Verifying Production Losses due to Petroleum Flow Improving Well Intervention and Design

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Adriana Coca Suaznabar ◽  
Kazuo Miura ◽  
Celso Kazuyuki Morooka
Keyword(s):  
Saturation Index ◽  
Radioactive Material ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Line System ◽  
Well Design ◽  
Strontium Sulfate ◽  
Offshore Oil ◽  
Solids Deposition ◽  
Production Losses

The purpose of this research is to identify in the literature: causes, factors, case study descriptions and adopted solutions for production losses regarding the petroleum flow in offshore oil wells. Those facts will be organized and structured to identify potential zones of intervention for planning the well maintenance during well design phase to avoid production losses. This paper focuses on four offshore regions: Campos Basin, Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, and West Africa. These regions represent the most significant share of offshore oil production in the world. Data set available in the last thirty five years through academic, technical and governmental reports in the literature were the basis of this study. The procedure was accomplished in three steps: (1) data research (2) analysis of the data (3) guidelines establishment. The main cause of production loss regarding the petroleum flow is the solids deposition in the well/line system, such as hydrates, asphaltenes, wax, scales (barium sulfate, strontium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, and naturally occurrence radioactive material), and calcium naphthenates. In this work the superposition of graphics (hydrate curve, wax appearance temperature, asphaltene onset pressure, and saturation index) resulted in a region free of solids deposition, denominated as “flow assurance envelope”. The main expected result is to propose a guideline to be used during the well design phase in order to minimize and facilitate the well intervention. The main contributions of this paper to the oil industry are the identification of potential zones of intervention due to solids deposition in the well/line system, the foresight of well intervention before the beginning of the oilfield production, and finally, possibilities to improve the well or intervention design.

Unlocking Idle Production in an Offshore Sandstone Oil Field With Gas Hydrate Issues

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babalola Daramola
Keyword(s):  
Gas Hydrate ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Flow Assurance ◽  
Well Testing ◽  
Production Wells ◽  
Oil Flow ◽  
Offshore Oil ◽  
Production Losses

Abstract This publication presents how an oil asset unlocked idle production after numerous production upsets and a gas hydrate blockage. It also uses economics to justify facilities enhancement projects for flow assurance. Field F is an offshore oil field with eight subsea wells tied back to a third party FPSO vessel. Field F was shut down for turnaround maintenance in 2015. After the field was brought back online, one of the production wells (F5) failed to flow. An evaluation of the reservoir, well, and facilities data suggested that there was a gas hydrate blockage in the subsea pipeline between the well head and the FPSO vessel. A subsea intervention vessel was then hired to execute a pipeline clean-out operation, which removed the gas hydrate, and restored F5 well oil production. To minimise oil production losses due to flow assurance issues, the asset team evaluated the viability of installing a test pipeline and a second methanol umbilical as facilities enhancement projects. The pipeline clean-out operation delivered 5400 barrels of oil per day production to the asset. The feasibility study suggested that installing a second methanol umbilical and a test pipeline are economically attractive. It is recommended that the new methanol umbilical is installed to guarantee oil flow from F5 and future infill production wells. The test pipeline can be used to clean up new wells, to induce low pressure wells, and for well testing, well sampling, water salinity evaluation, tracer evaluation, and production optimisation. This paper presents production upset diagnosis and remediation steps actioned in a producing oil field, and aids the justification of methanol umbilical capacity upgrade and test pipeline installations as facilities enhancement projects. It also indicates that gas hydrate blockage can be prevented by providing adequate methanol umbilical capacity for timely dosing of oil production wells.

A Semiempirical Model for Barium-Strontium-Sulfate Solid Solution Scale Crystallization and Inhibition Kinetics at Oilfield Conditions

SPE Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Yue Zhao ◽  
Zhaoyi Dai ◽  
Chong Dai ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Samridhdi Paudyal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid Solution ◽  
Induction Time ◽  
Saturation Index ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Semiempirical Model ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Barium Strontium ◽  
Strontium Sulfate ◽  
Laser Apparatus ◽  
Scale Control

