Abstract
Sand deposition in horizontal pipes transporting crude oil and sand affects oil recovery and causes loss of pipe integrity. One way of avoiding sand deposition in lines is by identifying potential sand deposit points for mounting boosters to help boost the inertia force of the flowing stream. This paper investigates a model approach to the problem. Results from simulation give potential sand deposit points in a 12 km pipeline. The Reynolds numbers estimated, show significant variations between the 6 and 8km points where viscous forces prevailed over inertia forces. Thus, the 6 km point is an ideal point for mounting a booster. Sand velocities remained constant at 0 km at different times down to the 8 km point although, the values differ axially per hour. Variations were incipient at the 10 km point through to the exit owing to hindered settling caused by inherent collisions of particles resting on the pipe wall. However, this also suggests that the 8 km point is a crucial point at or beyond which a booster pump is required to make up for the lost kinetic energy for a reliable and safe flow. Transport flow regimes were also investigated via parametric assessment on hourly basis.
Highlights
Sand is usually produced when loosely packed formation zones are fractured
The flow velocity and forces were obtained by numerical simulation with the aim of identifying the points where booster pumps would help improve the motive force along the pipeline
Smart [15] gave a theoretical description on the evaluation of solid particle velocity in oil and gas pipelines. Particles movement such as those of FeCO3, FeO, FeS, Fe3O4, sand, weld spatter and salt which agglomerate to form a solid mass known as black powder in water, diesel, crude oil and natural gas were studied as they moved through horizontal pipes
Summary
Sand is usually produced when loosely packed formation zones are fractured. The oil and sand mix are transported thereafter to the heads of wells. Sand exclusion methods, which involve the use of screens to remove some sand particles being transported with the crude, are continuously used to reduce sand concentration in the transported oil but cannot prevent deposition of the particles on the pipe wall. This paper examines a non-conventional method of sand management for the transport process which does not involve sand removal from the crude oil being transported One such type of non-sand exclusion method ensures that pressure drop does not fall below a threshold either by augmentation of the motive force (e.g. with booster pumps) or by modification of the interactions among the constituents of the flowing system. Based on the works of Doan et al [3,4], a new model was developed which aims at describing the laminar and turbulent flow behavior of sand and crude oil in a horizontal pipe between the head of a well and its flow station
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