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Pipelines & Flow Assurance

Angus Macaulay

Subsea Engineering Team Lead

Paradigm Flow Services

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SUBSEA EXPO 2016

Free the Pigs - Case Study

Angus Macaulay – Subsea engineering co-ordinator

Paradigm Flow Services Ltd

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Pipeline blockages

blockages occur as the oil cools off in the

colder environment and the cloud point is

reached, wax begins to form.

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Pipelines

Two regions are identified during this process:

the liquid and gel regions. dissolved wax

molecules moving from the pipe centre toward

the wall due to temperature gradient.

L

G

Pipe wall

Gel region containing liquid oil and precipitated wax

crystals

Liquid region

Dissolved wax moleculesMigrating towards the liquid-gel

Interface where T=WAT

Mass flux of wax molecules from the interface to the pipe wall

Inside Pipe temperature

profile

O Tamb Twat Tl

R, m

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Pigging

Pigging;

• Less downtime

• Reduced waste processing

• Improved plant efficiency

• Lower overall service costs

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Pipeline Overview

Details;

• Constructed in 1968

• 20” ID

• 92 km in length

• 7.9mm Wall thickness (9.5mm at river crossings)

• Design pressure 1280 Psi (88.3 Barg)

• Design Temp 10⁰C – 43.3⁰C

• Total fill volume 17,675 mᶟ

Pipeline Topography200 m

Sea level

River crossings

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Problems with Pigging

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Potential solutions

Options;

• Pumping at higher pressures in both directions

• Volumetric test to approximate blockage location

• Localised Hot oil flush

• Excavation of pipeline

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Potential solutions

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Potential solutions

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Potential solutions

Poor chap

doing the

work

Human

resource

manager

Marketing

manager

IT manager

Technologie

s manager

Logistics

manager

Project

manager

Product

developer

Health

and

safety

PR

manager

Business

analyst

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48hr from initial call with client

until arrival of crew & equipment

onsite

Pipe-Pulse™ option

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Pipe-Pulse™ set up

REVISIONS

No Date Description

JOB NOLATEST REVISION

DRAWING NO SCALE

DRAWN BYCHECKED

N/A

1

Angus Macaulay

Choke valve (CV) PRV

Plug valve (PV)

Ball valve (BV)

Needle valve (NV) PRV dump line

High pressure line

Kinneil site rig up P&ID

PFSL

101A

PFSL

101B

High pressure pump

Tank

Pipe-Pulse units

Control cabin

Data transfer Ethernet cable

Air hydro pump

To Tie in point HV-001 Ref DWG N371-1004

Vent to Sump

Vent to Sump

PT

0732Rev A3 K Thomson

PLR

To Finnart

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Pipe-Pulse™ set up

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Pipe-Pulse™ set up

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Find-Block™ results

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Find-Block™ results

Initial pulse

Reflection

Time response

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Pipe-Pulse™ set up

REVISIONS

No Date Description

JOB NOLATEST REVISION

DRAWING NO SCALE

DRAWN BYCHECKED

N/A

1

Angus Macaulay

Choke valve (CV) PRV

Plug valve (PV)

Ball valve (BV)

Needle valve (NV) PRV dump line

High pressure line

Finnart site rig up P&ID

PFSL

101A

PFSL

101B

High pressure pump

Tank

Pipe-Pulse units

Control cabin

Data transfer Ethernet cable

Air hydro pump

HV696 2" RF600 - 2" 1502Pulsing Tie in point

Vent to Sump

PT

0732Rev A3 K Thomson

HV701 4" RF600 - 2" 1502 Flushing Tie in point

Crude feed from HV258. Flanged 4" RF150 - 4" 206

Heat exchanger

Warm fluid out

Cold fluid in

Pipe-Pulse injection Line

Pumping injection Line

Vent to SumpVent to Sump

PLR

To Kinneil

20" Finnart Export line

Heat exchanger

Warm fluid out

Cold fluid in

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Pipe-Pulse™ set up

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Pipe-Pulse™ set up

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Pipe-Pulse™ set up

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Wax removal

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Success

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To Conclude

• Ability to pulse into large diameter lines over long distances

• Accurately locate blockage within +/- 50m using Find-Block™

• Reduce/Eliminate the need for pipeline Intervention reducing

costs of pipeline blockages and restrictions

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It’s time for a Paradigm Shift in Flowline Intervention