Gas Pipeline Hydraulics

is a practical handbook for engineers, technicians, and

others involved in the design and operation of pipelines transporting natural ga
s and
other compressible fluids. It is based on the author s 30-year experience in the o
il
and gas industry. This book will help readers better understand and apply the
principles of fluid mechanics to their daily work in the gas pipeline transmissi
on
and distribution industry. The book is divided into 10 chapters with several exa
mple
problems solved fully, as well as additional problems provided as exercises.
Chapter 1 introduces the basic properties of natural gas and other compressible
fluids that are important in understanding how gas behaves under various conditi
ons
of pressure and temperature as it flows through a pipeline. The properties of hy
drocarbon
gas mixtures, such as gravity, viscosity, and compressibility, are reviewed, and
both analytical and graphical methods are explained with illustrative examples.
In Chapter 2, the methods of calculating the pressure drop in a gas pipeline are
discussed. The General Flow equation is introduced as the basic equation, and th
e
various correlations for friction factor and transmission factors, such as Coleb
rook
and AGA, are explained. Other flow equations, such as Panhandle and Weymouth,
are also covered using examples.
Chapter 3 extends the concepts of pressure drop calculations further to determin
e
the total pressure required for transporting gas in pipelines under various
configurations, such as series and parallel pipelines. The effects of intermedia
te
delivery volumes and injection rates along a distribution pipeline are reviewed.
A pipeline, NPS 14 with 0.250 in. wall thickness, 40 mi long, transports natural
gas (specific gravity = 0.6 and viscosity = 0.000008 lb/ft-s) at a flow rate of
80 MMSCFD at an inlet temperature of 60F. Assuming isothermal flow and
neglecting elevation changes, calculate the inlet pressure required for a delive
ry
pressure of 800 psig. The base pressure and base temperature are 14.7 psia
and 60F, respectively. Use the Colebrook equation with pipe roughness of
0.0007 in.
2. A 100 mi long natural gas pipeline consists of several injections and deliver
ies.
The pipeline is NPS 18, 0.375 in. wall thickness and has an inlet volume of
150 MMSCFD. At points B (milepost 25) and C (milepost 70), 60 MMSCFD
and 50 MMSCFD, respectively, are delivered. At D (milepost 90), gas enters the
pipeline at 40 MMSCFD. All streams of gas can be assumed to have a specific
gravity of 0.60 and a viscosity of 7.5 10-6 lb/ft-s. The pipe is inter-nally coa
ted
such that the absolute roughness is 200 in. Assume a constant gas flow temperatu
re
of 80F and base pressure and base temperature of 14.7 psia and 60F,
respectively. Use a constant compressibility factor of 0.88 throughout. Neglect
elevation differences along the pipeline.
a) Using the modified Colebrook equation, calculate the pressures along the
pipeline at points A, B, C, and D for a minimum delivery pressure of 400 psig
at the terminus E.
b) What diameter pipe will be required for section DE if the required delivery
pressure at E is increased to 600 psig?
3. A natural gas pipeline, 210 km long, consists of an inlet stream at A and del
iveries

