AlSHAER GGS REHABILITATION

PROJECT

PHASE II

GGROUND FLARE DESIGN STUDY

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Table of contents

No Discerption Page

1 Introduction 3
2 Basic considerations 3
3 Process description 3
4 Unit design relieve case 4
5 Material of construction and design data 4
6 Gas and liquid removal 4
7 References 5

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 1. INTRODUCTION
This document represents a guideline to develop a new ground flare system
design to serve the process facilities which comprise Alshaer GGS
rehabilitation project Phase-II.

2. Basic Considerations
 Gas composition, mass flow rate and other data is taken from Flare
system datasheet.
 Maximum Mach number is limited to 0.5 (API 521).
 Material selection of flare piping is based on Alshaer depressurization
study with Adiabatic option which aims to determine the minimum
design metal temperature.
 Wind speed is considered to be 9 m/s (API 521).
 Solar radiation in the flare location is considered to be 950 w/m2 (API
521).
 No liquid is routed directly to ground flare (All liquid relief will be
routed to Flare Knock out drum).
 The ignition system of elevated flare may be used to ignite the new
ground flare.
 Ground flare tip location is suggested to be at the sterile of existing
elevated flare with east orientation.

3. PROCESS DISCREPTION
Ground Flare system is designed for safe disposing the relieving gases during
normal, start-up, emergencies and process upset conditions. Hydrocarbons
relieved loads from various process units are handled in ground flare system
depending upon the set point of pressure relief valves (PRV) and relief sources.
Hydrocarbon releases from different locations are routed to flare header which
is in turn disposes into a knockout drum. The knock out drum is provided with
heating coil to maintain contents at 4°C. The flare header material is selected
as SS316L to withstand cold discharges.
The flare header basically handles relief loads from:
 Gas primary separation
o Production separator
o Condensate filters/coalescers
 Gas Dehydration
o Gas dehydration column
o TEG regeneration system
 Fuel Gas System
4. Unit Design Relief Case
The controlling case for the new ground flare header and design of flare
capacity is adopted from the elevated flare system datasheet as follows:

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 Relief cause Blocked outlet
Relief Flow , kg/hr 106’230
Molecular weight 19.11
Relieving Temperature, °C -15 (Adiabatic Case)
Inlet Pressure, barg 95.2
In GGS rehabilitation project, the developed design will ensure that the relive
rate doesn’t exceed the design flow, taking into account the other variables of
pressure, temperature and molecular weight.

5. MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN DATA

The material of construction for the new flare system is as follows:
U/S Header SS 316L
KO Drum SS 316L
D/S Header SS 316L
The design pressure and temperature for the new flare system is as follows:

Design Pressure, barg 5

Design Temperature (Max/Min), ℃ 245/-101
Main header size, Inch 24
In phase II of rehabilitation project, the flare and blowdown scenario will be
developed so that the design temperature, pressure and flow rates will be
respected and never be exceeded.

6. GAS AND LIQUID REMOVAL

Flare KO drum is designed for maximum gas and liquid relief case. This KO drum
is sized based on design requirement of APl-521 f. The flare K.O drum is
designed for (106’230 kg/hr) of gas flowrate (Design flare capacity).
The KO drum is designed as a horizontal drum. Relief from pressure relief valve,
blowdown valve, vents and pressure control valve are routed to flare header.
An electric heater is provided to heat the liquid accumulated during a
blowdown/depressurization. This liquid is pumped to the closed drain vessel
by the pumps. Based on maximum back pressure, the design pressure of flare
system is considered as 5 barg.

Note:
A blowdown study will be conducted after the company approval. This study
will develop a new blowdown scenario compliant with the new flare system
design. Staggered blowdown maybe conducted to ensure that the relief load
doesn’t exceed the new flare capacity.

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REFERENCE
1. API RP 521 Forth Edition March 2007 "Guide for Pressure Relieving and
Depressurizing Systems."
2. Process Design Basis.
3. Process datasheet for elevated flare Package.
4. Aspen HYSYS 10 user guide.
5. Flaresim 5.0 user guide.