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Proceedings of IPC08 Proceedings ofConference IPC2008 7th International Pipeline 7th International Pipeline Conference September 29-October 3, 2008,

Calgary, Alberta, Canada September 29-October 3, 2008, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

IPC2008-64161 IPC2008-64 161

CUT POINT OPTIMIZATION OF DIESEL OIL - GASOLINE INTERFACES


Sergio D. Gavn Repsol YPF La Plata, Argentina

ABSTRACT This paper presents the technical solution developed by Repsol YPF in one of its pipeline systems to reduce contaminated product generation as a result of the interfaces that are generated between diesel oil and gasolines during transport. INTRODUCTION The refined white product pipeline where this new tool will be applied has its origin pump station in the city of Villa Mercedes, one intermediate delivery station in the city of Junn, and its terminal station in La Matanza, a total of 663 km (12 inch diameter) with nineteen mainline block valves and the elevation profile shown below (Figure 1).
600

necessary for this system to be continuously pumping. It is in operation 75 % of the time, and during this period its flow rate is below the systems maximum capacity. On average, its flow rate is 130 m3/h, being able to deliver fully in Junn, deliver one part in Junn and let the other flow to La Matanza, or pump from Junn to La Matanza. There exist three options for pumping the product from the origin pump station located in Villa Mercedes, namely: 1) by gravity 2) taking advantage of excess pressures and deriving from another system belonging to Repsol YPF, for which Villa Mercedes works as an intermediate delivery and repumping plant 3) from a tank with turbopumps. Normal operating pressure is 8 kg/cm2 (785 kPa) in Villa Mercedes, 20 kg/cm2 (1960 kPa) in Junn and 12 kg/cm2 (1175 kPa) in La Matanza (manometric values). For this pipeline the use of small batches of about 50 m3 of JP-1 jet fuel (corks, buffers) between diesel oil and gasolines in order to minimize contamination of both products was not successful due to the many stops and starts of this system, which cause important compressions and decompressions (e.g. Figure 2), and the negative slope that its elevation profile shows, resulting in interfaces of greater size without reducing the diffusion between both products (interfaces).

Villa Mercedes
500 400 meters 300 200 100 0 0 38 75 112 149 186 224 261 299 336 373 410 446 482 519 556 594 629

Junnn

La Matanza

kilometers

-Figure 1This system transports 90,000 m3 of refined white products (diesel oil and gasolines) per month. Due to the pipelines low transportation volume and to Repsol YPFs configuration of its pipeline network, it is not

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600

45

Villa Mercedes
500 400 meters 300 200 100 0 0 23 46 69 92 115 138 161 184 207 230 253 276 299 322 345 368 391 414

40 30 25 20 15 Pressuere (kg/cm2) 35

The outer lines indicate the start and finish of the interface, while the two central lines show the portion of interface that is sent to the contaminated product tank. On the other hand, interfaces between different types of gasolines are referred to as one cut (Figure 4) since one part of the interface goes to the previous product tank and the other to the subsequent product tank in the batching sequence, but neither of them is segregated to a contaminated product tank, that is to say, there is only one change of tank.
Density

Junnn

10 5 0

kilometers Pressuere curve (Q=130 m3/h) Pressuere curve (Q=0 m3/h)

Cut

-Figure 2The most significant cause of interfase increase is when the system stops and the interface remains at the greater slope, and it is even worse when diesel oil is above gasoline. Also, the small size of the batches does not make it possible to absorb the interface on the product tanks in specification.

