Information/Data Required for Wax Modelling

Preparation of Fluid File (.tab and .wax file) using KBC/InfoChem Multiflash™

A tab file will be prepared in Multiflash™ which will be feed into OLGA for calculations.

The following files/curves will also be prepared:

a) PVT data file

b) Wax file

c) Flow Regime curve

d) Wax precipitation curve

e) Phase Envelope which is a pressure-temperature (PT) diagram which shows the pressure and

temperature at which the wax phase will start to precipitate. It also help us to know if the

operating conditions of the system we are modelling will fall into the region of wax

formation.

Defining the fluid

a) Defining a fluid using a PVT analysis

A PVT Laboratory analysis of the fluid will be used to create a compositional fluid model for

used in Multiflash™ calculations. This process is called characterization.

The analysis type will be chosen according to the type of PVT analysis reports. It could be a

recombined reservoir fluid analysis (Single fluid), a separator gas and liquid analysis (gas and

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liquid) and Single fluid and N-Paraffin and so on. For a gas and liquid fluid, the recombination

GOR should be stated. Also, the type of PVT report should be stated.

Required Data

Fluid composition

 well-known components (C1-C4) present in the fluid with their mole fractions (if they are

present).

 Pseudocomponents:

For Normal fractions: specify the Single Carbon Number (SCN) to start the distribution of

pseudocomponents and the number of pseudocomponents required.

For n-paraffins: specify the carbon number to start the distribution of n-paraffins

pseudocomponents and the number of pseudocomponents required (i.e. if the PVT analysis does

not include measured n-paraffin values).

 Molecular weight of the single fluid. Multiflash can also calculate it from the fluid

composition provided, so it is optional.

 A SARA analysis of the fluid is required i.e. the percentage of Saturates, Aromatics, Resin

and Asphaltene present in the fluid.

 API gravity or density of the Sock tank oil. If it is not available, Multiflash™ will provide it

based on the fluid distribution supplied.

 The measured wax content of the fluid (mass %) is required. Multiflash can also estimate it.

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b) Specify the transport properties correlations (viscosity, thermal conductivity and surface

tension) to be used when defining the wax model to be use in Multiflash for characterising

the fluid (optional). The default values can be used.

c) At what pressure and temperature will the fluid be flash to see the phases present and the

components that will form the wax phase (although it is only the n-paraffin components that

form wax). The pressure and temperature value can also be obtain from the phase envelope

of the fluid, so it is optional.

Creating a .tab file and. wax file (i.e. PVT and WAX files) for OLGA calculations

The minimum and maximum operating pressures and temperatures (i.e. two boundary conditions

for each of the thermodynamic properties) of the system is required (it can be taken as the well

conditions and separator conditions respectively). The number of points that Multiflash™ will

calculate all the fluid properties should also be specified (optionally, a default value of 50 points

could be used). It is advisable to go a little below and above the minimum and maximum

operating pressures and temperatures respectively in case OLGA will simulate below those

values. In some cases, the ambient temperature (the temperature of any medium surrounding the

pipeline) is taking as the lowest temperature.

Modelling of the system with Schlumberger OLGA®

A case file for the system will be created in OLGA. The fluid files (wax file and PVT tab file)

will be feed into OLGA (i.e. integrating Multiflash™ with OLGA). The following

information/data are required:

Material and Insulation

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Specify the number of materials to be use (i.e. the materials that the pipeline was made from), the

heat capacity, density, conductivity, the material’s label (i.e. the name of the material).

Depending on the conductivity of the materials, some may be taken as insulation on the line.

Specification of the wall: the label (Pipeline. Riser, Flowline etc.), thickness, the

material/materials for which each of the label is made of and the material to be use as insulation

on the pipeline.

Simulation Run Time

Integration time (the duration required to run the simulation) should be specify. For wax

modelling, it is advisable to give enormous time for deposition to occur because it is a slow

process. Also, if the integration time is set to zero (ENDTIME), OLGA will give us the answer

from a steady state solver which means that the simulation will be run for no time and we cannot

predict wax formation.

Specify ENDTIME (the simulation run time), maximum differential time (MAXDT), minimum

differential time (MINDT), differential time start (DTSTART). STARTTIME etc.

Mass source

The mass source label (is the fluid coming from the reservoir or wellhead?) and at what rate? the

source type (of course a mass source) and the temperature of the fluid, how is the rate changing

with time (zero mean constant with time).

Heat Transfer

Specify the ambient temperature (temperature of the environment surrounding the pipeline),

ambient temperature interpolation option (the default value can be used: SECTIONWISE),

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minimum heat transfer coefficient on the inner wall surface (HMININNERWALL, mean heat

transfer coefficient on the outer wall surface (HAMBIENT).

FA Model

Please specify the wax model to be used. Is it the Rygg, Rydahl and Rønningsen model, the

Matzain model or the Heat analogy? Also the wax porosity should be specified if it not going to

be taking from the wax table.

Flow Path Geometry Data

A pictorial view or layout of the pipeline is necessary (for ease of understanding of the system).

The number of pipeline to be handle, the number of branches, (if you are not using a single

branch for all the pipes), the number of pipe in a branch, the definition of the pipeline (i.e. the

length and elevation of the pipe or the x and y coordinates), the number of sections each pipeline

is going to be divided, the pipe diameter and wall roughness.

Outlet Node

Specify the pressure and temperature at the outlet node, usually the separator operating pressure

and temperature.

Output Variables

Output – variables are defined in the output file and are viewed using trends and profile plot for

viewing after the simulation has been run. The trend variables to be considered are – PT

(pressure), TM (temperature), QLT (liquid flow rate), QG (gas flow rate), USG (superficial gas

velocity), USLT (superficial liquid velocity), ACCLIQ (accumulated liquid flow), SURGELIQ

(surge volume). While the profile variables to be considered are – DXWX (thickness of wax

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layer deposited at wall), MWXWALL (specific wax mass at the wall), MWXDIS (mass of wax

dissolved in oil), HOL (liquid holdup fraction), VISHLTAB (oil viscosity from fluid tables) and

ID (flow regime identification).