11/19/2013

Flow Assurance - Managing Flow Dynamics and Production Chemistry

Abul Jamaluddin, Ph.D. Production Technology Advisor Business Manager North America NExT Oil & Gas Training and Career Development

What is the primary operating focus of your team?

Acknowledgement
SPE for organizing this Webinar All clients who contributed to some of the field examples Schlumberger to allow me to participate and thanks to the
following sub segments for providing the contents -

Schlumberger Research Reservoir Sampling and Analysis sub segment Flow Assurance Consulting group of OneSubsea NExT Oil and Gas Training and Competency Development
of Petrotechnical Services

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Presentation Outline
Deepwater & flow assurance Flow hindrance elements A holistic flow assurance workflow Field examples with key technology applications

Waxy crude production management (SPE 132615)

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Deepwater Flow Assurance Challenges

Colder temperatures Greater hydrostatic head Longer tiebacks, and hence complex thermo-hydraulic fluid
behaviour
Commingling of Gas condensate production Incompatible fluids Organic/Inorganic solids precipitations Commingled production complex fluid systems Large pressure drops Cold deep water Reservoir Complexity - shallow reservoir, HPHT, facilitates deposition

compartmentalised,

facilitates deposition

Reduce uncertainties and minimize risks

OPEX
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CAPEX versus

Flow Assurance

Maintain flow from pore to process

'ntegrated S"luti"ns

LiquidManagement

Asphaltenes

Hydrates

Wax

Scale

PVT & Fluideha!i"ur

#"rr"si"n & $r"si"n

%pera&ility Assessment

Sur!eillance & %perati"n

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Flow Hindrance Elements

Especially Critical in Offshore Arena
Fluid Properties - PVT Fluid Flow & Heat Transfer Asphaltene Wax Hydrate Naphthanates - Soaps Oilfield Scales Emulsions/ Foams Corrosions/Erosions/Sand Heavy Oils

Understanding the fundamentals of these elements are the ke to design management strateg
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Flow Assurance Domains

Production Chemistry
!hara"teri#ation$ %redi"tion of flo& sto%%age elements

Production Engineering
'hermal(h drauli" design and assessment of su)sea multi%hase flo& s stems

Production Surveillance
*rodu"tion o%timi#ation and earl dete"tion of flo& sto%%ages

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What is your primary area of expertise/interest?

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Holistic Flow Assurance Workflow

Downhole Characteriza tion & SinglePhase Sampling

Laboratory Measureme nts PVT Asphalten e Wax Hydrate

Modeling Thermod ynamic Steady & Transient State Modeling

Integration, Interpretatio n and Design

Field Implementat ion Implement a technically sound, cost effective and environme ntal sound solution

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,eed)a"k -oo%

*ressure 0 -i1uid 2anagement

Subsea Gas Lift

Liquid Management Subsea Natural Lift

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!ourtes of .ne/u)sea

Production Chemistry

Fluid sampling, analysis, characterisation, prediction of challenges

Development of Asphaltene Deposition Model
*erform as%haltene "hara"teri#ation !al"ulate as%haltene(li1uid 3/-4 flash 5m%lement the %arti"le de%osition me"hanism &hi"h in"ludes %arti"le formation$ trans%ortation and adsor%tion /ingle and t&o %hase flo& models

Sampling and analysis

(1) Particles Form

Scale Precipitation Results

(2) Particle Transport (3) Particles Adsorb

6.00E-04 BaSO4 Cal. 5.00E-04 SrSO4 Cal. BaSO4 Exp. SrSO4 Exp. 4.00E-04 3.00E-04 2.00E-04 1.00E-04 0.00E+00 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 Mass Fraction of Formation Water

Value of Data

Solid Mas s Fra ction

20

45
1 month 6 months 1 year

Samples Analysis

Model calibration

18 16 Deposit thickness (mm) 14 12

40 35 Temperature (C ) 30 25

Fluid Sampling

Fluid Modeling

Interpretation

10 20 8 6 4 2 0 0 3000 6000 9000 12000 15000 Distance (m)