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Separating scrapers (pigs) did not show good results either, mainly due to the fact that they moved backward or forward as a consequence of the refined white product pipelines particular elevation and the constant starts and stops of the pipeline. For these reasons the pipeline operates by sending the initial and final parts of the interface to a product tank in specification and its central portion to a contaminated one. We refer to diesel-gasoline interfaces as having two cuts, (Figure 3) since their central part is segregated to a contaminated product tank to be subsequently recovered through proportioning in excess-quality products, or else, by sending it to refinery in order to be reprocessed, that is to say, there are two changes of tank.
Density

-Figure 4Before applied the new methodology presented in this paper some measures intended to reduce the amount of volume of diesel-gasoline interfaces may be taken. The most urgent one should be to increase the size of the batches in order to reduce the number of interfaces, thus for the same transported volume, the number of batches and the quantity of interfaces will be lower. However, this measure helps to reduce the volume of contaminated product but not to eliminate it, and consequently, it is necessary to take further measures to reduce the interface portion that is segregated to a contaminated product tank. NEW METHODOLOGY

1st cut

2nd cut

In the past, tank changes were performed upon reaching a pre-defined density value as measured by the plant`s internal densitometer. This value was constant and did not vary. Tank changes always occurred at the same value. The developed improvement consisted of optimizing the first and the second interface cut points with a view to maximizing the volume of mixture that can be absorbed by the tanks in specification, thus reducing the volume of contaminated product to be recovered in the Refinery The used methodology calculates the composition of both products in the interface within the distribution manifold in

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-Figure 3-

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real time, making it possible to quantify the volume of diesel oil and gasoline present in the mixture that enters each tank. The cut point is determined by the maximum volume of diesel that the gasoline tank can admit and vice versa, without leaving any of them in out-of-specification condition (RON, MON, sulphur content, cetane, flash point, etc). The wellknown mixing indexes, such as those of the Petrofine Manual or other oil companies are used to do this. In order to define that volume, the following aspects are taken into account: the quality/volume of the product in the receiving tank, whether there is interface in the pipeline entering the tank, its composition, and the quality/volume of the product to be received. The Test Laboratory is responsible for this task, which must be performed before the interface arrives at the plant. Once these values have been defined, they are communicated to the Operations Area so that cuts are performed following the Laboratory`s technical recommendations. Facilities diagram

samples, the programme is activated (the reference value is the average density during the last minute). See Annex C. The reason for using said logic as well as a reference value is to prevent the programme from starting accidentally due to very small peaks in the density of the product that do not correspond to the beginning of the interface. Once the programme has been started, one interval with the following characteristics is obtained every two data samples:

Density

n-1, n, n+1, n2+2


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See Annex A -Figure 5On line software

The software program is set up on the plant operative PC where software iFIX runs and collects data from the PLC which receives field instrumentation data (volume flow meter, mass flow meter, densitometers, etc). The interface composition calculation is visualized in real time on this PC so that the operator makes the change of tank when the cut point value is reached. See Annex B Operative screen See Annex C Tuning screen Interface analysis Assuming an interface between two consecutive products A and B, the calculation of interfaces determines the percentage and volume of each of the products entering the tank at every instant of time. The percentages could be calculated using different process variables such as density, sonic velocity, absorbance, viscosity, etc, but density follows lineal mixing models so it becomes easier to do the calculations. In order to detect the beginning of the interface, the programme continuously senses the density value on line at intervals of 2 seconds. Upon verifying that density is 1 kg/m3 higher (or lower) than the reference value in five consecutive

Density: (Dens n+1 + Dens n)/2 Flow rate: (Q n+1 + Qn)/2 Time interval: Hr n+1 Hr n Interval volume: average Flow rate x Time interval % of A: (average Dens - Dens B) / (Dens A - Dens B) % of B: 100% - % of A Vol of A: Interval volume x % of A Vol of B: Interval volume x % of B
average average

Dens A and Dens B values refer to the values of pure A and B products respectively. The value Dens A utilized in the calculations is the average density of A in the last ten minutes (300 samples), up to the moment when the interface begins. This value remains fixed once the interface begins and is no longer recalculated. In this manner, it is possible to perform calculations for %A and %B with a representative value of the density of the product entering the plant. Bs density value (Dens B) should be entered manually by the Operator in iFIX depending on the density value that the product is expected to have. This value can be obtained from the information submitted by intermediate pumping stations, from the laboratory test certificate for that batch issued upon its entrance to the pipeline, or automatically, by reading the data from the Batch-Tracking of SCADA, or the density value observed on the plants out station densitometer. This last case

