Nodal Analysis

Nodal Analysis of Oil and Gas Production Systems provides a modern view
on the use of nodal analysis techniques to optimize the production from oil
and gas wells. It covers multiphase flow through flow lines, wells, chokes and
the near-well reservoir. It teaches the development of mathematical models
for those system elements, and how to implement these in computer code. It
explains the underlying physics, starting from first principles whenever
possible, and reverting to empirical correlations whenever necessary. It
covers the essential concepts in nodal analysis of a well system and aims at
providing the readers with enough knowledge to use commercial nodal
analysis software for more complex systems, explore the literature in this
field, and expand their knowledge.

After a well is drilled and completed, itrequires a great effort to

transport or flow fluid through the reservoir until the piping
system and ultimately flow into a separator for gas-liquid
separation which are placed on the surface. the movement of
these fluids requires energy to overcome friction losses and to
lift the products. The pressure drop in the total system at any
time will be the initial fluid pressure minus the final fluid pressure.
This pressure drop is the sum of the pressure drops occurring in
all of the components of the system. The selection and sizing of
the individual component varies with producing rate.

The final desing of a production system cannot be separated

into reservoir performance and piping system
performance and handle independently. The amount of oil and
gas flowing into well from the reservoir relies more on the
pressure drop in the piping system, and the pressure of the
piping system depends on the amount of fluid flowing through it.
Therefore; the entire production system must be analyzed as a
unit.

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS APPROACH

The systems analysis approach, often called NODAL ANALYSIS has

been applied for many years to analyse the performance of systems
composed of interacting components (Electrical circuits, complex
pipeline networks and centrifugal pumping systems are all analyzed
using this method. The procedure consists of selecting a division
point or node in the well and dividing the system at this point.
All components upstream of the now comprise the inflow
section, whereas the outflow section consists of all the components
downstream of the node. A relationship among flow rate and
pressure drop must be available for each component in the system.
The flow rate through the system can be determined once the
following requirements are satisfied:
 Flow into the node equals flow out of the node,
 Only one pressure can exist at a node.

The average pressure of the reservoir (Pavg) and the pressure of the system outlet called
separator pressure ( Psep) are not functions of flow rate. Nevertheless, if the Psep is under
control by a choke, it could be the Wellhead pressure (Pwh).

Once the node is selected, the node pressure is calculated from both directions starting at the
fixed pressures.

Inflow to the node:

Pr – AP ( Upstream componets) = Pnode.

Ouflow from the node:

Psep + AP ( downstream components) = P node.

The pressure drop, AP, in any component varies with flow rate, Q. For that reason, a plot of node
pressure versus flow rate will produce two curves, the intersection of which will give the
conditions satisfying requirements (Flow into the node equals flow out of the node, and Only one
pressure can exist at a node). That is illustrated as follows: