1. Multiphase Pipe Flow - a key technology for oil and gas industry - Murat Tutkun Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and University of Oslo

2. Institute for Energy Technology www.ife.no
The JEEP II reactor at Kjeller
Norway’s largest Energy research lab
Oil & gas, new energy systems, nuclear technology and safety
Extensive experimental R&D
600 employees + ~100 Ph.D./PostDoc/Visitors
Contract research: ~900 MNOK
Extensive international collaboration
With R&D Centers and universities
Income from companies in 30 different countries
Focus on technology spin-offs
The Multiphase flow lab
a few words about the Norwegian Institute for energy technology.
IFE is an independent energy research establishment, covering a wide range of activities, including oil and gas, nuclear safety and technology, renewables, conservation, hydrogen and climate research and development.
We perform extensive experimental research in all main fields of activity and operate two nuclear research reactors, the JEEP II reactor at Kjeller and the Halden reactor.
IFE is the largest energy research lab in Norway. We have some 600 permanent staff, with another 100, approximately, PhD students, Post-docs, guest researchers, and so on.
We live from contract research, and have to have a gross income of about 90 mill US$, to break even this year.
IFE is internationally oriented, both on the research and customer side; more than 50% of our income comes from abroad. In fact, we develop technological solutions for our customers in more than 30 countries.
JEEP II Reactor Kjeller
The Halden reactor

3. IFE Petroleum Technology
Tracer technology
Close co-operation with international R&D and markets
Core competence within
Multiphase flow and flow assurance
Corrosion and material technology
Tracer technology
Model and software development
Integrated operations and work processes
Advanced experimental R&D facilities
International leader in corrosion, tracer and
multiphase flow
Multiphase flow and Flow Assurance
Corrosion technology

4. Subsea technology development in Norwegian waters
Subsea to shore
Ormen Lange
New
technology
Snøhvit
Subsea & floating
Glitne
Åsgard
2007
Platform based
Norne
Troll
2006
Statfjord
2001
satellites
1999
Gullfaks
1997
Statpipe
1996
Significant
step changes
1994
We’ve seen a remarkable technological innovation in field developments on the Norwegian Continental Shelf over the past 25 years or so, from 100% platform based solutions in the 1980ies, via satellite field developments (Statfjord), to complete subsea transfer to shore.
The most important step changes in subsea developments based on Multiphase flow is shown in red, in particular the Troll gas transport to shore in 1992, by two 60km, 36inch pipelines by Statoil and Shell.
Today, there are several long gas-condensate lines in operation (Troll, Huldra-Heimdal, Midgard, Kvitebjørn), and two large new fields are in a construction phase (Snøhvit and Ormen Lange - here).
The distance and range of conditions under which well streams can be transported safely and economically, have increased drastically over the past few years. In fact, Multiphase flow has enabled a new era in field development on the Norwegian shelf.
Untreated well-streams have been transported over large distances, from the Troll field to the Oseberg field (TOGI - approximately 48 km), from the Troll field to shore (approximately 60 km) and from Midgard to the ÅsgardB floating production facilities (53 km).
According to Statoil, multiphase transfer is now the rule rather than the exception for new fields.
The Snøhvit field is a true subsea to shore solution, of a 140km distance, with an LNG plant onshore, came on-stream in 2007.
Finally, the Ormen Lange field is a deep water sub-sea to shore solution, of 130km length.
1986
Time
1985 -
A 25-year history of successful technology implementation

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

6. Flow map of horizontal two phase flows based on superficial gas and liquids Reynolds numbers
(by G Hajar)

7. Even more complicated if it we have a oil-water-gas mixture
Trevisan and Bannwart (2006)

8. 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

9. 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 …

10. Challenges in Multiphase (MP) Flow Modeling
MP flows are complex, 3D, and show many different flow regimes which may vary along the pipe and in time
All MP flow models are based on experimental data but field predictions imply extrapolations beyond data basis
Thus, reliable field predictions require more basic MP flow models & integrated 3D flow assurance models
Improved flow regime, flow transition and components models
And we need more accurate reliable predictions of flow assurance problems!
MP flows are complex, 3D, and show many different flow regimes which may vary along the pipe and in time.
All MP flow models, also 3D models, are based on experimental data. Without experiments no models. Current Multiphase field predictions often imply model extrapolations far beyond their verified data base.
As is evident from these pictures, even rather simple two-phase flows in one part of the pipeline may become quite complex in other parts.
The upper picture shows a rather smooth gas- oil pipe flow at low superficial velocities, of rather low flow rates, 2m/s for the gas. In the lower picture the gas flow is increased a little more, but more important, the pipe is tilted just 1 degree upwards. These small changes are seen to have profound impacts on the flow.
Thus, reliable field predictions require more basic MP flow models, integrated with 1-3D flow assurance models. In particular, we need better flow regime models. That includes a menue of improvements:
(Separated - Annular flows, droplet entrainment, deposition and transport, slug flow, local-global interactions, Transient capabilities (Terrain induced slugging, surge waves, and not least, improved Flow regime transition models.
We also need improved models for Components & integrated system functionality (chokes, valves, pumps, separators, …)).
And we need more accurate and reliable predictions of flow assurance problems.
Then you may think of modeling this mess; how do you extract the dominant flow information from the enormity of details, and how do you predict these flows, unseen, a priori? And we have to model all major flow types; everything from SP flow to MP oil-water-gas complex pipeline network flows with sand/scale/wax/ hydrates/ corrosion – and so on….
In Horizon we overcome this dilemma by applying the new concept of pre-integrated flow models. That is, we apply our pre-integrated cross-sectional mechanistic MP flow models for the pipe flow, and we expand these models to include new 2 and 3D cross-sectional flow details for FA models.
gas
oil
IFE Lab data
INTSOK Paris
October 1, 2007
Top: 0 deg, Usg=2.0m/s, Usl=0.4m/s
Bottom: 1 deg, Usg=3.5m/s, Usl=0.3m/s

11. Challenges in Heavy Oil Transport
Heavy oil constitutes a large part of remaining reserves
Conventional oil Heavy oil

12. Engineering models show large differences for these oils.
As we move downstream, cold oil collects near the bottom of the pipe.

13. Multiphase flow research
Improved understanding and simulation of multiphase flow
Lab experiments
Detailed simulations (e.g. LES/DNS)
Modelling of flow phenomena
Oil fields with high water production
Fluid characterization, emulsion properties
Heavy, high viscosity oils and non-Newtonian fluids (e.g. drilling fluids)
Liquid accumulation
Corrosion

14. We need mechanistic models in order to improve scaling properties
Upscaling from lab to the field needs more unknown parameters to be modelled.
Lab correlation
Mechanistic model
Lab
Field
We need mechanistic models in order to improve scaling properties

15. Multiphase flow experiments and modelling at IFE – a moving target!
IN THE BEGINNING … (1980’s)
pressure drop
and liquid holdup in two-phase gas-liquid flow
THEN … (1990’s)
oil/water slip
AND NOW … (since 2000)
dispersion details
tomographic imaging
velocity profiles
turbulence

16. What base knowledge is needed?
Mathematics
Partial differential equations
Fluid mechanics
Fundamentals/Physics
Multiphase flow/Turbulence
Waves
Experiments & CFD
Computer science
Programming
Applied numerical methods
Thermodynamics/physical chemistry
Statistics