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is valid only when the interface volume is lower than the pipeline volume existing between the location of the out station densitometer and the internal one. Otherwise, at the beginning of the reception of the interface within the plant there would not be a stabilized value (density of pure B product) on the out station densitometer. As the mixture is being received, the volumes of A and B accumulate and appear on the terminals operation screen. In a `two-cut interface, the first change of tank is carried out (manually by the operator, or automatically, depending on the established set point value) when the value of maximum amount of B in A, as defined by the laboratory, has been reached. At this point the software starts to count again from zero the accumulated volumes of A and B sent to the new tank, displaying on screen the first cut values accumulated up to that moment. In this manner, one can know accurately the amount of product A and that of product B sent to each container / vessel during operation. There exist two alternatives to make the second change of tank: a) Use typical density values according to experience. b) An analysis tool (resembling the online analysis tool) which utilizes historical data from the plants out station densitometer can be used. This tool makes it possible to simulate the tank change points and associate them with density values. The first point is not essential because the online calculation makes it possible to make the decision. On the contrary, the density value obtained for the second cut point is indeed important because this is the value at which the tank change shall occur when the interface is being received. An Excel file which imports historical data from SCADA and automatically performs interface calculations is used. Data importation takes just one second since the GE Proficy Historian data management system application Historian Excel Add-In is used. The amount of time available to perform these calculations will depend on the pipeline flow rate and volume existing between the out station and internal densitometers. For example, if the volume is 100 m3 and the flow rate is 130 m3/h, the amount of time available to make the simulation is 45 minutes. Consequently, it is very important that both the plants out station densitometer and the internal densitometer are well calibrated and that there are no differences between their readings when the same product is passing through them, in order to be able to take the tank change density simulated by means of data obtained from the out station densitometer as a valid reference.

When the result of simulating the cut points shows that both points cross each other, i.e., the second cut point is before the first cut point, then that interface will be a one-cut interface. In these cases, economic variables will be considered and the cut will be performed at a point that maximizes the volume of the product with the highest economic value. In order to detect the final point of the interface, the software verifies that the difference between the reference value density and the instantaneous value is less than 0.5 kg/m3 in 60 samples (during 2 minutes). Considerations The logic for detecting the beginning and the end of interfaces through the use of reference values, quantity of samples, number of times that one condition must be verified, etc. are empirical adjustments that must be made for each particular pipeline (in the same manner as the tuning of a PID control loop). On the other hand, the values of maximum concentration of B in A and vice versa provided by the laboratory allow for a safety margin to prevent any tank from being out of specification (e.g. if flash ponit specification is 45C, Laboratory calculates the value using 46C). Further uses Once the interface has finished, a report is printed. Said report shows the volume of a product transferred to another, according to the point where the batch was ended, and the following one was begun, on the flow computer (Sybertrol, Omni, etc). That is to say, the volume of B that was counted as A and vice versa. These volumes, which are called transfers, represent the degraded volume of each product. It is extremely important to record transfers in the accounting system in order to keep a strict control of the Custody Transfer at product level. The programme also provides data about the volume and composition of the interface that remains in the tanks admission line. This information is useful in order to know both the quality and the quantity of the product that will be swept into the tank in the next reception and, consequently, it should be taken into account by the Laboratory at the moment of determining the maximum volumes of A and B allowed in each tank. In addition, the function of calculating volumetric shrinkage due to the mixture of both products in the interface was added to the software, in accordance with API Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards. Chapter 12 -Calculation of

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Petroleum Quantities- Section 3 -Volumetric Shrinkage Resulting From Blending Light Hydrocarbons With Crude Oils-, in order to keep better control of measuring losses in the Custody Transfer process.

