Whats New in PIPESIM 2015

New-generation steady-state multiphase flow simulator helps overcome

fluid flow challenges
KEY FEATURES

Gas lift design accounts for changing

conditions and hydraulic effects of the
total system
Gas lift diagnostics analyzes performance
of gas lift valve systems
OneSubsea multiphase booster provides
rigorous performance analysis
Perforation design determines optimal
perforating gun selection, phasing,
and spacing

The PIPESIM* steady-state multiphase flow simulator has provided accurate flow modeling for
well and network design and operations for more than 30 years. PIPESIM 2015 expands overall
functionality with a focus on advanced well modeling and artificial lift.

Gas lift design

PIPESIM 2015 has several enhancements for gas lift design. Bracketing calculations can be used
to ensure that the design accounts for changing conditions. Users can also incorporate into the design
the hydraulic effects of flowlines, risers, and equipment downstream of the wellhead.
Temperature, degF

400

200

400

1,000

Data matching automatically tunes multiphase flow and heat transfer coefficients
Advanced network solver helps solve
complex network problems

200

0 ft

2,000
3,000
3,200 ft

4,000

3,665 ft

5,498 ft

7,077 ft

5,000
True vertical depth, ft

6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000

7,800 ft

10,000

8,438 ft

11,000
12,000

9,600 ft
9,613 ft
10,627 ft
11,504 ft

13,000
14,000
0

1,000

12,262 ft
12,722 ft

14,023 ft
14,300 ft
14,623 ft

2,000
Pressure, psi

Pressure
Temperature
Liquid level pressure
Transfer gradient line
Valve closing pressure
Valve open

Casing gas pressure

Kickoff pressure
Gradient lines
Valve opening pressure
Valve closed
Dip

The PIPESIM 2015 gas lift interface improves design selection.

Gas lift diagnostics

Gas lift diagnostics can be used to analyze the performance of wells equipped with gas lift
valve systems.
PIPESIM 2015 enables users to specify both the total gas lift injection rate and the injection pressure
to calculate a tuning factor to ensure valve performance equations match observed data. This tuning
factor can be applied to the valve system for more accurate modeling. Additional improvements include
frictional effects for gas injection in the annulus and the introduction of the rigorous DAKSutton
nitrogen temperature correction factors for more accurate modeling at higher pressures.

Whats New in PIPESIM 2015

MPB booster performance plot
PWSTATIC=6,200 psia DP=1,000 psi FREQUENCY=60 Hz FLOWRATE=17,616.58 sbbl/day
1,800

5,916 hp

1,700
1,600
1,500

5,325 hp

1,400

Differential pressure, psi

1,300
1,200

4,733 hp

1,100
1,000
900

4,141 hp

800
700
600
500

3,550 hp

400
300
200
10%

20%

20,000

30%

40%

40,000

50%

60,000

1,775 hp

1,183 hp

592 hp

100

60%

8 0,000

100,000

70%
120,000

2,367 hp
80%
140,000

2,958 hp

90%

100%
160,000

Flowrate, bbl/d

PIPESIM 2015 uses operating conditions to generate performance maps for OneSubsea multiphase boosters.

OneSubsea multiphase booster performance analysis

Additional new features and improvements

The OneSubsea helicoaxial multiphase booster allows rigorous performance

analysis for a variety of booster models to enhance design and operation.
Booster performance maps are generated for all simulation cases based on
actual operating conditions, enabling users to quickly evaluate performance
and identify constraints.

Heat transfer alignment with OLGA* dynamic multiphase flow simulator

Improvements to network license performance

Improvements to message passing interface (MPI) distribution

for parallel processing

MD
33 ft

0 ft

SURFACE EQUIPMENT
Flowline
Manifold
Tubing flow from upper layer
Tubing flow from middle layer
Tubing flow from bottom layer
SSSV

380 ft

Tubing-1

Packer
Sleeve
NA point

00

6,0

ft

Upper layer
Packer
Middle layer
Sleeve
Casing
Packer
Tubing-2

ft
90
7,9 00 ft
8,0

Bottom layer
Liner

* Mark of Schlumberger.
Other company, product, and service names are the properties of their respective owners.
Copyright 2015 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 15-IS-83759

,70

0f

00
12

PIPESIM 2015 introduces the advanced network solver, which is based on

Newtons method for simultaneous solution of all flow equations. Although
the default network solver is robust, the advanced network solver is
intended for solving particularly complex or advanced optimization cases.

12
,6

Advanced network solver

ft

11

Survey data can be directly imported into the PIPESIM simulator through
LAS files for production log analysis. This workflow supports quick, effective
analysis of production log data and model calibration for determining zonal
performance so that workover scenarios can be analyzed and quantified.

Nodal analysis usability enhancements, including operating envelope

11 ,590
,60 ft
0f
t

Observed pressure and temperature data can now be automatically

matched to a model by tuning the multiphase flow model and heat transfer
coefficients. The PIPESIM simulator simultaneously optimizes correction
factors to minimize errors in pressure drop, liquid holdup, and temperature
changes for a wide range of multiphase flow models. Results can be
quickly visualized and inspected before applying the correction factors to
the model, which can then be used to construct more accurate optimization
scenarios or future performance predictions.

10
10 ,490
,50 ft
0f
t
0f
t

Data-matching improvements

Atmospheric pressure reference

,20

Rigorous perforation design for determining the optimal perforating gun

selection, phasing, and spacing is now available. In addition to the standard
concrete method based on API RP 19B test data, an advanced rock model
developed by Schlumberger is available. The resulting design can be used
to update the well model with entrance hole diameter and penetration
depth data, which are needed to calculate the skin factor of the vertical
or horizontal completion.

11

Perforation design

Improvements to pigging calculations, including transit and

dumping times

The perforation design feature of PIPESIM 2015 can be used to optimize

reservoir productivity.

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