Case study in deducing pump discharge pressures with applied methods for maximizing throughput of a strategic crude oil pipeline

Abstract

The aged crude oil pipeline; 16 x 166 km since November 1984, extends from Meleiha field at Western desert to El-Hamra terminal at coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Its original capacity was 100,000 BOPD using two pumping stations; one at Meleiha and the other is a boosting station, 83 km far from Meleiha. Planned pumped flow rate increased to 177,000 BOPD at the time that maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) reduced from 1463 psi to 950 psi. Here is shown how could pump higher flow rates without reaching MAWP, where two solutions to accommodate such increase in production were applied; firstly by looping the existing pipeline with a (16 x 56 km), secondly by using a drag reducing agent (DRA), that could reduce hydraulic friction losses and total dynamic pressure (TDP) in the system and could pumped more with reduced initial pumping pressure at Meleiha. So, the intermediate station was temporarily abandoned. Mathematical models are designed to simulate pumping operation through the whole system, where TDP is predicted for the three pipeline cases: 1- Normal case without both looping and DRA. 2- Case without DRA and with looping. 3- Case with both looping and DRA. Key words: Crude oil pipeline, drag reducing agent (DRA), Meleiha, maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP)