Gas Production Facilities Research Articles

Deep reinforcement learning LQR controller design for MIMO systems applied to gas production facility

Deep reinforcement learning LQR controller design for MIMO systems applied to gas production facility

An activity concentration-based proposal for radon management in workplaces involving NORM in Canada.

The Canadian Guidelines for the Management of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) have been developed to manage radiation doses received in workplaces involving NORM, such as mineral extraction and processing, oil and gas production, metal recycling or water treatment facilities. This management strategy works well for most naturally occurring radioactive materials in workplaces, with the exception of radon. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas generated by the decay of uranium-bearing minerals in rocks and soils. Because radon exists everywhere in varying concentrations, it is not feasible to use incremental radon generated or enhanced by a practice as a means for assessing the need for radon management programs. Drawing from lessons learned through implementing the current NORM Guidelines, we propose decoupling the decision thresholds for NORM management (excluding radon) and radon management so that the two are considered separately, and quantifying decision-points for managing occupational radon exposure as average annual activity concentrations, with no requirement for dose calculations. Proposed application of this approach in the updated Canadian NORM Guidelines is described.

Identification of Security Scenarios in offshore Oil&Gas production facilities based on past incident analysis

Offshore Oil&Gas installations may be attractive targets of intentional attacks due to their presence in socio-political sensitive areas, their economic significance, and the high impact of scenarios that can be triggered by the mismanagement of the hazardous substances handled (e.g., crude oil, natural gas, etc.). In the present study, a new dataset including 112 past security-related incidents that affected the offshore Oil&Gas sector in the last decades was developed and analyzed using Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Attack Tree Analysis (ATA). Significant differences were found in the types of threats and attack modes, with terrorism identified as the primary threat, followed by robbery and kidnapping. The identified scenarios caused fatalities, injuries, and asset damages at the targeted facilities, underscoring their potential to cause severe impacts, comparable to the outcomes of safety-related accidents. Tables linking identified attack modes, scenarios, and consequences specific contribution to the SVA workflow proposed by the API Recommended Practices 70 and 70I were obtained. Overall, the results obtained support the application of suitable Security Vulnerability/Risk Assessment (SVA/SRA) methodologies concerning the identification and characterization of adversaries, the definition of attack modes, the evaluation of effectiveness of existing security barriers, and the assessment of consequences.

Geological substantiation of studies on hydrogeochemical analysis and utilisation of associated waters in fields under long-term development (On the example of Karachukhurskoe field)

The presented article is devoted to the solution of the problem of cleaning of mining territories, sea from oil and oil products pollution. Treatment of produced water is one of the most important tasks facing the oil and gas industry. Formation water is a complex mixture of minerals and organic compounds that, if not treated properly, can cause serious damage to the environment. The problem of discharging this water to the Earth’s surface is relevant for all oil and gas production facilities, as the aggressive properties of formation water can lead to corrosion of industrial equipment, significant pollution of natural water bodies and topsoil. The results of the studies show that the oil-water emulsion formed by mixing well water at the Karachukhur field with liquid in the sumps forms large-sized masses in the sumps. This also makes it difficult to collect, transport well product and separate formation water from oil, treat and dispose of it. The use of mathematical techniques such as cluster analysis and hierarchical classification can be seen as a tool to optimise the operation and disposal process. To improve the efficiency and economic viability of operations, it is important to use modern methods to analyse and optimise well production and disposal processes. Such studies can help to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly oil industry in the future. It is advisable to conduct similar studies on other fields in Azerbaijan that are under long-term development.

Optimization of Maintenance Strategies in an Oil and Gas Production Facility to Minimize Maintenance Cost

Abstract: In this study, maintenance strategies in an oil and gas production facility were optimized to minimize maintenance costs. The centrifugal pump system in Port Harcourt Refinery was selected for this study because it significantly impacts on the productivity of the refining plant. The pump system’s failure mode effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) were examined, and an optimized maintenance task was developed for the system. The exponential reliability method was employed to analyse the pump’s failure data to determine the pump systems' failure rate and reliability while reliability centred maintenance (RCM) and linear programming (LP) model were employed to optimize the pump’s maintenance strategies and the pump’s maintenance labour force respectively. Broad-based results of the optimized maintenance strategies consisted of on-condition-directed (CD) maintenance, preventive maintenance (PreM), and Proactive maintenance (ProM) strategies to be carried out monthly. The optimized maintenance labour force result revealed that approximately three engineers and two technicians should be employed for the pump’s maintenance task with a minimum of N2, 585, 700 as cost of salaries for the labour force monthly as against the current maintenance labour force requiring fourteen engineers and thirteen technicians monthly. The results showed that the labour cost decreased from N180,000,000 per year to N31,028,400 per year (approximately 82.76% reduction) using the proposed optimized maintenance task compared to the current maintenance plan. Conclusion and recommendation were made that the maintenance optimization technique presented in this work should be adopted by the oil and gas processing and production companies in order to minimize maintenance cost.

