The Nord Stream 1 & 2 Subsea Pipeline Projects are a tremendous feat of engineering. In a previous Tip of the Month, we discussed the technical aspects of the Phase Envelope, Hydraulics, Diameter selection, Pipe wall thickness, pressure gradient profile, and flowrate for these multiple parallel pipelines. This Tip of the Month will present some context and comparison of the magnitude of some of these numbers. [Keep reading]
Se han puesto en marcha gasoductos con capacidad del transporte del CO2, y el gas natural en su fase densa. Debido a la alta densidad de este resulta en gasoductos de menor diámetro representando ahorros sustanciales. El transporte de fase densa igual asegura la eliminación del liquido en la tubería para los sistemas de producción del gas natural. La aplicación de la fase densa de los hidrocarburos fue discutido brevemente en el Previo del Mes de Agosto 2012. Hemos analizado el transporte del gas natural en su fase densa y comparado estos resultados con el caso de la transmisión del citado gas aplicando la opción de dos fases (gas-liquido) Nuestras investigaciones sobresaltaron algunas ventajas así como las desventajas relacionadas cn el transporte del ga en su fase densa. En este PDM (TOTM), presentaremos un resumen, incluyendo varias facetas únicas del citado transporte del gas natural en el gasoducto Nord Stream 1. [Keep reading]
Pipelines have been built to transport CO2 and natural gas in the dense phase region due to its higher density which results in a smaller pipeline diameter resulting in significant capital cost savings. Dense phase transport also provides the added benefit of no liquid formation in the pipeline for produced natural gas gathering systems. The application of dense phase in the oil and gas industry was discussed briefly in the August 2012 TOTM. We have studied transportation of natural gas in the dense phase region and compared the results with the case of transporting the same gas using a two phase (gas-liquid) option. Our study highlighted some of the advantages as well disadvantages transporting natural gas in the dense phase. In this TOTM, we will present an overview, including some of the unique features, of the dense phase transportation of natural gas by the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. [Keep reading]
There are several “non-metallic” options for gas gathering system applications. To a large degree, non-metallics eliminate the corrosion concerns – both internal and external – associated with metallic – typically carbon steel – pipelines. [Keep reading]
Hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide are the principal objectionable acid gas components often present in natural gas, synthetic gas, and various refinery gas streams. These acid gas components must be removed for corrosion prevention in gas pipelines, process equipment, and for health and safety reasons. Reference [1] provides current acceptable concentration levels for these acid gases in various gas streams. Hydrogen sulfide removal often requires the production of sulfur in the sulfur recovery units to meet emission limits. Sulfur is a product used to produce sulfuric acid and fertilizers. Carbon dioxide removal is used for enhanced oil recovery and is required for carbon capture and sequestering (CCS) operations. [Keep reading]
In some cases, a choke/line heater is required at the wellsite to deal with the large JT expansion cooling effect experienced by choked high-pressure wells, especially during start-up. This is a somewhat different application than prevention of hydrates in the GGS but there are some common aspects to the equipment utilized. First, the hydrate temperature of the flowing wellstream is estimated. From Figure 1, for 0.65 SG gas and assuming any free water present is condensed/fresh water, the estimated hydrate temp at an assumed average GGS pressure of 1,100 psig is ~ 65 F. [Keep reading]
