HYDRATES—A CHALLENGE IN FLOW ASSURANCE FOR OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION IN DEEP AND ULTRA-DEEP WATER

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 395
Author(s):  
R. Freij-Ayoub ◽  
M. Rivero ◽  
E. Nakagawa
Keyword(s):  
Deep Water ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Stability Domain ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Flow Assurance ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Main Technique ◽  
Pipe Line ◽  
Formation Of Hydrates

Offshore exploration and production is going to deep and ultra deep waters, driven by the depletion of continental shelf reserves and the high demand for hydrocarbons. This move requires the continued extension of existing technologies and the development of new technologies that will make the investment economically viable. Innovative flow assurance technology is needed to support ultra deepwater production, particularly within the concept of platform free fields where there is a need to minimise interventions.Hydrates present one of the major challenges in flow assurance. Deep and ultra deep water operations together with long tiebacks present the ideal conditions for the formation of hydrates which can result in pipeline blockage and serious operational and safety concerns. Methods to combat hydrates range between control and management. One main technique has been to produce the hydrocarbons outside of the thermodynamic stability domain of hydrates. This is achieved by keeping the temperature of the hydrocarbon above the stability temperature of hydrates by insulating the pipe line, or by introducing heat to the hydrocarbon. Another efficient way of combating hydrates has been to shift the hydrate phase boundary to lower temperatures by using chemicals like methanol and mono ethylene glycol (MEO) which are known as thermodynamic inhibitors. Within the last decade a new generation of hydrate inhibitors called low dosage hydrate inhibitors (LDHI) has been introduced. One type of these LDHI are kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHI) that, when used in small concentrations, slow down hydrate growth by increasing the induction time for their formation and preventing the start of the rapid growth stage. Another approach to managing hydrates has been to allow them to form in a controlled manner and transport the hydrate-hydrocarbon slurry in the production pipe. In this paper we describe the various approaches used to combat hydrates to ensure flow assurance and we discuss the cons and pros of every approach and the technology gaps.

Flow Assurance of Deepwater Oil and Gas Production: A Review

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Su
Keyword(s):  
Deep Water ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Flow Assurance ◽  
Wax Deposition ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Flow Regime Transition ◽  
Drop Flow ◽  
Physical Phenomena

Flow assurance is essential for economic and reliable production of oil and gas in deep water environment. The present paper discusses the complex physical phenomena involved in deep water production and the challenging engineering problems of flow assurance; and reviews recent works to understand the processes and tackle the problems. The following topics are discussed: flow regime transition, pressure drop, flow pattern, slug flow and severe slugging, transient multiphase flow, thermal insulation, insulation materials, active heating and wax deposition.

scholarly journals Analysis of Hydrate Formation Temperature and Water Dew Point of Processed Crude Oil and Gas using Unism Simulator

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-530
Author(s):  
Azubuike Hope Amadi ◽  
Chukwuebuka E. Okafor
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Hydrate Formation ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Dew Point ◽  
Flow Assurance ◽  
Formation Temperature ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Formation Of Hydrates

Flow assurance has been a topic of concern since the start of crude oil and gas production and transportation. The formation of Hydrates is an important issue likely to cause clogs in pipelines during production and transportation of oil and gas. Therefore, production and transportation of such fluids are simulated using software’s like Unism to know the possibility of hydrate occurrence so they can be avoided. This work is based on the simulation of processed well effluents from Rose Field to analyze the hydrate formation temperature and water dew point at different points of the process facility. At the crude oil line the hydrate formation temperature was -69.9565 C, while the water dew point was not defined because it’s a liquid phase. At the gas line the hydrate formation temperature was 4 C at 1803psia and water dew point was -42.7 C. These values are parameters necessary for hydrate formation prediction, hence, they were analyzed and recommendations made to manage effective flow assurance.

There is no easy solution to Cuba’s fuel challenges

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Generating Capacity ◽  
Major Producer

Subject Cuba's energy troubles. Significance With a previously generous Venezuela facing economic crisis and the United States tightening sanctions, Cuba’s ability to augment its limited domestic oil and gas production is severely constrained. It lacks the export earnings to invest in new technologies and power generating capacity that could ease its fuel supply problems. Russia and China have spoken of offering assistance, but neither is inclined to provide handouts in the absence of commercial returns. Impacts Cuba has tried to trade more with Algeria and Angola but remains vulnerable to international oil price shifts. As a major producer of both sugar and biofuels, Brazil could provide a model for Cuba’s biofuel plans. Cubans are resilient and accustomed to hardship; the country’s looming economic troubles are unlikely to trigger serious unrest.

scholarly journals Prediction of the wellhead uplift caused by HT–HP oil and gas production in deep-water wells

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 740-749
Author(s):  
Shuangjin Zheng ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Chenguang Cao ◽  
Chao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Deep Water ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Water Wells

scholarly journals The Prospects of Using the Mechanical Activation Method in the Technological Processes of Oil and Gas Production

