Numerical Modeling Study for the Analysis of Transient Flow Characteristics of Gas, Oil, Water, and Hydrate Flow through a Pipeline

Oukwang Kwon; Sangsoo Ryou; Wonmo Sung

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol.18, No.1, 88-93, January, 2001

Oukwang Kwon, Sangsoo Ryou, and Wonmo Sung^{1, †}

Korea National Oil Corporation, Kwanyang-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang City,Kyungki-do 431-711, Korea
¹Department of Mineral & Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Sungdong-gu,Seoul 133-791, Korea

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This study presents the development of a four-phase, four-fluid flow pipeline simulator to describe simultaneous flow of gas, oil, water, and hydrate through a pipeline. The model has been equipped with a phase behavior model and hydrate equilibrium model to efficiently estimate thermodynamic and hydrodynamic properties of multicomponent mixtures. The governing equations are formulated for describing the physical phenomena of mass, momentum, and heat transfers between the fluids, and the wall. The equations are solved by utilizing the implicit finite-difference method on the staggered-grid system which can properly describe the boundary conditions as well as phase appearance or disappearance. The developed pipeline simulator has been validated against the field data presented by a previous investigator, and their matches are found to be relatively excellent. The model also has been applied to a multi-component, four-phase flow system in order to examine the transient flow characteristics in pipeline. Also, the potential and the location of hydrate formed in the pipeline have been studied by analyzing the flow characteristics. As a result, it was found that a pipeline system flowing gas, oil, water, and hydrate could be optimized by systematically investigating the hydrodynamic variables for the prevention of hydrate formation.

Keywords:Four-Phase Flow;Pipeline Model;Phase Behavior;Gas-Condensate;Hydrate

[References]

Acikgoz M, Franca F, Lahey RT, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 18(3), 327 (1992)
Adewumi MA, Mucharam L, "Compositional Multiphase Hydrodynamic Modeling of Gas/Gas-Condensate Dispersed Flow in Gas Pipilines," SPEE, 85-90 (1990)
Bendiksen KH, Malnes D, Moe R, Nuland S, "The Dynamic Two-Fluid Model OLGA: Theory and Application," SPEPE, 171 (1991)
Chun MK, Lee H, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 13(6), 620 (1996)
Gregory GA, Forgarasi M, "A Critical Evaluation of Multiphase Gas-Liquid Pipeling Calculation Methods," paper presented at the 2nd Int. Conf. on Multiphase Flow, London, 121 (1985)
Flanigan O, "Constrained Derinatives in Natural Gas Pipeline System Optimization," JPT, 549 (1972)
Kang Y, Woo KJ, Ko MH, Cho YJ, Kim SD, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 16(6), 784 (1999)
Kato Y, Morooka S, "Characteristics of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Three-Phase Fluidized Bed," Proceeding of The Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers, 99 (1986)
Kim SC, Lee DW, Hong WH, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 13(3), 275 (1996)
Khor SH, Mendestatsis MA, Hewitt GF, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 23(5), 885 (1997)
Kwon O, "Numerical Modeling Study for the Analysis of Multiphase Transient Flow of Natural Gas-Oil-Water-Hydrate through Seabed Pipeling," Ph.D. Disser., The Hanyang Univ., Seoul, Korea (1999)
Kwon O, Park Y, Huh D, Sung W, J. KIMERE, 35(1), 30 (1998)
Lahey RT, Acikgoz M, Franca F, AIChE J., 38(7), 1049 (1992)
Lee SG, Jung WM, Kim WS, Choi CK, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 38(1), 67 (2000)
Makogon YF, "Hydrates of Hydrocarbons," Pennwell Publishing Company, Tulsa, 115 (1997)
Marble RA, Astronautica Acta, 14, 585 (1969)
Moeck ED, "Annular Dispersed Two-Phase Flow and Critical Heat Flux," AECL, 3650 (1970)
Mucharam L, "One-Dimensional Compositional Modeling of Gas and Condensate Flow in Pipe Lines," Ph.D. Disser., The Pennsylvania State Univ., PA (1991)
Munck J, Skjold JS, Chem. Eng. Sci., 43(10), 2661 (1988)
Ng HJ, Chen CJ, Saetterstad T, "Hydrate Formation and Inhibition in Gas Condensate and Hydrocarbon Liquid Systems," AIChE Meeting, Houston, TX, 1-9 (1987)
Parrish WR, Prausnitz JM, Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Des. Develop., 11(1), 26 (1972)
Park SJ, Doh MS, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 35(1), 46 (1997)
Saito T, Hughes ED, Carbon MW, Nucl. Eng. Des., 50, 225 (1978)
Sung W, Huh D, Lee J, Kwon O, SPEPF, 213 (1998)
Sung WM, Huh DG, Ryu BJ, Lee HS, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 17(3), 344 (2000)
Taitel Y, Barnea D, Brill JP, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 21(1), 53 (1995)
Taitel Y, Dukler AE, AIChE J., 22(1), 47 (1976)
Tek R, JPT, 1029 (1961)
Tso CP, Sugawara S, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 16(5), 867 (1990)
Ulke A, "A Study of a Two-Component, Two-Phase Flow System in One Dimension," Eds.: Veziroglu, T.N. and Bergles, A.E., Multi-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer III. Part A. Fundamentals, Elsevier, 59 (1984)
Wylie EB, Streeter VL, Stoner MA, SPE, 35 (1974)
Yoo SJ, Lee SY, Yoo KP, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 9(2), 89 (1992)

