An efficient design methodology for subsea manifold piping systems based on parametric studies

Abstract

Subsea manifolds are widely used in the development of oil and gas fields to simplify the subsea system, minimise the number of subsea pipelines/risers and optimise the flow path in a piping system. The piping system is designed to satisfy the requirements for internal pressure, thermal loads, hydrostatic collapse and external operational loads under extreme environmental conditions. At present, however, there are no efficient and well-defined design procedures available that accurately predict the effects of extreme environmental conditions on pressure drop, total deformation, weight and erosion characteristics given varying design parameters considered throughout the piping system. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an new design procedure for subsea manifold piping systems with complicated shapes capable of sustaining erosion inside the piping system. The aim of this study is to develop a design procedure for subsea manifold piping systems based on a variety of parameters of influence under extreme environmental conditions, including high pressure and high temperature. A detailed numerical analysis of nonlinear finite element method and finite volume method is conducted to develop the proposed design procedure based on the results of parametric studies and generates some recommendations for the design of optimal subsea manifold piping configuration systems. The design procedure presented here will assist the design and analysis of subsea manifold piping systems.