Example An example of an interface in which diesel oil is pushed by gasoline is shown below. In order to make mixing calculations, the following items should be taken into account:

Quality of the gasoline contained in the tank. Quality of the gasoline to be received from the refined white product pipeline. Quality of the diesel oil contained in the tank. Quality of the diesel oil to be received from the refined white product pipeline. Stock in the diesel oil tank. Stock in the gasoline tank. Existence, or lack of existence, of interface and its composition in each tanks admission line. Gasoline volume to be received in the diesel oil tank Diesel oil volume to be received in the gasoline tank. -Table 1It can be observed that 389 litres of gasoline were sent to diesel, while 270 litres of diesel were sent to gasoline, the total volume sent to the contaminated product tank being 93,494 litres. b) Optimizing cut points by means of the on line method. In this case, the first tank change is carried out upon reaching the amount of 5,000 liters of gasoline in diesel oil, and the second, when arriving at 753 kg/m3, instead of 745 kg/m3 as in case a), being 753 kg/m3 the optimum cut density value. Said value is calculated using historical data from the plants out station densitometer and guarantees that no more than 1,500 liters of diesel oil will be sent to the gasoline tank (Table 2).

For a hypothetical case, with these items it was determined that the diesel oil tank could admit 5,000 liters of gasoline, while the gasoline tank could admit 1,500 liters of diesel oil. It is very important to clarify that these values will be different every time. Two different ways of performing the cuts are shown below, namely a) and b) a) The following table (Table 1) shows the way in which the cuts would have been performed according to the normal/historical cut density values: 830 kg/m3 and 745 kg/m3

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Reduce the products fixed stock with its associated financial cost Reduce contaminated product generation

CONCLUSIONS Adopting this work methodology makes it possible to minimize contaminated product generation, obtaining an economic benefit mainly due to the savings in operating costs related to its recovery. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to the Instrumentation and Automatic Control team from the Terminal and Pipeline Department of Repsol YPF (Adrin Zoppi, Marcelo Leissa, Marcelo Bertrand, Gustavo Diogo and Germn Markowski) that worked in the programming of the change detection logic and its implementation in each plants iFix systems. We also want to thank Maximiliano Gonella, Metrology Coordinator, for his participation. REFERENCES -Table 2Method comparison By comparing both tables it can be observed that the interface volume that was segregated to the contaminated product tank was reduced from 93,494 liters in case a) to 44,477 liters in case b), a total of 52 % less of product to be recovered. Economic benefit The use of this work methodology entails numerous economic benefits that translate into several types of savings: operating, fixed capital and product degradation. This methodology helps to:

API Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards. Chapter 12 -Calculation of Petroleum Quantities- Section 3 Volumetric Shrinkage Resulting From Blending Light Hydrocarbons With Crude OilsAPI Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards Chapter 14.6. Continuous Density Measurement API Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards Chapter 5.3-Metering. Section 3-Measurement of Liquid Hydrocarbons by Turbine Meters API Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards Chapter 6.1-Metering Assemblies. Section 1-Lease Automatic Custody Transfer (LACT) Systems

Reduce contaminated product recovery operations through subsequent injection in excess-quality tanks Reduce the transport of contaminated product to the Refinery or pumping to another terminal tank where it is more possible to recover it due to the fact that their tanks are over quality specification. Reduce operations related to reprocessing at the Refinery

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ANNEX A FACILITIES DIAGRAM

iFIX Operative PC

iHistorian Administrative PC

PLC

SCADA Server

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ANNEX B OPERATIVE SCREEN

(4) (1) (5)

(3)

(2)

(9)

(7)

(8) (6)

Annex B shows an example of diesel oil gasoline interface. (1) Maximum volumen of B that can admit A (2) Maximum volumen of A that can admit B (3) A and B volumen that was sent to the contaminated product tank (4) Reference density of A product (pure) (5) Reference density of B product (pure) (6) Transfer 1. Net value of the transfer that were made within A and B (B to A and A to B). It is registred to a better control of Custody Transfer (7) Transfer 2. It is the contaminated product composition. It is registred to a better control of Custody Transfer (8) Volumetric shrinkage resulting from blending A+B (9) A and B on line percentage

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ANNEX C TUNING SCREEN

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