Summary Scale inhibitors have been widely used as one of the most efficient methods for sulfate-scale control. To accurately predict the required minimum inhibitor concentration (MIC), we have previously developed several crystallization and inhibition models for pure sulfate scales, including barite, celestite, and gypsum. However, disregarding the wide existence of barium-strontium-sulfate (Ba-Sr-SO4) solid solution in the oil field, no related models have been developed that would lead to large errors in MIC determination. In this study, the induction time of Ba-Sr-SO4 solid solution was measured by laser apparatus with or without different concentrations of scale inhibitor diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (DTPMP) at the conditions of barite saturation index (SI) from 1.5 to 1.8, temperature (T) from 40 to 70°C, and [Sr2+]/[Ba2+] ratios from 0 to 15 with celestite SI < 0. The results showed that the Ba-Sr-SO4 solid solution’s induction time increases with the [Sr2+]/[Ba2+] ratio at a fixed barite SI, T, and DTPMP dosage. That means the MIC will be overestimated if it is calculated by the previous semiempirical pure barite crystallization and inhibition models without considering the presence of Sr2+. To resolve such deviations, the novel quantitative Ba-Sr-SO4 solid solution crystallization and inhibition models were developed for the first time. The novel models are in good agreement with the experimental data. They can be used to predict the induction time and MIC more accurately at these common Ba2+ and Sr2+ coexisting scenarios. The observations and new models proposed in this study will significantly improve the barite scale management while Ba2+ and Sr2+ coexist in the oil field. NOTE: Supplementary materials are available in support of this paper and have been published online under Supplementary Data at https://doi.org/10.2118/205367-PA.

Evaluation of Anti-fouling Surfaces for Prevention of Mineral Scaling in Sub-surface Safety Valves

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. V. Charpentier ◽  
A.. Neville ◽  
S.. Baraka-Lokmane ◽  
C.. Hurtevent ◽  
J-R.. Ordonez-Varela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Barium Carbonate ◽  
Scale Removal ◽  
Associated Production ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Strontium Sulfate ◽  
Mineral Scaling ◽  
Mineral Scale ◽  
Static Conditions ◽  
Work Done ◽  
Production Losses

Abstract Mineral scale formation and deposition in down-hole completion equipment such as subsurface safety valves can cause dramatic and unacceptable safety risks and associated production losses and operational costs. Current scale removal strategies involve both mechanical and chemical technologies, each of them having their own advantages depending on the type of mineral scale and its location. However, these techniques are often costly and of limited efficiency. The current study assesses the ability of a range of chemically and morphologically modified coatings to prevent/reduce mineral scale surface fouling. Building-up on previous work done under static conditions, this paper presents results from scaling tests under laminar and turbulent dynamic conditions using a rotating cylinder electrode under in a complex (mixed) scaling environment (supersaturated w.r.t. calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, strontium sulfate, barium carbonate and strontium carbonate). The study shows that if properly selected, surface treatments represent a promising approach to reduce scale deposition on downhole equipment surfaces that are critical to maintain equipment functionality and thereby well safety barrier integrity. By analyzing the scaling behaviors observed within the set of surfaces tested, suggestions of the controlling factors in anti-fouling on these systems are presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Reusable Sensor for Strontium Sulfate Scale Monitoring in Seawater

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 676
Author(s):  
Abdellatif Bouchalkha ◽  
Radouane Karli ◽  
Khalid Alhammadi
Keyword(s):  
Oil Industry ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Strontium Sulfate ◽  
Oil Pipelines ◽  
Scaling Process ◽  
Strontium Ions ◽  
Selective Sensitivity ◽  
Financial Losses ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Production Losses

The onset of scaling in oil pipelines can halt or drastically reduce oil production, causing huge financial losses and delays. Current methods used to monitor scaling can take weeks, while the scaling process only takes few hours. The proposed sensor is designed for online monitoring of strontium ions concentration in seawater as an early scaling indicator. The sensor operates in the GHz range by probing the shift in the resonance frequency due to changes in the ionic concentrations of the medium. The results show selective sensitivity to changes in the strontium ions concentration even in the presence of many other ions found in seawater. The measured sensitivity is found to be stable and linear with a detection level of better than 0.08% (0.042 mol/L) of strontium ions in seawater. This work demonstrates a robust GHz sensor for strontium sulfate scale monitoring and early detection, which could be used in the oil industry to prevent huge production losses. These results could also be extended further to target the monitoring of other ions in different industrial sectors.

scholarly journals Mitigating Shirking: Contracting Performance in Buyer-Initiated Service Triads

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Nullmeier ◽  
Finn Wynstra ◽  
Wendy van der Valk
Keyword(s):  
Contract Design ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Contract Management ◽  
Survey Questionnaire ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Empirical Reality ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Satisfactory Performance ◽  
Behavior Based ◽  
And Behavior

Buyers that operate in buyer-initiated service triads must deal with the repercussions of service suppliers failing to satisfy the buyer’s customer. Performance-based contracting (PBC) can be used to shift the risks associated with performance shortfalls to service suppliers. Attaining specified performance outcomes can, however, be highly uncertain in service triads where there are many factors outside the supplier’s control. In such situations of high outcome uncertainty, suppliers may be induced to shirk their responsibilities since the direct customer–supplier link inherent to triadic structures gives suppliers an opportunity to engage in shirking without being detected. According to established theory, PBC is less effective in such situations, and behavior-based contracting (BBC) is more effective in achieving performance outcomes that are satisfactory to buyers. However, these insights are based on the long-standing assumption that PBC and BBC are substitutes. This assumption has been criticized as not being representative of empirical reality. Therefore, this chapter studies whether combining these contracting approaches during the contract design and contract management phases mitigates shirking of responsibility by suppliers. Using a data set derived from a survey questionnaire, the chapter finds that combining PBC and BBC during the contract design phase does not reduce shirking. However, the results do reveal that responsibility shirking can be mitigated by combining PBC and BBC during the contract management phase. This study provides purchasing managers with new insights concerning how to use PBC to achieve satisfactory performance outcomes, even in uncertain contexts such as service triads.

