FLOW ASSURANCE &

INTRODUCTION TO OLGA
Vijay Sarathy
Senior Engineer
Staff ID: 7142
Process Technologies Department
Saipem India Projects Ltd.

March, 2011

What is Flow Assurance?

Flow Assurance refers to successful & economical flow of hydrocarbon

stream from reservoir to the point of sale.

Coined in the 1990s by Petrobras as Garantia de Escoamento meaning

Guarantee of Flow.

Broadly classified as Onshore & Offshore Flow Assurance

Involves performing single/multiphase flow calculations to address

pipeline HC transportation problems, some of which are

Pressure drop adequacy & pipeline velocity limitations

Environmental effects on transported product

Hydrate, Wax & Asphaltene Depositions

Slugging Phenomenon

Pipeline corrosion & Erosion

Upsets affecting Pipeline Operation

Why Flow Assurance?

Necessity arose from the basis of extending multiphase flow to large

distances (~50 km & above)

Requirement of transporting from deeper wells

Gained importance when HC transportation became a matter of concern

due to factors such as

Large Pressure losses causing lowered production

Pipeline Blockages due to Wax & Hydrates stopping production

Pipeline Rupture from corrosion

Severe Slugging in risers destroying separators

Oil Wells inability to lift

Presence of Sand & Particulate causing pipeline erosion

Pipeline Flow Behaviour

Flow complexity depends on factors some of which are,

Pipeline Length

Elevation

Geometry (e.g., Diameter, Wall Thickness, etc)

Material of Construction

Internal Roughness (affected by coatings, etc)

Location (e.g. Above Ground/Buried or Subsea)

Nature of Fluid transported (e.g., Wet Gas, Condensate, Well stream fluids,
dense phase fluids, Oil & Natural gas, etc)

Nature of Flow (TBD in the forthcoming slides)

Environmental Conditions (Ambient Temperature, Wind velocity, etc)

External Insulation

External process changers (e.g., heated pipeline, etc)

Machinery Effects (Compressors, Pumps, etc)

Presence of Solvents (Inhibitors, drag reducing agents, etc)

Presence of Sand & Corroded Particulate matter

2/3 Phase Pipeline Flow Patterns

Horizontal Flow

Vertical Flow

Multiphase Flow vs. Single Phase Flow

Phase change is the key factor determining Pipeline Design & Operations

Single Phase Pipeline Flow is easier to manage since

Offer Lower pressure drops compared to similar multiphase configuration

Avoids slugging phenomena

For liquid lines, single phase pumps can be used which are cheaper

Multiphase flow (2/3 phase)

Higher Pressure drops (Larger pipelines do not always lead to lower P!!)

Affects quality of transported product

Affects Pipeline Blow down Temperatures & Flows

Necessity for a Slug Catcher to address possible slugging

Multiphase pumps are needed which can prove to be relatively expensive

Sand Laden flow cause erosion (Duplex steel might be needed)

Existence of Hydrates problem

Two Phase P Profile for Hilly Terrain

Typical Pipeline Activities in Flow Assurance

Thermo hydraulic Calculations (P, Velocity & EVR Criteria, Flows, etc)

Pipe wall thickness estimation

Pipeline Start up

Pipeline Shutdown

Ramp up / Ramp Down (Turndown)

Pipeline Pigging

Pipeline Depressurization

Hydrate Inhibitor Dosage Calculations

Choke Valve Calculations

Pipeline Surge Analysis

Sample Pipeline Report

Client: Kuwait Oil Company

Scope of Work: Thermo-hydraulic Analysis for Water Injection Lines

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THANK YOU