at B and C. The pipeline is DN 400, 10 mm wall thickness. At A, the gas enters

at a flow rate of 3.5 Mm3/day. At points B (km 20) and C (km 100), gas is
delivered at 0.5 Mm3/day and 1.0 Mm3/day, respectively. At D (km 150), gas
enters a branch pipe DF (DN 200, 6 mm wall thickness, 10 km long) at a flow
rate of 1.0 Mm3/day. The remaining gas volume of 1.0 Mm3/day is delivered to
the pipe terminus E. All streams of gas can be assumed to have a specific gravit
y
of 0.58 and a viscosity of 0.00012 Poise. The pipe s absolute roughness is
0.015 mm throughout. Assume a constant gas flow temperature of 15C and base
pressure and base temperature of 101 kPa and 15C, respectively. Use a pipeline
efficiency of 0.95 and constant compressibility factor of 0.88 throughout. Negle
ct
elevation differences along the pipeline.
a) Using the Panhandle B equation, calculate the pressures along the pipeline
at A, B, C, and D for a minimum delivery pressure of 30 Bar at terminus E.
b) What is the delivery pressure of gas at the end of the branch DF?
c) What pipe diameter is needed for the branch DF if the delivery pressure
required at F is 40 Bar?
4. A series piping system consists of 10 mi of NPS 16, 0.250 in. wall thickness,
connected to 20 mi of NPS 14, 0.250 in. wall thickness and 10 miles of NPS 12,
0.250 in. wall thickness pipes. Calculate the inlet pressure required at the beg
inning
A for a gas flow rate of 85 MMSCFD. Gas is delivered to the terminus B at
Copyright 2005
A pipeline, NPS 14 with 0.250 in. wall thickness, 40 mi long, transports natural
gas (specific gravity = 0.6 and viscosity = 0.000008 lb/ft-s) at a flow rate of
80 MMSCFD at an inlet temperature of 60F. Assuming isothermal flow and
neglecting elevation changes, calculate the inlet pressure required for a delive
ry
pressure of 800 psig. The base pressure and base temperature are 14.7 psia
and 60F, respectively. Use the Colebrook equation with pipe roughness of
0.0007 in.
2. A 100 mi long natural gas pipeline consists of several injections and deliver
ies.
The pipeline is NPS 18, 0.375 in. wall thickness and has an inlet volume of
150 MMSCFD. At points B (milepost 25) and C (milepost 70), 60 MMSCFD
and 50 MMSCFD, respectively, are delivered. At D (milepost 90), gas enters the
pipeline at 40 MMSCFD. All streams of gas can be assumed to have a specific
gravity of 0.60 and a viscosity of 7.5 10-6 lb/ft-s. The pipe is inter-nally coa
ted
such that the absolute roughness is 200 in. Assume a constant gas flow temperatu
re
of 80F and base pressure and base temperature of 14.7 psia and 60F,
respectively. Use a constant compressibility factor of 0.88 throughout. Neglect
elevation differences along the pipeline.
a) Using the modified Colebrook equation, calculate the pressures along the
pipeline at points A, B, C, and D for a minimum delivery pressure of 400 psig
at the terminus E.
b) What diameter pipe will be required for section DE if the required delivery
pressure at E is increased to 600 psig?
3. A natural gas pipeline, 210 km long, consists of an inlet stream at A and del
iveries
at B and C. The pipeline is DN 400, 10 mm wall thickness. At A, the gas enters
at a flow rate of 3.5 Mm3/day. At points B (km 20) and C (km 100), gas is
delivered at 0.5 Mm3/day and 1.0 Mm3/day, respectively. At D (km 150), gas
enters a branch pipe DF (DN 200, 6 mm wall thickness, 10 km long) at a flow
rate of 1.0 Mm3/day. The remaining gas volume of 1.0 Mm3/day is delivered to
the pipe terminus E. All streams of gas can be assumed to have a specific gravit
y

of 0.58 and a viscosity of 0.00012 Poise. The pipe s absolute roughness is

0.015 mm throughout. Assume a constant gas flow temperature of 15C and base
pressure and base temperature of 101 kPa and 15C, respectively. Use a pipeline
efficiency of 0.95 and constant compressibility factor of 0.88 throughout. Negle
ct
elevation differences along the pipeline.
a) Using the Panhandle B equation, calculate the pressures along the pipeline
at A, B, C, and D for a minimum delivery pressure of 30 Bar at terminus E.
b) What is the delivery pressure of gas at the end of the branch DF?
c) What pipe diameter is needed for the branch DF if the delivery pressure
required at F is 40 Bar?
4. A series piping system consists of 10 mi of NPS 16, 0.250 in. wall thickness,
connected to 20 mi of NPS 14, 0.250 in. wall thickness and 10 miles of NPS 12,
0.250 in. wall thickness pipes. Calculate the inlet pressure required at the beg
inning
A for a gas flow rate of 85 MMSCFD. Gas is delivered to the terminus B at
Copyright 2005
The importance of the contract delivery pressures and the necessity of regulatin
g
pressures using a control valve or pressure regulator are also discussed. The ef
fect
of gas temperature on the pressure drop in a transmission pipeline is reviewed w
ith
example output reports from a commercial gas hydraulics simulation model. Equiva
lent
lengths in series piping and equivalent diameters in parallel piping are
covered, as well as pipe looping to increase gas pipeline flow rate. The quantit
y
of gas contained in a section of a pipeline and the calculation of line pack are
also
reviewed.
Chapter 4 discusses compressor stations required to transport gas in a pipeline
and how to calculate their numbers and optimum locations. Centrifugal and positi
ve
displacement compressors are explained, and their performances are compared.
Typical performance characteristics of a centrifugal compressor are analyzed. Is
othermal,
adiabatic, and polytropic compression processes and horsepower required
are discussed with sample calculations. The discharge temperature of the compres
sed
gas and its impact on pipeline throughput, along with the necessity of gas cooli
ng,
are explained.
In Chapter 5, installing pipe loops to increase the throughput in a gas pipeline
is
explored. Looping is compared to the option of building intermediate compressor
stations. The advantages and disadvantages of looping a pipeline versus installi
ng
compressor stations are discussed.
Chapter 6 covers the mechanical strength of a pipeline. The effects of pipe
diameter, wall thickness, material of construction