Diagnosis of GHG Emissions in an Offshore Oil and Gas Production Facility

This work presents a diagnosis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) platforms for oil and gas production offshore, using calculation methodologies from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To carry out this analysis, design data of an FPSO platform is used for the GHG emissions estimation, considering operations under steady conditions and oil and gas processing system simulations in the Aspen HYSYS® software. The main direct emission sources of GHG are identified, including the main combustion processes (gas turbines for electric generation and gas turbine-driven CO2 compressors), flaring and venting, as well as fugitive emissions. The study assesses a high CO2 content in molar composition of the associated gas, an important factor that is considered in estimating fugitive emissions during the processes of primary separation and main gas compression. The resulting information indicates that, on average, 95% of total emissions are produced by combustion sources. In the latest production stages of the oil and gas field, it consumes 2 times more energy and emits 2.3 times CO2 in terms of produced hydrocarbons. This diagnosis provides a baseline and starting point for the implementation of energy efficiency measures and/or carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies on the FPSO in order to reduce CO2 and CH4 emissions, as well as identify the major sources of emissions in the production process.

Pipeline-Related Residential Benzene Exposure and Groundwater Natural Attenuation Capacity in the Eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study was conducted to investigate the presence of benzene in the ground and drinking water in the eastern Niger Delta, where multiple oil and gas production facilities are present. Samples from drinking water wells were collected for measurements of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). Additionally, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration was determined for the first time to establish the groundwater’s total hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon load. The groundwater BTEX and benzene levels were up to 3904 µg/L and 3500 µg/L, respectively. DOC concentrations were up to 49 mg/L. The highest benzene concentrations were detected in wells near an underground petroleum pipeline. However, the concentrations decreased with distance from the pipeline to levels less than 0.1 µg/L. Despite benzene contamination, the aquifer has shown promising aerobic attenuation potential, having up to a 7.5 (95%) mg/L DO level and 2.11 mg/L BTEX biodegradation capacity for DO. However, the high groundwater temperature of up to 32.5 °C may weaken attenuation. The benzene and BTEX point attenuation rates ranged from 0.128 to 0.693 day−1 and 0.086 to 0.556 day−1, respectively. Hence, by natural attenuation alone, up to 66.5 and 85 years would be required to reach Nigeria’s groundwater benzene and BTEX remediation goals, respectively.

How artificial intelligence applied to sound recognition can help gas leak detection in acoustically complex environments?

From production to storage and transport, detecting leaks of flammable gases is a major challenge, particularly in terms of occupational safety and health, and environmental considerations. The emergence of hydrogen as an energy source makes acoustic-based technologies a key element in this value chain. For these reasons, Metravib Engineering, in collaboration with the R&D Safety Project of TotalEnergies One Tech, has been developing since 2019 the AGLED system, for the early detection, localization and classification of these leaks. The system performs acoustic detection in the audible frequency range, using antennas consisting of 4 microphones and physics-based artificial intelligence. Over 5,600 signals were recorded on a site fairly representative of gas production and storage facilities in order to build a robust learning database. Several algorithms were implemented to limit the number of false detections delivered by the system. A relearning strategy was developed to handle unexpected disturbances relative to specific noise environment. This paper describes the overall architecture of the system, from signal acquisition to gas leak detection and 3D localization. It delves into the relearning algorithm and its performance during two full-scale industrial pilots of TotalEnergies - La Mède (France) and Tempa Rossa (Italy) - that included nitrogen controlled leaks tests campaigns.

