STAGES OF ACCUMULATION OF OIL DROPLETS AND GAS BUBBLES IN THE DOME FOR CASES OF DEEP-SEA SPILLS: PART 2

Abstract

In a previously published article, the problem of mathematical modeling of the operation and installation of a special device – a separator dome designed to collect hydrocarbons for cases of deep-sea leaks was given, three initial stages of modeling the installation of the device were described. This paper describes in detail the remaining stages of installing the dome: the accumulation of a layer of gas, the final stage of installing the dome, when the tubes for pumping oil and gas are connected to the device and the device begins to work in stationary mode. Let's take a closer look at each of the stages. The fourth stage of the dome installation is associated with the achievement of a given height (at which the gas bubbles have not yet passed into the hydrate state) and the beginning of the migration of gas bubbles inside the dome. First, the gas bubbles migrate into layer of liquid immiscible with water, then in the oil layer. During this process, all the gas coming from the jet completely enters the tank. At the fifth stage, gas accumulations inside the tank are considered. At the sixth stage, the study of the accumulation of layers of gas and oil continues, but at the same time the reservoir itself sinks to the bottom of the reservoir at a constant speed. This is necessary to subsequently secure the dome and prevent oil and gas from leaking out of the dome. The seventh stage is the final one. At this stage, we believe that the dome is fixed on the ocean floor, pipes for pumping oil and gas are connected to it. As a result of the created mathematical model of the dome-separator operation, dependences characterizing the process of installation and functioning of the dome, the temperature dependences of gas and oil layers accumulated inside the dome, as well as the dynamics of accumulation of the corresponding layers in the dome are obtained. The characteristic start and end times of each of the stages are described.