T empe rature profiles

15 10 5 0 18000

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Time

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Production Engineering
Importance of Dynamics from Reservoir to Process Facilities
Slug Catcher

/tead /tate .ut"omes *eak %rodu"tion rates !om%letions design *i%eline si#ing 81ui%ment si#ing
Process !acilities

6eser7oir

9 nami" .ut"omes *rodu"tion %rofiles :ell "lean(u% / start(u% %ro"edures !ooldo&n / insulation re1uirements -i1uid surge management / slug "at"her

ECL PSE
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Production Operations
Production surveillance and optimization, operational well and pipeline remediation, prevention and mitigation techniques in order to optimize production

2onitor /ensors and 2* meters 9ata a"1uisition 9ata 7alidation and storage

Distributed temperature Production Intervention sensors DTS

Process !acilities

6eser7oir

Multiphase meter

Alarm .%timise 5ntegrated asset management :ell inter7ention ,lo&line remediation

ECL PSE
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Asphaltenes in the Reservoir

Reservoir Architecture Aerial Compositional Grading

Compartments, sealing barriers, baffles Different Fault Blocks Different GOR (colors)

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!ourtes of .! 2ullins

Hibernia Areal Map

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Impact Completions
Vertical Compositional Grading (Heavy Ends ! )
Reservoir Fluids are often highly graded and often NOT in equilibrium May have compatibility issues

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!ourtes of .! 2ullins

Production Chemistry

Mercury

Athabasca Bitumen >1

Asphaltene Wax

Diamondoids

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Organic Scale

Gas Hydrate

Asphaltenes Asphaltenes
Operationally defined as a portion of crude oil insoluble in nalkanes such as heptane but soluble in aromatics such as toluene or dichloromethane. Source specific. They are the heaviest and the most polar components in crude oil composed of : Polyaromatics carrying aliphatic rings or chains H/C atomic ratio = 1.0-1.2 Heteroatoms: nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur Metals: nickel, vanadium, iron.
S

One Oil Column

N H

Causes of Asphaltene Precipitation

Change in Oil Composition Pressure Depletion Above Psat Change in Temperature Others (pH, Water Cut, Electro-kinetic Effects etc)

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Key properties of waxy crudes

Waxes are high molecular weight saturated carbons (>C20) mainly from normal paraffins CnH2n+2 Tend to precipitate when temperatures are reduced. Precipitates as crystalline waxy solids.

Viscosity

Highly NonNewtonian

Mildly Non-Newtonian

Newtonian

15-25 oC

Pour Point
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Temperature

Cloud Point Wax Appearance Temperature (WAT)

Hydrates Ice That Burns

Crystalline solid consisting of gas molecules each surrounded by a cage of water molecules. Hydrate usually forms at high P & low T One volume hydrate can carry 160-180 volumes of methane Hydrate Formers:
C1 n-C4 O2 others C2 N2 Ar C3 i-C4 CO2 H2S cyclo-C3

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Common Inorganic Scales

Calcite (CaCO3) acid soluble carbonates
Formed due to the presence of calcium ions and bicarbonate ions in the produced water Pressure changes may cause precipitation

Barite (BaSO4) acid insoluble sulphates

Generally formed when there is coproduction of formation water (Ba2+) and

injection water (SO4-)

Barite Anhydrite

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What is your major flow assurance concern?

Field Example: Waxy Crude Management in SPE "#$%"& Deepwater from South East Asia
Field Situation Dual 5-km deepwater subsea line capability with pigging operations Half buried no insulation High pour point waxy crude production at subsea temperature of 4C No wax deposition in early life Challenge Concerned with wax gelling during unplanned shut down. Recommendation by Chemical Vendor Continuous chemical (PAO82004) injection at 300 ppm Operating Company Perspective Independent verification of gelling characteristics & chemical requirements
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Waxy Crude Flowline Unplanned Shutdown/ReStart Evaluation Workflow