Повышение мотивации сотрудников производственных объектов нефтегазовой отрасли в области промышленной безопасности и охраны труда

The study considers problems of motivation for compliance with industrial and occupational safety requirements by employees engaged in production facilities and the necessity of motivation to achieve the required protection level. A set of measures implemented at enterprises to ensure industrial and occupational safety has been outlined; special attention has been paid to the need for diagnostics of the psycho-physical state of employees, their training, and motivation methods (external and internal). Most respondents have shown their interest in improving their knowledge to reduce accident risks at production. They believe that safety can be increased via the use of reminders at each stage of work. The study helped to identify the basic causes of low motivation for compliance with industrial and occupational safety rules and determine approaches to resolving the issue. The factors affecting low motivation and the degree of involvement in the process are insufficient attention to safety issues from the top management, insufficient involvement in the decision-making to improve safety, lack of material incentives for compliance with safety rules, and lack of opportunities for professional development. Criteria enabling the establishment of safe activity motivation principles have been identified, and certain measures to improve motivation have been proposed. The respondents have listed the following methods to increase the motivation of employees of oil and gas production facilities in the area of industrial safety: practice-oriented training with visual aids and case studies, the use of both material and moral components of positive encouragement to reinforce safe behavior, re-evaluation of safety programs based on employees’ feedback, results of monthly surveys and studies, and video recording of the work process.

Environmental consequences of oil and gas extraction on the example of the Bytkiv-Babchenskyi Oil and Gas Field

Most technological processes create an anthropogenic burden on the environment, and the oil and gas industry is no exception. Due to oil and gas production in the Bytkiv-Babchenskyi Field area, there is gas pollution in the territory of Pasichna and Bytkiv settlements, oil leaks to the surface, however, it is necessary to strive to minimise the negative impact and preserve the environment. The purpose of the study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the ecological state of the atmosphere, soils, hydrosphere and technogenic physical fields (radiation, noise, vibration, electromagnetic) near various oil and gas production facilities of the Bytkiv-Babchenskyi Field to determine the man-made impact of the oil and gas production process. The following methods were used: observation, measurement of environmental indicators, meteorological and physical field parameters, and laboratory analysis methods. A wide range of modern instruments was used, which allows for rapid analysis and determination of physical field parameters. In the laboratory, a more detailed analysis of water and soil samples was carried out using physico-chemical methods of analysis. The determined chemical, physico-chemical indicators of water quality, the content of volatile organic compounds and polyaromatic hydrocarbons complied with the regulatory standards. Among the toxic elements, strontium was detected, the content of which did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration. In terms of salt content, the hydrocarbonate water is slightly mineralised. The soils are low-saline with a neutral pH of the soil solution. The content of mobile iron, phosphorus, and nitrogen compounds is very low, low, and medium, respectively, and organic matter is very high. It was established that the parameters of anthropogenic physical fields do not exceed the permissible standards. The results of the study showed that the technogenic impact of the oil and gas production process on the air, water bodies and soils is within the permissible limits. The practical significance of the results obtained is the comprehensive monitoring of the state of natural objects throughout the year, which is important for oil and gas industry professionals when assessing the environmental impact of oil and gas production facilities and developing environmental protection measures

Modeling of high-pressure transient gas-liquid flow in M-shaped jumpers of subsea gas production systems

Two-phase flow with low liquid loads is common in high-pressure natural gas offshore gathering and transmission pipelines. During gas production slowdowns or shutdowns, an accumulation of liquid in the lower sections of subsea pipelines may occur. This phenomenon is observed in jumpers that connect different units in deep-water subsea gas production facilities. The displacement of the accumulated liquid during production ramp-up induces temporal variations in pressure drop across the jumper and forces on its elbows, resulting in flow-induced vibrations (FIV) that pose potential risks to the structural integrity of the jumper. To bridge the gap between laboratory experiments and field conditions, transient 3D numerical simulations were conducted using the OpenFOAM software. These simulations facilitated the development of a mechanistic model to elucidate the factors contributing to increased pressure and forces during the liquid purging process. The study examined the influence of gas pressure level, pipe diameter, initially accumulated liquid amount, liquid properties, and gas mass flow rate on the transient pressure drop and the forces acting on the jumper's elbows. The critical gas production rate required for complete liquid removal of the accumulated liquid was determined, and scaling rules were proposed to predict the effects of gas pressure and pipe diameter on this critical value. The dominant frequencies of pressure and force fluctuations were identified, with low-pressure systems exhibiting frequencies associated with two-phase flow phenomena and high-pressure systems showing frequencies attributed to acoustic waves.