Scale Control for Long Term Well and Facility Preservation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Yan ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Wei Wei
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Saturation Index ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Scale Inhibitor ◽  
Rock Interaction ◽  
Water Composition ◽  
Protection Time ◽  
Strontium Sulfate ◽  
Scale Control

Abstract Oilfield scale and corrosion at oil and gas wells and topside facilities are well known problems. There are many studies towards the control and mitigation of scaling risk during production. However, there has been limited research conducted to investigate the effectiveness of scale control approaches for the preservation of wells and facility during a potential long term shut-in period, which could last more than 6 months. Due to low oil price and harsh economic environment, the need to shut-in wells and facilities can become necessary for operations. Understanding of scale control for a long term period is important to ensure both subsurface and surface production integrity during the shut-in period. The right strategy and treatment approaches in scale management will reduce reservoir and facility damage as well as the resulting cost for mitigation. In this paper, we will review and assess the scale risk for different scenarios for operation shut-in periods and utilize laboratory study to improve the understanding of long-term impact and identify appropriate mitigation strategy. Simulated brine compositions from both conventional and unconventional fields are tested. Commercially available scale inhibitors are used for testing. Various conditions including temperature (131-171 °F), saturation index (1.28-1.73), pH (7.04-8.03) and ratio of scaling ions are evaluated. The tested inhibitor dosage range was 0-300 mg/L. Inhibitor-brine incompatibility was also investigated. Sulfate and carbonate scales such as barium sulfate, strontium sulfate and calcium carbonate are studied as example. This paper will provide an important guidance for the management of well shut- in scenarios for the industry, for both conventional and unconventional fields. Performance of two scale inhibitors for same water composition are demonstrated. The efficiency of scale inhibitor #2 is lower than that of inhibitor #1. A linear correlation is observed for long term scale inhibitor performance in this case. Protection time is thus predicted from data collected from the first 8-week experiments. The predicted protection time at 250 mg/L of inhibitor A and B is 100 weeks and 16 weeks respectively. The actual protection time will be compared to the predicted value. The inhibitor-rock interaction has also been preliminarily studied. The effects of inhibitor adsorption onto formation rock should be considered for chemical treatment design and performance/dosage optimization. This study provides novel information of scale control in a much longer time frame (up to 6 months). Various parameters may have effects on their long term control. Results will benefit the chemical selection and evaluation for long term well shut-in scenario. In addition, brine-inhibitor compatibility is evaluated simultaneously.

Fatigue Analysis of Subsea Jumpers due to Slug Flow

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob (H. E. J. ) van der Heijden ◽  
Henk Smienk ◽  
Andrei V. Metrikine
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Static Analysis ◽  
Fatigue Damage ◽  
Slug Flow ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Line System ◽  
Excitation Mechanisms ◽  
The Difference

Rigid steel jumpers are used in a subsea flow line system to connect subsea components. They provide a certain flexibility with respect to installation and operating conditions. This flexibility makes the jumper susceptible to slug flow induced vibrations. Slug flow can be described as an alternating flow of long oil and gas bubbles which flow at the gas velocity. The alternation between oil and gas density causes loads on the jumper which causes the jumper to vibrate. Two excitation mechanisms can be identified; 1) The variation in weight along the straight sections and 2) the difference in impact loads on the bends. Due to the cyclic nature of these loads fatigue can cause the jumper to fail. As a main contractor of SURF-projects (Subsea Umbilicals Risers and Flowlines) Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) is responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the entire project scope, including the design of the subsea jumpers. Hence this paper has been set up by HMC and the Delft University of Technology to study slug flow induced fatigue in subsea jumpers and in order to find new design considerations. In the early design phase of a subsea jumper the offshore industry commonly uses, to authors knowledge, a static analysis to predict the fatigue damage caused by slug flow. Since the vibrations caused by slug flow are not incorporated in a static analysis an accurate tradeoff between flexibility and fatigue lifetime cannot be made during the design phase. As this tradeoff during the design phase is desirable, a new dynamic and more accurate analysis method has been developed which takes these vibrations into account. A comparison between this new methodology and the common industry method is made in order to quantify the difference in analyzed fatigue damage due to slug flow induced vibration. Additionally the effects of a pressure drop over a passing slug is also investigated to determine if a pressure drop should be incorporated as a design factor for slug flow induced fatigue. The new dynamic method will also be used to investigate the relation between jumper configuration and high slug flow velocity. It will show what excitation mechanisms are dominant and how this affects the fatigue behavior. Since is be the first time, to authors knowledge, such an extensive analysis of geometries and velocities is undertaken it will provide new insights into slug flow induced fatigue in subsea jumpers in general. The newly found amplification and attenuation of the vibration by the successive impacts on the bends of a subsea jumper are investigated.

