Multiphase pipe flow – a key technology for oil and gas production

MEK 4450 Multiphase pipeline
transport (IFE)
Lecture notes 2013-10-22,
Morten Langsholt
Multiphase technology What, why, how

Pipe flow single and multiphase flow
Importance of relevant experimental data
From lab to field scale
Multiphase test facilities
Lab-demo with measurements
MEK 4450 Multiphase Flow - IFE Oct. 22, 2012
Multiphase pipe flow a key technology

for oil and gas production
Whats multiphase transportation?

Transport of gas, oil, water, chemicals and
possibly solid particles in the same pipe
Reduces need for new production platforms
Gather production from many wells and send
to existing platform or shore
Subsea separation and pumping/compression
may be required
More cost efficient
Often requires chemicals to prevent corrosion
and solids precipitation that can possibly
restrict or stop the flow
Multiphase transportation challenges

Capacity problems due to viscous oils, emulsions etc.
Solids precipitation can restrict or stop the flow
Liquid accumulation during low flow rates in gas
condensate pipelines
Large flow transients during production ramp-up
Slugging and other instabilities can give

problems in the receiving facilities
Erosion/corrosion
Application of multiphase flow models

Tool for system design
Piping and equipment dimensioning
Heating and thermal insulation
Chemical choice and dosage
Part of system simulator
Integrated system design

Subsea solutions
Operator training
Operation support system overview
Surveillance: Compute non-monitorable parameters
- Liquid content, leak detection
Pipe Flow
Some considerations related to single
and multiphase flow
Calculation of flow in pipes
out
in
Conservation of
Energy
Mass
Momentum
Thermodynamics
Mass conservation
out
in
Single-phase : Mass in - mass out = accumulated mass

Multiphase: Mass transfer comes in addition, e.g. for condensate:
Mass in - mass out + local condensation = accumulated mass
Steady state single-phase flow:
G = density *pipe area*mean velocity = AU=constant along a
pipeline
Gas: Pressure reduced with 50% implies a doubling of U

Oil: Small density variations => U constant along pipeline
Momentum balance single-phase:

L
PR
PL
Friction
Pressure gradient large enough for flow: Velocity depends on friction
( PL PR ) A = m g sin ( ) Friction
Friction = Friction force per area * wall area
Friction =
w (U , ...) D L
Veggskjrspenning
Multiphase Pipe Flow Depends on:

Fluid properties
Pipe geometry
Density
Diameter
Viscosity
Wall roughness
(buried?)
Phase fractions
Pipeline profile/
Conductivity
topography
Heat capacity
Surface tension
Etc...
Varies with P and T !
P=pressure, T=temperature
Environment
T, external
Insulation
T at inlet
P at inlet
P at outlet
Oil samples large differences in

fluid properties
Crude oils
Njord
Visund
Grane
Statfjord C
Condensates
Sleipner
Midgard
Midgard
Multiphase flow
Three-phase flow (here):
Simultaneous flow of oil-gas-water in the same pipeline
Flow regimes:
Describes (intuitively) how the phases are
distributed in the pipe cross section and along the pipeline
Superficial velocity:
The velocity a phase will have
if it were the only fluid present
Flow regimes steeply inclined pipes
Bubbly flow:
Little gas, large Uoil
(All inclinations)
Churn-flow:
More gas, large Uoil
(steep inclinations)
Annular flow:
High Ugas, low Uoil
(wide range of incl.)
Stratified/wavy- near horizontal pipeline
Stratified flow. Ugas normally >> Uoil
Large waves: More effective liquid transport

Hydrodynamic slugging
Taylor-bubble
Liquid slu
Large waves that eventually block

the pipe cross section pressure
build up
Intermittent flow liquid slugs
divided by gas pockets
Effective liquid transport
Void in slug: Volume fraction of
entrained gas bubbles in the slug
Slug front in three-phase flow
Need for experimental data

MP-flows are complex due to the simultaneous presence of different
phases and, usually, different compounds in the same stream.
The combination of empirical observations and numerical modelling
has proved to enhance the understanding of multiphase flow
Models to represent flows in pipes were traditionally based on
empirical correlations for holdup and pressure gradient. This implied
problems with extrapolation outside the range of the data
Today, simulators are based on the multi-fluid models, where
averaged and separate continuity and momentum eq. are established
for the individual phases
For these models, closure relations are required for e.g. interface and
pipe-wall friction, dispersion mechanisms, turbulence, slug
propagation velocities and many more
These can only be established with access to detailed, multi-D,
data from relevant and well-controlled flows
Up-scaling from lab to field