Assessment of Bacterial Contamination of Process Media and Pipelines with Corrosion-Hazardous Microorganisms at Gas Production and Treatment Facilities

Assessment of Bacterial Contamination of Process Media and Pipelines with Corrosion-Hazardous Microorganisms at Gas Production and Treatment Facilities

ENGINEERING OF LIQUID-GAS EJECTOR USING NUMERICAL SIMULATION

The article deals with the development and application of the technology of injection of low-pressure associated petroleum gas (APG) into the reservoir through the reservoir pressure maintenance system (RPMS) in connection with the entry into force of the Russian government decree on the mandatory utilization of 95 % of produced APG. The technology under consideration, the key element of which is a liquid-gas ejector (LGE), makes it possible to achieve this level with minimal investment, in the shortest possible time and to stop flaring APG at flares remote from the central oil and gas treatment facilities of oil and gas production facilities. LGEs have a relatively simple and reliable design due to the absence of moving elements.At present, there are known LGEs of classical designs, in which the level of hydrodynamic losses can reach 40–60 %. High hydrodynamic losses make it inexpedient to use such ejectors at small fields operated at a late stage of development, remote from the central oil and gas treatment facilities, due to the limitations of the existing equipment complex and the allowed operation mode of the injection well stock. To ensure the possibility of including LGE in the RPM system it was required to develop a new design of LGE, allowing to reduce hydrodynamic losses up to 30 %, as well as to ensure the maximum possible percentage of APG utilization. The article is devoted to the development, calculation of geometry and operating mode of LGE using numerical modeling in ANSYS environment.Modeling of the flowing part of the main elements of LGE (confuser nozzle, diffuser throat and gas channel width) at different values of parameters directly affecting the level of hydraulic losses is carried out. The results of calculations of numerical simulation of LGE allowed to optimize the dimensions of the internal geometry of LGE, thus it was possible to develop a new device for the required initial data, which will reduce the level of hydraulic losses up to 30 % and ensure the involvement of the maximum volume of gas in the RPM system.

Целесообразность создания пилотной площадки по отработке безопасной эксплуатации технико- технологических средств для освоения длительнозамерзающих акваторий арктических морей

The Russian sector of the Arctic shelf to the east of the Kara Sea has been very poorly studied by seismic exploration and drilling. It is conditioned by several causes, one of which is the short ice-free period in combination with the remoteness from the shore bases, which significantly hampers operations making them extremely expensive and resource-consuming. The development of natural resources in conditions specific to the Kara Sea and to the east of it is restricted by the depths of the use of ice-resistant platforms and remoteness from the shore bases for subsea production systems. Various experts consider the perspective solutions of the implementation of subsea manned and unmanned drilling and production systems as concepts. At the same time, the existing technologies and the deep drilling technique are creatively reconsidered; the conclusion regarding the inapplicability of the currently used solutions for subsea wellhead drilling has been made. A specific focus has been made on the safety of the future oil and gas production facilities in the Arctic, considering both the operation of highly hazardous and complex manned underwater engineering facilities and the current strained geopolitical situation and the threats of terrorism. It is supposed that testing of perspective engineering solutions and technologies will be more efficient not only in conditions of plant testing laboratories and centers but also at the test site with maximally realistic conditions of the future operation. The analysis of potential test sites in accordance with selected criteria has chosen the Murmansk gas field in the southeast part of the Barents Sea as a prospective facility. Due to the large scale and complexity of the long-term challenge (20–30 years), a conclusion is made about the role of the state as an initiator and coordinator of the project involving the oil and gas companies concerned (Rosneft, Gazprom), scientific centers, and equipment manufacturers.

Engineering applications of fiberglass protective covers for oil and gas production facilities in submerged sand slope areas

Glass fiber reinforced materials have the advantages of light weight, high specific strength, and corrosion resistance, making them suitable for application in the structure of underwater oil and gas production protection systems. First, a variety of resin materials for underwater protective structures are tested for seawater degradation and mechanical properties, and excellent resins that can still ensure the structural load-bearing capacity and stability after immersion are selected. Secondly, the strength calculation and structural analysis of the designed fiberglass protective structure are carried out under the loading conditions of sand slope accumulation, fishing net towing and lifting. Afterwards, in order to facilitate the transportation and installation of large fiberglass shields, the paper innovatively proposes to adopt a segmented modular manufacturing solution. Finally, an underwater installation study is carried out considering the closed characteristics of the fiberglass shields. Based on the above series of studies, the glass fiber protective structure has been successfully installed in the South China Sea oilfield.

