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School of Engineering & Physical Sciences Chemical Engineering
School of Engineering & Physical Sciences Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
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B41OA
Semester 2 – 2015/16
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Duration: 2 Hours
Instructions to candidates:
(One from Section A, One from Section B and any other question.)
SECTION A
(b) At the conditions described above (4.137 MPa and 7°C), show that for
the uninhibited system approximately 95% of the gas mixture forms
hydrates, and hence determine the compositions of the hydrate and
remaining gas phases. Use the K-factor charts provided.
(14 marks)
/Cont…
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B41OA
/Cont…1
Equations
100 MI T
WI
MI T CI
Where
WI = weight percent of inhibitor required to inhibit hydrate formation at the
conditions;
MI is the molar mass of the inhibitor, 32 kg/kmol for methanol;
ΔT is the subcooling (Top – Teq) in °F;
CI is the constant for a particular inhibitor (methanol = 2335 kg. °F/kmol).
n
zi 1 K i
0
i 1 1 V K i 1
Where
ziK i
yi
1 V K i 1
Where
yi is the composition of the vapour phase after hydrate formation; and
yi
si
Ki
Where
si the composition of the solid.
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B41OA
2. (a) Describe the characteristics that make a good scale inhibitor for
squeeze treatments.
(7 marks)
(c) Describe the methods available for the prevention or removal of wax
deposits.
(8 marks)
END OF SECTION A
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B41OA
SECTION B
(a) Sketch a block diagram that describes a possible flow scheme used on
Foinaven FPSO. Include all three areas: oil, water and gas.
(3 marks)
(b) What special precautions would you expect the vendor for the primary
separators to include in their specifications for this unit given that the
platform is an FPSO?
(3 marks)
/Cont’d…
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B41OA
/Cont’d…3
(iii) the filling levels of oil and water and hence the thickness of the oil
pad;
(iv) the size of the smallest water-in oil and oil-in water drop that could
be separated from this separator. Are these sizes sensible?
(15 marks)
(d) Level and pressure are two key measurements to make on primary
separators.
(ii) What additional checks would you need when working out the
diameter to account for level control in horizontal separators?
(4 marks)
Physical properties
Oil gravity is 890 kg/m3, viscosity 6 cP, gas density at separator conditions is
45 kg/m3. Water density is 1010 kg/m3 and viscosity is 1 cP. Assume a
slenderness ratio of 3.5.
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B41OA
(i) Why would operators in the early 1960’s use water injection?
(ii) Discuss what options would have been open to North Sea
operators for disposal of this water.
/Cont’d…
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B41OA
/Cont’d…4
(i) if the three units can treat the volume of produced water;
(ii) the typical oil content and the expected oil-in-water droplet size of
the treated produced water using all 3 units;
Physical properties
Oil gravity is 890 kg/m3, viscosity 6 cP, water density is 1010 kg/m3 and
viscosity is 1 cP.
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B41OA
5. Alaska LNG have proposed an integrated LNG gas export project where
natural gas arriving at Prudhoe bay, North Alaska will be treated to remove
CO2, clean, dehydrate, chill and compress 3.5 billion ft3/day natural gas and
deliver this through 800 miles of pipeline to a liquefaction plant located in
Nikiski, southern Alaska. Pipe diameter is expected to be 48 inches in
diameter and have a maximum operating pressure of 2500 psi. Air
temperature along the route is expected to vary between -60°C to +35°C.
Exit pressure could be in the region of 1060 psi and the minimum pressure
will be 300 psi.
(b) In order to determine the pressure drop along this pipeline, equations
such as Panhandle B are used. Explain why these equations are
necessary.
(3 marks)
(c) Using the Panhandle B equation on the supplied data sheet, determine
the frictional pressure drop and hence estimate the number of
intermediate compressor stations needed on the pipe route for the
48 inch diameter line if the flowing temperature is at winter conditions.
(12 marks)
/Cont’d…
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B41OA
/Cont’d…5
(d) Running the pipeline overland would mean changing the pipe elevation.
Explain with the aid of suitable sketches depicting a change in
elevation, what is likely to happen to the internal pressure in the
pipeline. Would there be more of an issue with liquid carrying pipelines
rather than gas?
(3 marks)
(4 marks)
END OF PAPER
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