13 parameters determine holdup(s) and
pressure drop in three phase pipe flow
To develop the closure relations, we need data
To
cover9 the parameter space we need, say,
13
5 ~ 10 data points for 5 point resolution in each
parameter
We have ~ 200 field data points at present
It is clearly impossible to cover the parameter space
of three phase pipe flow with data
Conclusion: we need models based on physics to

extrapolate beyond lab data
Lab
Field
Dimensionless numbers dynamic similarity

Reynolds number, ratio of the inertial forces to
the viscous forces,
Re=
Laminar vs
turbulent flow
=vL/
Froude number, ratio of a body's inertia to

gravitational forces or ratio of a characteristic
velocity to a gravitational wave velocity
Wave
propagation,
outlet effects,
obstructions
Weber number, relative importance of the fluid's

inertia compared to its surface tensions:
Formation of
droplets and
bubbles.
Conditions in pipeline
Hydrodynamic forces proportional to rU2
1 m/s
= 1 kg/m3
P = 100 bar
1 m/s
Corresponds to 10 m/s
Conditions in pipeline
Gas liquid interaction: governed by D*DU2
Wind = 3 m/s
Light breeze
Ug = 3 m/s
P = 100 bar
= 600 kg/s
Corresponds to more than 30 m/s, i.e. Full Storm
Typical gas-condensate pipe: Gas velocity of 6 7 m/s,
corresponding to twice Hurricane force winds
Conditions in pipeline Drops and bubbles

Hydrocarbon systems can have very low surface tension, in particular gascondensate systems. Encourages generation of smaller drops and bubbles.
Typical values: Air water: 0.07 N/m vs. Gas condensate: < 0.005 N/m
Inertial
U 2 d
We =
=
Surface tension
60 mm/h
Gravitational
gd 2
=
Eo =
Surface tension
3 6 m/s
Drop/bubble sizes
Capillary waves
P = 100 bar
90 000 mm/h
measured in lab
3 6 m/s
Liquid layer can be significantly aerated (40% - 70%)
Test facilities for study of

multiphase flow behaviour
Open and closed loops

Open loops with air as the gas
phase atmospheric pressure
Simple to build, relatively low cost

Few safety barriers
Liquid phase e.g. water, vegetable oil
Common at Universities
Closed, pressurised flow loops
More complex design, higher costs

More realistic gas-liquid density ratio
Crude oils possible (unstable, EX)
Safety barriers against pressure burst
and explosion
Design considerations
Main goal for a test loop:
Establish well controlled and relevant multiphase flows
Common requirements:
Length/diameter ratio , L>300 D flow develops along the pipe

Large diameter diameter scaling difficult
Easily changeable pipe inclination
High gas density to give relevant gas-liquid density ratio
Large span in flow rates
Cost-benefit:
Pressure vs gas density; pressure drives costs
Flow velocities vs pipe diameter; Flow rates drives costs pumps and
separator
High L/D and pipe inclination drives cost of building
Some test facilities in Norway

IFE Well Flow Loop
+ All inclinations
+ Indoor
+ High gas density
+ Transparent pipes
+ Cost effective
SINTEF Large Sc.
+ Long L/D
+ Large diameter
+ High pressure, N2
Statoil - Herya
+ Real oil-gas system

+ Formation water
+ High pressure
+ Long, high L/D
- Short, low L/D

+/- Medium diam.
- Fixed inclination
- Expensive to run
- Outdoor
- Cumbersome to change
inclination
- Small diameter
- Steel pipe
Expensive to run
- Outdoor
The Well Flow Loop Principal Layout

Component list:
1: Oil-water separator
2: Gas-liquid separator
3: Gas compressor
4: Water pump
5: Oil pump
6: Heat exchanger, gas
7: Heat exchanger, water
8: Heat exchanger, oil
9: Main el. board
10: Flow rate meter, gas
11. Flow rate meter, water
12: Flow rate meter, oil
13: Inlet mixing section
14: Slug catcher, preseparator
15: Return pipe, gas
16: Return pipe, liquid
17: Test section
18: Winch
Worldwide test loops
Worldwide test loops
Instrumentation
(to be covered next week)
Gamma densitometers
PIV
X-Ray tomography
LDA/PDA
ECT
Pressure gradients
Differential pressure transducers;
many measurement principles,
accuracy, response times etc.
Connected to an upstream and
downstream pressure tap (small holes
in the wall)
The connecting pipe is called impulse
pipe.
Pressure tap can be top/bottom/side
mounted
Distance between pressure taps can
vary widely (1 m 100 m)
Measures wall friction and the
hydrostatic pressure difference
between the taps
dp/dz [Pa/m]= dp/dL, where

dp is the differential pressure
measured with the
transducer and dL is the
distance between the
tappings
Holdup=Cross-sectional liquid fraction (H=1-)

