Converting a Singletrain

Separator to OLGA 6

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Synopsis

This document describes the steps required in order to convert

the OLGA 5.3 case “Two-phase drain-control-5-3.opi”. The
case is located in the OLGA 6 sample folder (\SPT
Group\OLGA 6.2\Samples\OLGA 6).

The case contains a Single-train Separator.

A version of “Two-phase drain-control-5-3.opi” converted to

OLGA 6 is found in the case “Two-phase drain-control-6-2.opi”.

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When loaded into OLGA 5.3:

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Open the case in the OLGA 6 GUI

A dialogue box pops up when Two-phase drain-control-5-3.opi

is opened in the OLGA 6 GUI:

Press ”OK” to convert the file to OLGA 6

Two-phase drain-control loaded into OLGA 6

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Reorder the graphical components

In order to get a clear picture of what happened when the

case was loaded into OLGA 6, and in order to know what
needs to be done, the different components are moved
apart. We see the following (figure below):
• Two controllers: C-PT and LCV
• A separator: V-1211
• Four nodes: INLET, PLATFORM, FLOWLINE_OIL_NODE
and FLOWLINE_EMG_NODE
• Four flowpaths: FLOWLINE, FLOWLINE_GAS,
FLOWLINE_OIL and FLOWLINE_EMG
• Three valves, one for each separator outlet
• A source: WELL_CLUSTER

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Components separated

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About conversion of separators

In OLGA 5 the separator was an inline component while in

OLGA 6 it is a network component (like a special node model).
The single train separator option in OLGA 5 is not supported in
OLGA 6. In OLGA 5 the separator model contained a fictitious
pipe section while in OLGA 6 all pipelines must be modeled
explicitly.

The single train separator cannot be converted to an OLGA 6

separator without some input from the user. The conversion of
a single train separator case is therefore partly manual.

Multi-train separator cases are converted automatically to

OLGA 6 separator cases.
The automatic conversion
• Additional flowpaths
– The flowpaths FLOWLINE_GAS, FLOWLINE_OIL and
FLOWLINE_EMG have been automatically created from the implicit
flowlines in the original case. These flowlines correspond to the two
phases the separator separates and the emergency drain. (For a
three-phase separator there would have been an additional
FLOWLINE_WAT drain for the water phase.)
– FLOWLINE_GAS is a branch that consists of the pipes downstream of
the separator in the OLGA 5 case.
– FLOWLINE_OIL and FLOWLINE_EMG should be single pipes with
two sections and no elevation. The length of each section can be
estimated from the time step used in the OLGA 5 simulation. If the
lengths of the sections are too short the mass CFL will limit the time
step in the simulation.
– The conversion uses the average section length in the last pipe on the
separator inlet as the section length in the created pipe(s). The
pipediameter is taken from the given valve diameter in the OLGA5
separator case (OILDIAMETER, EMGDIAMETER). If the parameters
OILPIPEDIAM, OILPIPEROUGH and OILPIPELENGTH are given,
these will be used for the oil drain instead.
The automatic conversion
• Additional nodes
– For each created flowline a new pressure
node is created.
– The node name will be the name of the
attached flowline from the separator drain
with _NODE appended to it.
– The PRESSURE key is set from the
xxxBACKPRESSURE key on the OLGA5
separator. Here xxx is OIL for the oil drain,
WAT for the water drain and EMG for the
emergency drain.

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The automatic conversion
• Additional valves
– For each created flowline and for the original
OLGA5 separator drain a new valve is
added.
– The keys CD and DIAMETER for the valve
are taken from the OLGA 5 separator keys
xxxCD and xxxDIAMETER. Here xxx is OIL
for the oil drain, WAT for the water drain,
GAS for the gas drain and EMG for the
emergency drain.

Note: The pipe diameter of the created flowlines needs to be bigger

than the maximum diameter of its drain valve. If the pipe friction in the
flowline gets too big, the OLGA 6 simulation will give different results
than OLGA 5.3. In the converted case “Two-phase drain-control-6-
1.opi” the pipe diameter is set equal to: “max valve diameter” x 4

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Steps to make the case runnable
a) Set initial values in separator

• For the separator the user must specify

– FLUID
– INITOILLEVEL
• Rule of thumb: Use value from original
case, if given, or use the average of
HHOILLEVEL and LLOILLEVEL if not.
– INITWATLEVEL (optional)
• Rule of thumb: Use value from original
case, if given, or use the average of
HHWATLEVEL and LLWATLEVEL if
not.
– TAMBIENT (if required)
• Please note that these initial values
should be set on a case to case basis.
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Steps to make the case runnable
b) Set temperature in created nodes

• For the automatically created nodes the

user must specify
– TEMPERATURE

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Steps to make the case runnable
c) Set parameters in created valves
• For the automatically created valves, the user may have to
specify
– PHASE (Required if a valve table is used in OLGA5 separator)
– TABLE (Required if a valve table is used in OLGA5 separator)
Steps to make the case runnable
d) Connecting the controllers
• In OLGA 5.3, we can see that the separator outlets are
controlled by the two controllers C-PT and LCV. In OLGA 6,
these controllers are used to control the two valves at the
outlets of the two flowpaths FLOWLINE_GAS and
FLOWLINE_OIL, respectively.
• The two controllers are not fully connected. This needs to be
done manually (see figures below).
Connect C-PT

Connect using
Connection View

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Connect LCV

Connect using
Connection View

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The emergency drain line controller (optional)

• If the original case does not have an emergency drain, there

will be no emergency drain in the converted case. This step
may then be skipped.
• The emergency drain needs a new controller to control its
valve.
• Connect the separator variable LIQLV to a new PSV
controller, EMG-C. The EMG-C setpoint is calculated from
HHOILLEVEL this way:
– If horizontal separator: Setpoint = HHOILLEVEL/DIAMETER
– If vertical separator: Setpoint = HHOILLEVEL/LENGTH
• The EMG-C RESET should be set equal to RESETLEVEL.

• The figure below shows the case after these steps

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The emergency drain line controller (cont)
About the created separator liquid drains
(optional)

• Please note that the liquid drains of the separator will start
to produce gas when the liquid level gets low. In OLGA 5
the liquid drains of the single train separator was
automatically closed when the liquid level dropped below a
critical value.

• To model the Emergency ShutDown (ESD) functionality of

the liquid drains, add an ESD controller for the liquid level.
Combine the ESD controller signal and the PID controller
signal in a min selector controller.

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Case Converted!

The case has been converted and is ”Ready to simulate”.

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A note of caution

• Always check your geometry! Especially in cases where

start and end coordinates have been given instead of length
and elevation, the geometry might be wrong.
• It is not possible to automatically convert separators defined
using a position. Such a case will not load into the GUI. The
position has to be replaced by branch/pipe/section before
opening the case in the GUI.
• Controllers, if connected at all, are prone to be
misconnected. Instead of connecting controllers to process
equipment, transmitters are often added. Reconnect and
remove transmitters.
• Be aware that there is no guarantee for a warning to be
issued in OLGA6 if controllers are not connected, so be sure
to check your wiring.
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A note of caution (cont.)

• Explicitly defined drain valves will be misplaced and

positioned upstream of the separator. Remove the generic
drain valve inserted by the converter and move the proper
valve into its place.
• Any process equipment in the same flow path as a
separator may be placed upstream of the first separator by
the converter. In such cases the equipment must be
manually copied and pasted into the correct flow path.
– To maintain the label of the process equipment in the
copy/paste operation the component should first be copied,
then deleted (from the wrong position) and finally pasted into
its correct position.

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