2019 ◽  
pp. 76-82
Author(s):  
M. M. Orfanova
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Activation ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Oil Refining ◽  
Cement Stone ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Mechanical Loads ◽  
Technological Processes

The need to improve the technological processes of raw fuel resources processing, to search for new technologies and to involve oil and gas waste production wastes as anthropogenic resources becomes urgent. The main directions of using the effects of the mechanical activation of substances in the technological processes of oil and gas production are analyzed.  A brief description of the method of mechanical activation is provided. The prospect of using the method of mechanical activation to solve the problem of waste disposal is shown. The author analyzes the main directions of mechanical activation influence used for changing the composition and properties of hydrocarbons and considers the possibilities of mechanical activation of a substance as an efficient way for accelerating the mechano-chemical processes that occur in hydrocarbons due to intense mechanical loads. The article generalizes the research results concerning the effect of mechanical activation on changes in the physical-chemical properties of oil, fuel oil, bottoms and sludge. The results of using mechanical activation for the preparation of plug-back mixtures based on silica sand and quartziferous waste are summarized. The laboratory research was carried out at a centrifugal-planetary mill. It is established that under the conditions of mechanical activation of hydrocarbons their destruction occurs. The process of transformations is a chain nature. The areas of mechanical and chemical transformations, change of fraction content in residual fuel oil, bottom products, and natural gasoline have been investigated. It has been established that destruction of hydrocarbon fractions takes place. The author demonstrates that processing modes, time and mechanical loads affect the course of hydrocarbon destruction, and its results depend on the type of substance. The researcher proves that it is promising to use the method of mechanical activation to control the properties of mineral flour obtained on the basis of oil sludge. The results of the research indicate clearly that it is possible to get different volume of the light cuts yield by regulating the modes of hydrocarbons processing. The author shows the possibility of increasing the depth of oil refining, as well as the possibility of obtaining a cement mixture with the addition of up to 30% of mechanically activated quartziferous additive without deteriorating the characteristics of cement stone achieved. The method of mechanical activation is promising for the utilization of the wastes of oil and gas complex, as these wastes can be considered the anthropogenic raw materials.

Technology Focus: Subsea Systems (August 2021)

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (08) ◽  
pp. 48-48
Author(s):  
Birger Velle Hanssen
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Hydrate Formation ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Flow Assurance ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Oil Viscosity ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Produce Water

Flow assurance in subsea oil and gas fields often presents significant challenges. Every field has its own combination of difficulties, and no universal process or system can be used to mitigate these. Detailed knowledge across a broad range of competencies, therefore, is required to find solutions that can minimize the risk of not getting the hydrocarbons safely to the process facilities. Many subsea fields that are being developed today are long tiebacks, taking advantage of existing offshore infrastructure or producing directly to shore. These developments must deal with the long-distance transport of hydrocarbons in deep cold water, commonly increasing the risk of hydrate formation and wax deposition, for example. In addition, large elevation changes from deep water to surface and topographical challenges along the pipeline can create flow-regime effects that can hinder production. The loss of temperature in a long subsea pipeline also creates challenges for fields that produce heavy oil because the oil viscosity in some cases increases dramatically at low temperatures, in addition to effective viscosities increasing because of oil and water emulsions. Other phenomena such as scale deposition, foaming, sand production, erosion, and corrosion must be considered and dealt with as well. Various smart-technology innovations for subsea oil and gas production contribute to reducing the risk of these flow-assurance issues. Some of them are described in this month’s selected SPE papers. A good example is as follows: When wells start to produce water, the operator needs to understand where the water is coming from and quantify volumes in order to start a mitigation program to avoid hydrate formation. This is one of the reasons why subsea multiphase flowmeters have become an essential feature in all new subsea fields. The most common remedy for flow-assurance problems is probably the use of chemical additives. A sensor technology that can directly determine the ratio between produced water and chemicals such as monoethylene glycol has been recently introduced in subsea production systems. This measurement enables the optimization of chemical-injection rates, thereby contributing to significant savings in capital expenditure (reduced design margins) and operational expenditure (reduced overdosage margins). Another effective way to prevent hydrates and wax is to keep the process temperature above critical limits by applying active flowline heating. New technologies for highly reliable and efficient subsea electrically heat-traced flowlines have recently been qualified, industrialized, and installed. Technologies as described here can play an important role in future subsea field developments. The recommended readings for this feature date back further back in time than usual, but are relevant to the theme of this year’s main selections. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. OTC 29232 Real-Time Subsea Hydrate Management in the World’s Longest Subsea Tieback by Christophe Vielliard, OneSubsea, a Schlumberger Company, et al. OTC 31078 Electrically Heated Trace Flowline on the Ærfugl Project—A Journey From Product Qualification to Offshore Campaign by Guy Mencarelli, Subsea 7, et al. SPE 195784 A New Flow-Assurance Strategy for the Vega Asset: Managing Hydrate and Integrity Risks on a Long Multiphase Flowline of a Norwegian Subsea Asset by Stephan Hatscher, Wintershall Norge, et al.

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