Nodal Analysis

Nodal Analysis of Oil and Gas Production Systems provides a modern view
on the use of nodal analysis techniques to optimize the production from oil
and gas wells. It covers multiphase flow through flow lines, wells, chokes and
the near-well reservoir. It teaches the development of mathematical models
for those system elements, and how to implement these in computer code. It
explains the underlying physics, starting from first principles whenever
possible, and reverting to empirical correlations whenever necessary. It covers
the essential concepts in nodal analysis of a well system and aims at providing
the readers with enough knowledge to use commercial nodal analysis
software for more complex systems, explore the literature in this field, and
expand their knowledge.

After a well is drilled and completed, itrequires a

great effort to transport or flow fluid through the
reservoir until the piping system and ultimately
flow into a separator for gas-liquid separation
which are placed on the surface. the movement of
these fluids requires energy to overcome friction
losses and to lift the products. The pressure drop
in the total system at any time will be the initial
fluid pressure minus the final fluid pressure. This
pressure drop is the sum of the pressure drops
occurring in all of the components of the
system. The selection and sizing of the individual
component varies with producing rate.
The final desing of a production system cannot
be separated into reservoir performance and
piping system performance and handle
independently. The amount of oil and gas flowing
into well from the reservoir relies more on the
pressure drop in the piping system, and the
pressure of the piping system depends on the
amount of fluid flowing through it. Therefore; the
entire production system must be analyzed as a
unit.
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS APPROACH
The systems analysis approach, often called NODAL ANALYSIS has
been applied for many years to analyse the performance of systems
composed of interacting components (Electrical circuits, complex
pipeline networks and centrifugal pumping systems are all analyzed
using this method. The procedure consists of selecting a division
point or node in the well and dividing the system at this point.
All components upstream of the now comprise the inflow
section, whereas the outflow section consists of all the components
downstream of the node. A relationship among flow rate and
pressure drop must be available for each component in the system.
The flow rate through the system can be determined once the
following requirements are satisfied:
 Flow into the node equals flow out of the node,
 Only one pressure can exist at a node.

The average pressure of the reservoir (Pavg) and the pressure of the system
outlet called separator pressure ( Psep) are not functions of flow
rate. Nevertheless, if the Psep is under control by a choke, it could be the
Wellhead pressure (Pwh).

Once the node is selected, the node pressure is calculated from both
directions starting at the fixed pressures.

Inflow to the node:

Pr – AP ( Upstream componets) = Pnode.
Ouflow from the node:
Psep + AP ( downstream components) = P node.
The pressure drop, AP, in any component varies with flow rate, Q. For that
reason, a plot of node pressure versus flow rate will produce two curves, the
intersection of which will give the conditions satisfying requirements (Flow
into the node equals flow out of the node, and Only one pressure can exist at
a node). That is illustrated as follows: