Accurate Assessment of Pipeline Restart Behavior at Subsea Conditions for a Highly Waxy Crude Oil Employing Advanced Computational Pressure Wave Modeling

Abstract

Waxy crude oil rheology measurements are essential to the accurate simulation of pipeline shut-in and restart processes. Flow start-up simulators have recently emerged with powerful capabilities to exploit pressure wave propagation and ensure flow commencement, while minimizing usage of environmentally adverse chemicals. In comparison to conventional force balance methodologies, the currently presented analytical and simulation technique constitutes a step change improvement in flow assurance capabilities by integrating accurate deformation-dependent gel degradation rheology with an Eulerian numerical scheme, affording predictive assessment of restart delay times. The new methodology is applied to the case of a real 1.84 km field pipeline transporting high waxy crude oil.