'hermod nami" 2odeling
Fluid Sampling
Representative Sampling

Wax Characterization

Thermodynamic Characteristics Compositions C90+ Wax Content Cloud Point/WAT @ Ambient/Line Condition Transport Characteristics < Am)ient/-ine !ondition Gel-Strength Rheology Deposition Measurements (not done for this field example)

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'ransient 2odeling

Phase Behavior

Standard PVT analysis (Define phase boundaries)

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Compositions & Wax Content

Recombine separator gas and oil samples at producing GOR to make reservoir fluid sample
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Recombined fluid
10 8

100000

Concentration (ppm)

10000 1000 100 10 1 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

wt%

6 4 2 0
N2 C2 C6 CO2 C7 C10 C12 C14 C16 C18 C20 C22 C24 C26 i-C4 i-C5 C28 C2-Benzene o-Xylene Benzene Toluene C30+

n-alkane carbon #

GOR = 1058 scf/sbl API = 37.9 MW = 182.6 g/mol Psat ~ 3660 psia @169.5oF/76.4C
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UOP wax content ~ 4.3 wt% at -31oF/-35C HTGC wax content (n-C18+) ~ 11.16 wt%

Schematic Diagram of Cross Polar Microscope (CPM) Measurement of WAT of Stock Tank Oil
CC D

Hot Stage

Analyzer
4 25 50

Top View

Hot Stage 360o Rotatable Stage Polarizer IR Filter Light Source

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Cooling Gas

High Pressure Cross Polar Microscope (HPCPM) Wax Precipitation Assessment (20,000 psi &
200oC; Resolution ~ 4 micron)

HPCPM

HPCPM

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Live oil WAT at 4000 psia ~ 20C

1.4E-04

1.2E-04

SDS WAT ~ 20C

GOR = 1058 scf/stb

1.0E-04

Power (W )

8.0E-05
HPCPM WAT ~ 15C

6.0E-05

4.0E-05

2.0E-05

0.0E+00 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Temperature (C)

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Wax Appearance Temperature/Cloud Points

Characteristic
STO WAT (C) Live oil WAT at 4000 psia (C) Live oil WAT at 2200 psia (C)
WAT (Exp) 5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 (i!im)m se%bed Temper%")re PX02 Reservoir o!di"io!s Pb (Exp) Hyd

Value/Observation
26.8 20 20
WAT (Sim) Pb

P (psia)

2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 &PS' Arriv%# We##$e%d o!di"io!s

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-100

0 T (#)

100

200

Gel-Strengtgh Measuremeht using Model Pipeline Test (MPT)

N2 Pressure For Ungelling HP Circulation Pump Back-Pressure Regulator

Heated Lines

Fluid Sample Cylinder

Test Coils (2) 7.0 mm ID 7.64 m long

3,000 psi (35 Mpa) 170oF (75oC) Temperature Controlled Bath

Applications:

Measure Yield Strength

Improvers

Evaluate Effectiveness Of Flow

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Gel Strength Measurement Results

90 80 70 60 DP (ps i) 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 20 40 60 80 Time (min) 100 120 140 160

30

Untreated STO

Yield pressure = 80.6 psi

25

Untreated live oil

20 DP (psi) 15 10 5 0 0 20 40 60

Yield pressure = 24.3 psi

80 Time (min)

100

120

140

160

= PYD/4L = 1.988 PY
PY = ungelling or yield pressure D = coil inner diameter L = coil length
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'est = 1 2 3

.il ' %e /'. -i7e ,luid at 2200 %sia /'. @ 300%%m "hemi"al

*>3%si4 +0?; 24?3 (((

(*a4
1;0?3 4+?3 Ao gel

Rheometer Viscosity Measurements

3.0 2.5 V iscosity (cp) 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0

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STO at 40C

Shear Rate Sweep

STO @ 40oC ~ 1.5 cP slightly non-linear STO @ 4oC highly non-linear (highly viscous) Live Oil @ 4oC - Highly non-linear (less viscous)

50

100 150 200 Shear rate (1/s)

250

300

Viscosity Modeling
'est = 1 2 3 .il ' %e /'. -i7e ,luid at 2200 %sia /'. @ 300%%m "hemi"al *>3%si4 +0?; 24?3 (((

(*a4
1;0?3 4+?3 Ao gel

The plastic viscosities for the STO and live oil @ 2200 psia line pressure were obtained from gradients of the shear stress vs shear rate plots
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Rheology Model Selection in OLGA based on Experimental Validation

'he non(Ae&tonian )eha7ior of the fluid 3gel4 &as a%%roBimated ) the Cingham %lasti" model$ &ith the %lasti" 7is"osit and the ield stress o)tained from the rheologi"al and gel strength measurements?