Gamma densitometer
Attenuation of photon flux due
to absorption and scattering
Single media:
where N is the intensity, is
the attenuation coefficient
(material property) and x is the
distance travelled in the media
Two-phase gas-liquid
This can be developed to

and explicit equation for the
Holdup
Lab demo and practical work
Where is what and why get to know the loop

The control and data acquisition system
Demonstration
Exercise for next week
Tentative lab-demo - Flow regimes
Downwards -1o, Usl=0.30 m/s, Usg=1 m/s Strat. w/smooth interface

Horizontal, Uso=0.30 m/s, Usg=1.5 m/s Strat. w/large waves
Horizontal, Uso=0.30 m/s, Usg=3 m/s Strat w/ripple waves
Horizontal, Uso=0.30 m/s, Usg=4-8 m/s Trans. From strat. annul.
Upward 1o, Uso=0.40 m/s, Usg=0.3 m/s Elongated bubbles
Upward 4o, Uso=0.12 m/s, Usg=0.9 m/s Slug flow
Upward 4o, Uso=0.12 m/s, Usg=3 m/s
Large waves/short slug
Upward 4o, Uso=0.12 m/s, Usg=5 m/s Strat. w/drops and void in liq.
Horizontal, Uso=Usw=0.1 m/s, Usg=1 m/s Stratified gas-oil-wat.
Horizontal, Uso=Usw=0.1 m/s, Usg=3 m/s Strat. mix o/w-gas
Lab data
T e s t c o nd itio ns
Pressure
Pipe dia.
0.099
Pipe area
0.0077
F luid p ro p e rtie s
bara
Density
Dyn. vis
Kin.vis
[m]
[kg/m3]
[Pa s]
[m2/s]
[m2]
Oil
Pipe rough 0.00025
[-]
Gas
Exp no
#
Usgas
[m/s]
Usoil
[m/s]
Incl.
815
0.002
2.44E-06
24
0.000015
3.01E-07
dp/dz
[Pa/m]
Holdup
[-]
Flow regim
Stratified flow model in spreadsheet (Excel)

T e s t c o nd itio ns
Pressure
Pipe incl.
Sup. Gas vel.
Fluid p ro p e rtie s
bara
Density
4
3.5
[Deg.]
[m/s]
Oil
Sup. Liq. Vel.
0.3
[m/s]
Gas
l/
-( l- g )gsin() wl Sl/A l
wg Sg /A g
Gravity
WallSh,g
Holdup
WetAng,dl
[-]
[N/m ]
[kg/m3]
[kg/s m]
815
23
WallSh,liq
3
[N/m ]
[N/m ]
Ge o me try
Dyn. vis
i Si /A g *
Int.Shear
3
[N/m ]
Kin.vis
Pipedia
0.002
[m2/s]
PipeArea
2.45E-06 Rel. Pipe rough
0.00770 m
0.00020202 -
0.000015
6.52E-07 Abs. Pipe rough
0.00002 m
F()
Grav.dom.
[Si g Ug 2 / l gA g ]0.5 [Si l Ul 2 / l gA l ]0.5

Fr,gas
Fr,liq
[-]
R e s ults
0.099 m
Holdup
dp/dz
0.2
230.7
Tuning
wg
wl
Al
Ag
Area,G
[m ]
Area,L
[m ]
[-]
[-]
[Pa/m]
Exercise for next week
1. Open the Excel-file and get familiar with how to use it

2. Use data from the lab test and plug the data into the model. Compare
the predicted holdup and pressure drop values with the measured data
for the different test conditions. Discuss the results.
3. For pipe inclination 3 deg. and Usl=0.5 m/s, calculate and plot the
pressure drop as a function of the gas velocity. Explain the results.
4. Describe what occurs for pipe inclination 4 deg, Usl=0.001 m/s and
Usg= 3.5 m/s.

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MEK 4450 Multiphase pipeline

Multiphase technology What, why, how

MEK 4450 Multiphase Flow - IFE Oct. 22, 2012