[Referenced By]

[Related Articles]

[1] Acikgoz M, Franca F, Lahey RT, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 18(3), 327 (1992)

[2] Adewumi MA, Mucharam L, "Compositional Multiphase Hydrodynamic Modeling of Gas/Gas-Condensate Dispersed Flow in Gas Pipilines," SPEE, 85-90 (1990)

[3] Bendiksen KH, Malnes D, Moe R, Nuland S, "The Dynamic Two-Fluid Model OLGA: Theory and Application," SPEPE, 171 (1991)

[4] Chun MK, Lee H, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 13(6), 620 (1996)

[5] Gregory GA, Forgarasi M, "A Critical Evaluation of Multiphase Gas-Liquid Pipeling Calculation Methods," paper presented at the 2nd Int. Conf. on Multiphase Flow, London, 121 (1985)

[6] Flanigan O, "Constrained Derinatives in Natural Gas Pipeline System Optimization," JPT, 549 (1972)

[7] Kang Y, Woo KJ, Ko MH, Cho YJ, Kim SD, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 16(6), 784 (1999)

[8] Kato Y, Morooka S, "Characteristics of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Three-Phase Fluidized Bed," Proceeding of The Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers, 99 (1986)

[9] Kim SC, Lee DW, Hong WH, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 13(3), 275 (1996)

[10] Khor SH, Mendestatsis MA, Hewitt GF, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 23(5), 885 (1997)

[11] Kwon O, "Numerical Modeling Study for the Analysis of Multiphase Transient Flow of Natural Gas-Oil-Water-Hydrate through Seabed Pipeling," Ph.D. Disser., The Hanyang Univ., Seoul, Korea (1999)

[12] Kwon O, Park Y, Huh D, Sung W, J. KIMERE, 35(1), 30 (1998)

[13] Lahey RT, Acikgoz M, Franca F, AIChE J., 38(7), 1049 (1992)

[14] Lee SG, Jung WM, Kim WS, Choi CK, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 38(1), 67 (2000)

[15] Makogon YF, "Hydrates of Hydrocarbons," Pennwell Publishing Company, Tulsa, 115 (1997)

[16] Marble RA, Astronautica Acta, 14, 585 (1969)

[17] Moeck ED, "Annular Dispersed Two-Phase Flow and Critical Heat Flux," AECL, 3650 (1970)

[18] Mucharam L, "One-Dimensional Compositional Modeling of Gas and Condensate Flow in Pipe Lines," Ph.D. Disser., The Pennsylvania State Univ., PA (1991)

[19] Munck J, Skjold JS, Chem. Eng. Sci., 43(10), 2661 (1988)

[20] Ng HJ, Chen CJ, Saetterstad T, "Hydrate Formation and Inhibition in Gas Condensate and Hydrocarbon Liquid Systems," AIChE Meeting, Houston, TX, 1-9 (1987)

[21] Parrish WR, Prausnitz JM, Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Des. Develop., 11(1), 26 (1972)

[22] Park SJ, Doh MS, HWAHAK KONGHAK, 35(1), 46 (1997)

[23] Saito T, Hughes ED, Carbon MW, Nucl. Eng. Des., 50, 225 (1978)

[24] Sung W, Huh D, Lee J, Kwon O, SPEPF, 213 (1998)

[25] Sung WM, Huh DG, Ryu BJ, Lee HS, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 17(3), 344 (2000)

[26] Taitel Y, Barnea D, Brill JP, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 21(1), 53 (1995)

[27] Taitel Y, Dukler AE, AIChE J., 22(1), 47 (1976)

[28] Tek R, JPT, 1029 (1961)

[29] Tso CP, Sugawara S, Int. J. Multiph. Flow, 16(5), 867 (1990)

[30] Ulke A, "A Study of a Two-Component, Two-Phase Flow System in One Dimension," Eds.: Veziroglu, T.N. and Bergles, A.E., Multi-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer III. Part A. Fundamentals, Elsevier, 59 (1984)

[31] Wylie EB, Streeter VL, Stoner MA, SPE, 35 (1974)

[32] Yoo SJ, Lee SY, Yoo KP, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 9(2), 89 (1992)