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Shut-Down and Re-Start Modelling Transient Simulation using OLGA

Liquid filled
Flowline / Riser Geometry
0

-rrival pressure of %$* psig

-200

-400

-600
Elevation (m)

-800

-1,000

-1,200

Seabed temperature of ,oC Constant mass source of"$'((( bpd ) %*+#oC

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 Flowline / Riser Length (m)

-1,400

-1,600

Gas filled

Only flowline/riser considered. The production tubing was not

included.
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Flow-line assumed to be half buried in soil. Recombined reservoir fluid composition was used in simulations.

Live Oil Shut-in Pressure & Temperature

Gas Dissolution Effect
STO Condition Live Oil @2200 psia

:A' D 2;!

:A' D 20!

16 hrs

24 hrs

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Re-Starts - STO
/ $&(( psi / $&(( psi

$.hour restart

%.hour restart

Blow down after unplanned shut-in, pressures required to initiate

flow in the pipeline is around 2500 psi for both ramp-ups.
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Restarts Live oil @ 2200psia

/ $$(( psia / $$(( psia

$.hour restart

%.hour restart

For live fluid with solution gas, pressures required to initiate flow in
the pipeline is 2200 psia for both ramp-ups, respectively.
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Summary Results
= Py D /4 L
Case 0LG- predicted pressure 1psia2 2(hour restart /'. -i7e oil < 2200%sia 2500 2200 ;(hour restart 2500 2200 Calculated from force balances 1psia2 using gel. strength data 2100 ;00

,or"e )alan"e "al"ulations &ith an assum%tion of a "ontinuous li1uid gel at the %i%eline inlet %ro7ides "onser7ati7e num)ers

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Field Study Conclusions

As expected, solution gas at line condition provided lower WAT, Gel-Strength
and viscosity values.

Transient simulation of shut-down scenarios with experimental validation and the

choice of right viscosity model provided longer shut-in time to reach WAT of 20 deg C at line condition 24 hrs as oppose to 16 hrs design shut-in time.

Continuous chemical injection provided no gelling at subsea temperature of 4

deg C

Transient simulation predicted re-start pressures of ~2500 psi for STO & 2200
psi for live fluid after a prolonged shut-in period. Are these pressures Flowing Wellhead Pressure ~ 2200 psia bigger/smaller than the SIWHPs?
Shut-in Wellhead Pressure = 2600 psia Contingency is the pig-launching pump at subsea

Continuous chemical injection is not a requirement with current shut-in subsea

wellhead conditions.
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Integration & Interpretation

WAT (Exp) 5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 (i!im)m se%bed Temper%")re PX02 Reservoir o!di"io!s Pb (Exp) Hyd WAT (Sim) Pb

P (psia)

2500 2000 1500 1000 500 Predi*"ed &PS' Arriv%# 0 -100 0 T (#) 100 200 &PS' Arriv%# We##$e%d o!di"io!s

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Concluding Remarks

Understanding the fundamental flow assurance issues

are key to successful field development & production, especially, in deepwater subsea environment.

Application of appropriate technology and a customized

workflow process is critical.

Based on fundamental understanding, optimized

operating strategies can be designed.

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Fluid Watcher Dashboard

Reservoir P&T

Pressure

Facility

Hydrate Curve

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Temperature

*Same number for Scale

Flow Assurance - Managing Flow Dynamics and Production Chemistry

'hank >ou An EuestionsF

Abul Jamaluddin, Ph.D. Production Technology Advisor Business Manager North America NExT Oil & Gas Training and Career Development

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