Comprehensive assessment of emergency fire risks during oil and gas well drilling

The study aims to perform a comprehensive assessment of emergency fire risks when drilling oil and gas wells for open flowing of the well with gas flare combustion and the combustion caused by diesel fuel spills. The object is a well site of the oil and gas condensate field in the Irkutsk region. A retrospective analysis of emergency situations during oil and gas well drilling identified the most frequent types of accident - fires at oil and gas production facilities, open fountains and emissions from wells. Scenarios for these accidents were developed and event trees were built. Using them, options with the greatest possible damage caused by a fire were identified. The intensity of thermal radiation was estimated at various distances from the center of the flare with open flowing of the well with the gas flare combustion. The intensity of thermal radiation during a fire caused by diesel fuel spills was calculated for the destruction of three RVS-50 tanks. Safe distances from the accident site and possible fatal injuries to the personnel were identified.

Session 16. Oral Presentation for: Brownfield modifications to convert existing gas production facilities for CCS operations

Session 16. Oral Presentation for: Brownfield modifications to convert existing gas production facilities for CCS operations

К вопросу применимости и эффективности отдельных элементов системы управления ледовой обстановкой при реализации проектов освоения арк­тического шельфа

In order to reduce the probability of dangerous impacts from ice cover and icebergs on offshore oil and gas production facilities, as well as to protect associated marine operations it is necessary to develop and implement so-called “Ice Management Systems” (IMS). The authors analyze the technologies and tools, used in practical ice management operations in various areas of the Arctic shelf, define the list of key technologies and consider the limitations of additional technologies. They assume that in real IM practice it is possible to abandon the technology of measuring the drift of ice formations using radio beacons in favor of measurements by vessel radars (“ice radars”). Based on open sources, the authors carry out a performance analysis of ice management (IM) operations to influence icebergs and drifting ice. Analysis of numerical simulation results allows them to select the most effective scheme for the operation of icebreakers when breaking the drifting ice.

Modelling and validation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emissions from offshore oil production facilities

The development of numerical models for investigating the risks and impact caused by human activities to the marine environment is important. Herein, the recently developed ChemicalDrift Lagrangian dispersion model was coupled to a toxicokinetic model and applied to investigate emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) discharged from oil and gas production facilities as produced water. The performance of the model was evaluated with available data from a monitoring survey conducted at two oil fields. The survey provided exposure concentrations by means of passive samplers and bioaccumulation data in caged mussels; multiple depths and locations were assessed. The study included 26 PAHs and alkylated derivatives, showing good agreement between the model and the survey measurements. The compounds dominating the scenario were naphthalenes and phenanthrenes. Model provided contamination gradients were in agreement with the survey results, with levels decreasing with distance away from the main sources and with higher concentrations at 20 m depth. ChemicalDrift and the toxicokinetic model provided detailed time series, showing peaks of C1-naphthalene bioaccumulation significantly higher than values accumulated at the end of the monitored period. The utilised model was able to separate the relative contributions of multiple platforms and to identify the major contamination sources, providing a valuable and versatile tool for assessing the impact of discharges at sea.

Thermo‐economic analysis of gas‐to‐wire: A case for utilizing gas flaring in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

AbstractThis work investigated the thermo‐economics of gas‐to‐wire as a gas flaring mitigation option in a selected gas production facility, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, which flares 294 thousand standard cubic feet of natural gas, daily. The thermodynamics and economics aspects of the gas‐to‐wire plant were modeled, and implemented in the Engineering Equation Solver software. The thermodynamics was carried out to ascertain the technical feasibility of the proposed plant, while the economics analysis was done to ensure its cost competitiveness. The findings suggested that 19.2 MW of electricity could be generated from the flare gases. This could be achieved at a life cycle cost of 19.24 billion naira, and a unit cost of energy of 13.47 naira per kWh. Parametric simulation of interest rate, excess combustion air, exit temperature of flue gases, and expansion ratio of gas turbine were also done. Furthermore, the proposed power plant could meet the electricity needs of not less than 60,000 households in Delta State where the gas production facility is located at 550 kWh electricity per capita. The study has shown that gas‐to‐wire is one of the viable approaches to tackle gas flaring activities in Nigeria, to meet both the energy demand of its people and to preserve the environment. Thus, it is recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should give gas‐to‐wire a priority in its gas flaring utilization agenda.