Applications

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Applications
When the resources become more scarce and complicated to get to careful design and optimisation of the entire production system is vital for investments and revenues. The dimensions and layout of wells and pipelines must be optimised for variable operational windows defined by changing reservoir properties and limitations given by environment and processing facilities. OLGA is being used for design and engineering, mapping of operational limits and to establish operational procedures. OLGA is also used for safety analysis to assess the consequences of equipment malfunctions and operational failures. REFERENCES contains a list of papers describing the OLGA model and its applications.

Design and Engineering

OLGA is a powerful instrument for the design engineer when considering different concepts for hydrocarbon production and transport - whether it is new developments or modifications of existing installations. OLGA should be used in the various design phases i.e. Conceptual, FEED [2] and detailed design and the following issues should be addressed: Design

Sizes of tubing and pipes Insulation and coverage Inhibitors for hydrate / wax Liquid inventory management / pigging Slug mitigation Processing capacity (Integrated simulation)

Focus on maximizing the production window during field life Initial Mid-life Tail Accuracy / Uncertainty management Input accuracy Parameter sensitivity Risk and Safety Normally the engineering challenge becomes more severe when accounting for tail-end production with reduced pressure, increasing water-cut and gas-oil ratio. This increase the slugging potential while fluid temperature reduces which in turn increase the need for inhibitors and the operational window is generally reduced.

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Operation

OLGA should be used to establish Operational procedures and limitations Emergency procedures Contingency plans

OLGA is also a very useful tool for operator training Training in flow assurance in general Practicing operational procedures Initial start up preparations

Some typical operational events suitable for OLGA simulations are discussed below.

Pipeline shut-down
If the flow in a pipeline for some reason has to be shut down, different procedures may be investigated. The dynamics during the shut-down can be studied as well as the final conditions in the pipe. The liquid content is of interest as well as the temperature evolution in the fluid at rest since the walls may cool the fluid below a critical temperature where hydrates may start to form.

Pipeline blow-down
One of the primary strategies for hydrate prevention in case of a pipeline shut-down is to blow down. The primary aim to reduce the pipeline pressure below the pressure where hydrates can form. The main effects that can be studied are the liquid and gas rates during the blow-down, the time required and the final pressure.

Pipeline start-up
The initial conditions of a pipeline to be started is either specified by the user or defined by a restart from a shutdown case. The start-up simulation can determine the evolution of any accumulated liquid slugs in the system. A start-up procedure is often sought whereby any terrain slugging is minimised or altogether avoided. The slug tracking module is very useful in this regard. In a network case a strategy for the start-up procedure of several merging flow lines could be particularly important.

Change in production
Sometimes the production level or type of fluid will change during the lifetime of a reservoir. The modification of the liquid properties due to the presence of water, is one of the important effects accounted for in OLGA. A controlled change in the production rate or an injection of another fluid are important cases to be simulated. Of particular interest is the dynamics of network interactions e.g. how the transport line operation is affected by flow rate changes in one of several merging flow lines.

Process equipment
Process equipment can be used to regulate or control the varying flow conditions in a multi-phase flow line. This is of special interest in cases where slugging is to be avoided. The process equipment simulated in OLGA includes critical- and sub-critical chokes with fixed or controlled openings, check-valves, compressors with speed and anti- surge controllers, separators, heat exchangers, pumps and mass sources and sinks.

Pipeline pigging
OLGA can simulate the pigging of a pipeline. A user specified pig may be inserted in the pipeline in OLGA at any time and place. Any liquid slugs that are created by the pig along the pipeline can be followed in time. Of special interest is the determination of the size and velocity of a liquid slug leaving the system ahead of a pig that has been inserted into a shut-down flow line.

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Hydrate control
Hydrate prevention and control are important for flow assurance. Passive and active control strategies can be investigated: Passive control is mainly achieved by proper insulation while there are several options for active control which can be simulated with OLGA: Bundles, electrical heating, inhibition by additives like MEG.

Wax deposition
In many production systems wax would tend to deposit on the pipe wall during production. The wax deposition depends on the fluid composition and temperature. OLGA can model wax deposition as function of time and location along the pipeline.

Tuning
Even if the OLGA models are sophisticated models made for conceptual studies and engineering will be based on input and assumptions which are not 100% relevant for operations. Therefore OLGA is equipped with a tuning module which can be used on-line and off-line to modify input parameters and also critical model parameters to match field data.

Wells
- Flow stability e.g. permanent or temporary slugging, rate changes - Artificial lift for production optimization - Shut-in/start-up - water cut limit for natural flow - Cross flow between layers under static conditions - WAG injection - Horizontal wells / Smart wells - Well Clean-up and Kick-off - Well Testing - Well control and Work-over Solutions

Safety Analysis
Safety analysis is an important field of application of OLGA. OLGA is capable of describing propagation of pressure fronts. For such cases the time step can be limited by the velocity of sound across the shortest pipe section. OLGA may be useful for safety analysis in the design phase of a pipeline project, such as the positioning of valves, regulation equipment, measuring devices, etc. Critical ranges in pipe monitoring equipment may be estimated and emergency procedures investigated. Consequence analysis of possible accidents is another interesting application. The state of the pipeline after a specified pipe rupture or after a failure in any process equipment can be determined using OLGA. Simulations with OLGA can also be of help when defining strategies for accident management, e.g. well killing by fluid injection. Finally it should be mentioned that the OLGA model is well suited for use with simulators designed for particular pipelines and process systems. Apart from safety analysis and monitoring, such simulators are powerful instruments in the training of operators. [2] Front End Engineering and Design

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