A cellular automaton model for offshore evacuation risk assessment

2017 ◽  
Vol 231 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-145
Author(s):  
Michel Grand Blanc ◽  
Andrea Carpignano ◽  
Sandra Dulla ◽  
Stefano Marolo
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Evacuation Risk ◽  
Accident Scenarios ◽  
Offshore Oil

A new approach to assess the risk associated with jetfire and poolfire accidents on an offshore oil facility using cellular automata is presented. This model simulates many accident scenarios, and the related evacuation processes, adopting a Monte Carlo approach in order to evaluate an average consequence and then a more realistic value of the risk associated with these accidents. The results of this new method are discussed and compared with the results obtained from a traditional approach over a real case study. The comparison shows that this new approach supplies lower risk-related results, still being conservative; besides, it can supply further information useful in the design phase.

Saturation Index Prediction Based on Taguchi Approach and Multiple Linear Regression in Oil Wells

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivianne Cristina Ferreira Lima ◽  
Marco Antonio Ribeiro de Almeida ◽  
Florence Leal Machado ◽  
Valter Antonio Monteiro Branco
Keyword(s):  
Linear Regression ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Saturation Index ◽  
Oil Well ◽  
Taguchi Approach ◽  
Fluid Displacement ◽  
Strontium Sulfate ◽  
Production Form ◽  
Productive Phase

During the productive phase of an oil well, there may be jointly production of groundwater, called formation water, which has different dissolved salts which may, during production, form a solid phase (precipitate), causing partial or total obstruction of the well, due to scaling of precipitation. The main inorganic scales in oil industry are: calcium sulfate (CaSO4), barium sulfate (BaSO4), strontium sulfate (SrSO4) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The carbonate is precipitated due to changes in temperature, pressure and water flow associated with oil. These variations happen due to fluid displacement which originally are in equilibrium conditions to the flow conditions. As the removing process is extremely expensive and often irreversible, mathematical tools are used to predict the saline scale. This work will present three methods: software Multiscale, Multiple Linear Regression and Taguchi Approach. Those methods will help predict saline scales of CaCO3, by calculating saturation index. The other salts will not be used in this monograph. After realization of the experiments, comparing the values found in the calculation of the CaCO3 saturation index using the three methods, satisfactory results are obtained when the pressure ranges up to 20% of the experimental pressure, with a reduction in the number of experiments, using the method known as Taguchi Approach.

NORM inventory forecast for Australian offshore oil and gas decommissioned assets and radioactive waste disposal pathways

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Scott McKay ◽  
Stuart A. Higgins ◽  
Peter Baker
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Disposal ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Public Domain ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Radioactive Wastes ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Radioactive Material ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Offshore Oil

This research establishes a decommissioning timeline for the existing oil and gas facilities across all of the Australian offshore oil and gas production basins. Minimal data exist in the public domain to estimate these decommissioning timelines and, more importantly, the significant waste volumes generated; including potentially hazardous wastes such as naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). At this time there is no approved onshore radioactive waste disposal pathway in Australia to accommodate this material. Applying an estimation methodology, based on Norwegian decommissioning data with regional activity factors, allows a NORM waste forecast to be established for the decommissioning of Australian oil and gas offshore infrastructure. The total NORM disposal burden is estimated to be in the range of 223–1674 tonnes for decommissioning activity to 2060, with over 68% of this material generated between 2018 and 2025. Due to the sparsity of public domain data this forecast is deemed to be uncertain and excludes the NORM contamination anticipated to be present in subsea export pipelines, trunklines and well production tubing. Current regulations governing the categorisation and disposal of radioactive wastes across Australia are complex and regionally dependent. This regional variation makes the implementation of a national radioactive waste disposal facility more difficult, and encourages the export of radioactive wastes overseas for final disposal. Exporting of radioactive wastes potentially presents a higher risk compared with in-country disposal and is likely not an effective long-term proposition. A comprehensive NORM data collection and quantification assessment programme, spanning all onshore and offshore oil and gas infrastructure, needs to implemented to drive and verify a NORM waste management strategy for the wave of facility decommissioning projects that are fast approaching.

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