
*Interaction with reservoir performance
 
=== Component and system design consideration ===
 
Components and systems should be designed and operated to ensure that flowrate targets are achieved and that flow is continuous. Issues to be taken into account include:


===Component and system design consideration===
*[[Equilibrium_of_water_and_hydrocarbon_systems_with_hydrates|Hydrate formation]]
Components and systems should be designed and operated to ensure that flowrate targets are achieved and that flow is continuous. Issues to be taken into account include:
*[[Wax_precipitation|Wax deposition]]
*[[Asphaltene_deposition_and_plugging|Asphaltenes]]
*Sand and solids transport
*[[Corrosion_problems_in_production|Corrosion]]
*Erosion
*[[Scale_problems_in_production|Scale deposition]]
*Interaction of slugging and pipe fittings
*Interaction of slugging and risers
*Relief and blow-down
*Pigging
*Liquid inventory management
*Well shut-in pressure


* [[Equilibrium of water and hydrocarbon systems with hydrates|Hydrate formation]]
=== Multiphase flow considerations ===
* [[Wax precipitation|Wax deposition]]
* [[Asphaltene deposition and plugging|Asphaltenes]]
* Sand and solids transport
* [[Corrosion problems in production|Corrosion]]
* Erosion
* [[Scale problems in production|Scale deposition]]
* Interaction of slugging and pipe fittings
* Interaction of slugging and risers
* Relief and blow-down
* Pigging
* Liquid inventory management
* Well shut-in pressure


===Multiphase flow considerations===
For multiphase flowlines, it is necessary for the process to be able to handle the fluid delivery, and consideration should be given to a number of issues including
For multiphase flowlines, it is necessary for the process to be able to handle the fluid delivery, and consideration should be given to a number of issues including


* Interaction with facilities performance
*Interaction with facilities performance
* Slugging (steady state)
*Slugging (steady state)
* Slugging (transient)
*Slugging (transient)
* Slug-catcher design
*Slug-catcher design
* Severe slugging prevention
*Severe slugging prevention
* Effect of flow rate change
*Effect of flow rate change
* Temperature loss prediction
*Temperature loss prediction
* Piping layout
*Piping layout
* Remote multiphase metering
*Remote multiphase metering
* Gas and dense phase export
*Gas and dense phase export
* Oil and condensate export
*Oil and condensate export
* Separator performance
*Separator performance
 
== Technology development ==
 
The need for [[Well_test|well testing]] and overall production system optimization contributes to flow assurance issues. Significant advances have been made in this field. Flow assurance will continue to remain critical technology as deepwater developments progress and as longer tiebacks from subsea wellhead systems are considered.


==Technology development==
== References ==
The need for well testing and overall production system optimization contributes to flow assurance issues. Significant advances have been made in this field. Flow assurance will continue to remain critical technology as deepwater developments progress and as longer tiebacks from subsea wellhead systems are considered.


==References==
Use this section for citation of items referenced in the text to show your sources. [The sources should be available to the reader, i.e., not an internal company document.]
Use this section for citation of items referenced in the text to show your sources. [The sources should be available to the reader, i.e., not an internal company document.]


==Noteworthy papers in OnePetro==
== Noteworthy papers in OnePetro ==
 
Use this section to list papers in OnePetro that a reader who wants to learn more should definitely read
Use this section to list papers in OnePetro that a reader who wants to learn more should definitely read


==Online multimedia==
== Online multimedia ==
Jamaluddin, Abul. 2013. Flow Assurance – Managing Flow Dynamics and Production Chemistry. http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/spe/session.php?id=11553
 
Jamaluddin, Abul. 2013. Flow Assurance – Managing Flow Dynamics and Production Chemistry.&nbsp;https://webevents.spe.org/products/flow-assurance-managing-flow-dynamics-and-production-chemistry-2
 
== External links ==


==External links==
Use this section to provide links to relevant material on websites other than PetroWiki and OnePetro
Use this section to provide links to relevant material on websites other than PetroWiki and OnePetro


==See also==
== See also ==
[[Offshore and subsea facilities]]
 
[[Offshore_and_subsea_facilities|Offshore and subsea facilities]]
 
[[Offshore_arctic_operations|Offshore arctic operations]]
 
[[Subsea_systems|Subsea systems]]


[[Offshore arctic operations]]
[[PEH:Offshore_and_Subsea_Facilities]]


[[Subsea systems]]


[[PEH:Offshore and Subsea Facilities]]
[[Category:4.3 Flow assurance]][[Category:5.3.2 Multiphase flow]]

Latest revision as of 10:30, 15 January 2018

Flow assurance, by definition, focuses on the whole engineering and production life cycle from the reservoir through refining, to ensure with high confidence that the reservoir fluids can be moved from the reservoir to the refinery smoothly and without interruption.

Overview

The full scope of flow assurance is shown in Fig. 1. Flow assurance matters specific to subsea tieback systems are shown in Fig. 2. Flow assurance is sometimes referred to as “cash assurance” because breakdown in flow assurance anywhere in the entire cycle would be expected to lead to monetary losses. A few specific flow assurance issues are discussed next.

Special considerations

Pressure support consideration

It is necessary for sufficient pressure to be available to transport the hydrocarbons at the required flow rates from the reservoir to the processing unit. Matters that require consideration in this regard include:

  • Pressure loss in flowlines
  • Separator pressure setpoint
  • Pressure loss in wells
  • Artificial lift method selection
  • Remote multiphase boosting
  • Drag reduction
  • Slugging in horizontal wells
  • Gas lift system stability
  • Interaction with reservoir performance

Component and system design consideration

Components and systems should be designed and operated to ensure that flowrate targets are achieved and that flow is continuous. Issues to be taken into account include:

Multiphase flow considerations

For multiphase flowlines, it is necessary for the process to be able to handle the fluid delivery, and consideration should be given to a number of issues including

  • Interaction with facilities performance
  • Slugging (steady state)
  • Slugging (transient)
  • Slug-catcher design
  • Severe slugging prevention
  • Effect of flow rate change
  • Temperature loss prediction
  • Piping layout
  • Remote multiphase metering
  • Gas and dense phase export
  • Oil and condensate export
  • Separator performance

Technology development

The need for well testing and overall production system optimization contributes to flow assurance issues. Significant advances have been made in this field. Flow assurance will continue to remain critical technology as deepwater developments progress and as longer tiebacks from subsea wellhead systems are considered.

References

Use this section for citation of items referenced in the text to show your sources. [The sources should be available to the reader, i.e., not an internal company document.]

Noteworthy papers in OnePetro

Use this section to list papers in OnePetro that a reader who wants to learn more should definitely read

Online multimedia

Jamaluddin, Abul. 2013. Flow Assurance – Managing Flow Dynamics and Production Chemistry. https://webevents.spe.org/products/flow-assurance-managing-flow-dynamics-and-production-chemistry-2

External links

Use this section to provide links to relevant material on websites other than PetroWiki and OnePetro

See also

Offshore and subsea facilities

Offshore arctic operations

Subsea systems

PEH:Offshore_and_Subsea_Facilities