spe distinguished lecturer series spe … · spe distinguished lecturer series ... integrity or...

SPE DISTINGUISHED LECTURER SERIESis funded principally

through a grant of the

SPE FOUNDATIONThe Society gratefully acknowledges

those companies that support the programby allowing their professionals

to participate as Lecturers.

And special thanks to The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical,and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) for their contribution to the program.

Eni S.p.A. - E&P Division

Low-cost, Non-invasive, Remote

Pipeline and Well Inspection Technologies

Alberto Di Lullo Eni E&P DivisionSPE – Italian Section

SPE DISTINGUISHED LECTURER SERIES

WHAT IS MEANT HERE FOR“INSPECTION”

Information about the space available to flow (i.e. the pipe from the point of view of the fluid)

Changes in the effective Diameter profilee.g. deposits, valves, wall thickness

Presence of interfaces (G/L, L/L)created by stratification of the fluids

FLOW ASSURANCEWAX PLUGS

FLOW ASSURANCEASPHALTENES

FLOW ASSURANCEEMULSIONS

FLOW ASSURANCEDEFINITION

Flow Assurance

guarantees the achievementof the life-time production targets

of a lifting and transportation system

by predicting, preventing and solving problemsdirectly originated by the behavior of

the transported substances(gases, liquids, solids)

either as single phases orin multiphase conditions

WHY FLOW ASSURANCENEEDS MONITORING

• Solutions may reduce the rate of problemsor may create new problems

• Cost reduction leads to progressive optimizations, which must be validated

WE NEED FLOW ASSURANCE MONITORING BECAUSE:

• Some problems require really expensiveinterventions, which must be optimized

• Some problems may affect Pipeline Integrity or impede intelligent pigging

PRESENTATIONAGENDA

Overview

• Contexts needing pipeline and tubing inspection

• Limitations of Steady–State Monitoring Techniques

• Alternatives to Steady–State Techniques

• Transient based inspection technologies

• Field applications and examples

• Conclusions

STEADY–STATE MONITORINGDifferent states, same measurements

DISTRIBUTED vs CONCENTRATED RESTRICTIONS

5km deposit 0.5” thick Thin 90% obstruction

QUANTITY AND POSITION OF DEPOSITSCANNOT BE ESTIMATED

15” ID

Deposit volume = 73 m3 Deposit volume = 0.5 m3

Induce the SAME additional ΔP


Induce a SMALL additional ΔP (<0.5 bar)

5km deposit 0.5” thick Thin 90% obstruction

Equivalent causes: ΔQ < +5% Δμ < 20% Δρ… ΔT…

UNCERTAINTY HIDES THE EFFECT OF SLOWLY GROWING RESTRICTIONS

15” ID

SENSITIVITY in DETECTING DEPOSITS


SENSITIVITY in DETECTING DEPOSITS

17.0

17.5

18.0

18.5

19.0

19.5

20.0

20.5

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00 140.00 160.00 180.00 200.00

Volume of deposits [m3] uniform over 5km

ΔP

[b

ar]

Q+5%

Q–5%Minimum volume of deposits

practically detectable


DEPOSITS WITHOUTPHASE-DIAGRAM PREDICTABILITY

Sand Ineffective chemicals

THE PRESENCE AND QUANTITY OF UNPREDICTABLE DEPOSITS

MUST BE GENUINELY DETECTED

Unexpected bottoms

PRESENTATIONAGENDA

Overview






• Conclusions

ALTERNATIVES TOSTEADY–STATE TECHNIQUES?

TWO POSSIBILITIES

• ANALYSIS OF PASSIVE NOISE

Noise with no change of production conditions

Potentially applicable for continuous monitoring

• ANALYSIS OF FLOWRATE TRANSIENTS

Transients create waves which “explore” the line

Need for temporary changes in production conditions

ALTERNATIVES TOSTEADY–STATE TECHNIQUES?

PRO’S and CON’S OF THE TWO POSSIBILITIES

• PASSIVE NOISEPRO: Works under normal productionCON: Applicable to very short pipelines (<200m?)

• FLOWRATE TRANSIENTSPRO: Applicable to long wells and pipelinesCON: Temporary change of flow conditions

Passive noise not discussed here,but might deserve more exploration

PRESENTATIONAGENDA

Overview






• Conclusions

TRANSIENT-BASED INSPECTIONCONCEPT

1) GENERATING A FAST FLOW RATE TRANSIENT

2) MEASURING THE RESULTING PRESSURE EVOLUTION

3) ANALYZING THE DATA

Flow rateTransient

INSPECTION ACCOMPLISHED BY:

MEASURING PRESSURE IN ONE POINTAND NOT MEASURING FLOWRATE

Pressure sensor

Processing Unit

444m

1675m

Well Head

3820m

2 ” 7/8(59.0mm ID)

3 ” 1/2(74.2mm ID)

TRANSIENT: EXAMPLE OFA REAL MEASUREMENT

4.0s3.6s3.6s

THP

[bar

]

time

QStop discharge

time

FTHP

EXPLOITATION OFFLOW RATE TRANSIENTS

TheoryCorrect modeling

Simulation softwarePressure sensorsAccurate at high P

Fast response

Data acquisitionIn the field with operatorsPortable and reliable tools

Inverse problemFrom P data to profileof variables along pipe

EXPLOITING

TRANSIENTS

PATENTED

TRANSIENT–BASEDMEASUREMENTS EXECUTION

TRANSIENTS EXPLOITATION REQUIRES STRONG INTERACTION WITH PLANT OPERATORS:

• There is no “standard plant”Application flexibility is mandatoryOperator’s understanding is mandatory

• Transients must be produced bysomebody’s hands: he/she has to learn how

Can you learn Tango by exchanging e-mails ?

