Flow assurance

Flow assurance is an engineering analysis

process to assure hydrocarbon fluids are
transported through pipelines in an economical
manner from the source to the destination in a
given environment over the life time of the
project

In oil and gas production, fluid transportations to the

reservoirs involve variation pressure and
temperature conditions.

These could induce the formation of gas hydrates

problems which could cause catastrophic
blockages and restrictions leading to the
impairment of flow.

 Flow assurance deals with the risks and

problems arising from the properties and
behavior of the produced hydrocarbons,
associated fluids, and solids.

Hydrate formation

Wax deposition

Scaling

It covers the whole range of possible flow

problems in pipelines such as hydrate
formation, wax & asphaltene deposition,
corrosion, erosion, scaling, emulsions, foaming,
and severe slugging.

 Flow assurance is a recognized critical part in

the design & operation of both onshore &
offshore oil/gas systems. It concerns to
examine:
Pipeline rupture from corrosion
Pipeline blockage from hydrates or
wax
Severe slugging can damage separator
Large pressure drop in pipelines can
cause lower flow than should be

Pipeline rupture

Pipeline blockage

Slugging

Flow Assurance Design

1. Fluid sampling
2. Evaluating of fluid
characteristics
3. Modeling and running dynamic flow simulation
4. Flow assurance strategies
5. Developing operating procedures

1. Fluid sampling
Fluid compositions
Solid formation characterizations
Water content

2. Evaluating of fluid
characteristics
Thermodynamics phase behavior
PVT Properties
Hydrate equilibrium
Wax deposition
Aspalthene precipitation
Scale precipitation
Emulsion behavior

3. Modeling and running dynamic flow simulation

Modeling
- Multiphase flow models
- Oil water gas separation
- Sand transport
- Slug prediction
Fluid properties PVTsim
Steady state flow simulation
Hysis, flow design
Thermal analysis CFD
Dynamic flow simulation Olga

Safe operation
Optimize new and existing proces
Reduce downtime

4. Flow assurance
strategies
Thermal
management insulation, electrical heating, fluid circulation heat
Pressure management boosting, blow down
Chemical treatment inhibitors, dissolvers
Mechanical remediation technique pigging, jetting, cutting