TRANSIENT–BASED, REMOTEINSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

Transient

Based

Inspection

TBI

(In Eni, we call it PRIMEFLO)

PRESENTATIONAGENDA

Overview






• Conclusions

Pipes Tubing, Pipeline, SealineGeometry Any (H, V, sloped, winded…)Type Oil, Gas, Emulsions (no G/L flowing regimes!)Diameter 1/6" – 32" Viscosity from gas to 600 cP Length Oil 200 m – 530 km

Gas 3 m – 530km

TBIDEMONSTRATED PERFORMANCE

DEMONSTRATED APPLICABILITY

(*) Field demonstrated, not technology limit

(*)

TRANSIENTS DISPERSIONEXAMPLE OF OIL PIPELINE (530km)

Signal dispersion (width):negligible broadening after a 1060km trip

Equally true for OIL and GAS pipelines

-1.00

-0.80

-0.60

-0.40

-0.20

0.00

-20 -10 0 10 20Time [s]

dP/d

t [ba

r/s]

-0.10

-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02

0.00

980 990 1000 1010 1020Time [s]

x10

USEFUL TRANSIENTSTYPES AND METHODS

time

QoutSudden

dischargeSudden

immission

Qin

time

QoutStart

dischargeStop

discharge

Qin

time

Qout Startimmission

Stopimmission

Qin

ANY TRANSIENT

WILL PROVIDE

USEFUL INFORMATION

(BUT NOT IDENTICAL

INFORMATION !)

AS LONG AS IT IS

FAST AND SHARP

TBISENSITIVITY

DEMONSTRATED SENSITIVITY

Light crude with μ = 2 cP350’000 m far from sensor, ¼” / 24” diameter change

Heavy crude with μ = 600 cP300 m far from sensor, ⅛” / 16” diameter change

P Distance from sensor

Pipeline

TECHNOLOGYSCOPE

TBI can detect, localize and estimate:

Changes in the effective Diameter profilee.g. deposits, obstructions, restrictions, …

Presence of interfaces (G/L, L/L)created by stratification of the fluids

Changes in composition or propertiesof the transported fluids

TBILIMITATIONS

CASES WITH LIMITED APPLICABILITY

• Gas lines:Need to shut-in long lines on both sides

Can only localize sharp restrictions, obstructions and interfaces

• Multiphase lines and wells:Never applicable in presence of flow

After shut-in:in wells: wait for fluids stratificationin lines: pressurize with liquid

Limited to localize (almost) complete obstructions

TBILIMITATIONS

CASES WITH LIMITED APPLICABILITY

• Leaks:

No definitive conclusions

Probably applicable only with:

very low ΔP between inside and outside,to avoid critical flow across the leak(hydrostatics may prevent this)

rather big holes, e.g. like a coin

THEFT of hydrocarbons

• Remote: only access to the ends of the pipe is necessary no “walking” along the line

• Fast: measurements does not require long flow stabilization and production is affected for about 5s/km (oil lines) and 15s/km (gas)

• Low risk: nothing is introduced in the line, no excavations, no installation, etc.

• Low cost: see above + low cost instrumentation

LOW–COST, LOW–RISK,REMOTE AND FAST

TBI ATTRIBUTES:

?

TBI APPLICATIONOIL WELL INSPECTION

Well Head

Deposits of unknown nature, localization (tubing/reservoir) and distribution

Plan best remedial technique and verify its effectiveness

Oil well losing productivity


Well Head

TBImeasure

Beforeacid job

Internaldiameter profile


Deposits actually removed by the acid jobWell Head

-5000

-4500

-4000

-3500

-3000

-2500

-2000

-1500

-1000

-500

0

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0

Deposits thickness [mm]

Dep

th[m

]

Diagnosis:Inorganic scales(no asphaltenes

no fines)


Well Head

TBImeasure

Afteracid job

Beforeacid job

Internaldiameter profile

TBI APPLICATIONTO GAS WELLS

Fluid stratification: interface localizationCompletion and wireline operations control

Compositional changes tracking

E.g. "Acoustic Velocities in Petroleum Oils", Zhijing Wang et al., JPT, Feb 1990, p.192-200

The speed of wave propagation enables the detection of

interfaces and of changes in several parameters

The velocity of the flow rate waves is as a function of P, T

and composition

Gas Well

Gasoline

Water

700m

734m

1090m

1160mSand

-140.0

-120.0

-100.0

-80.0

-60.0

-40.0

-20.0

0.0

20.0

40.0

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000

Lunghezza della Sealine (m)

Prof

ondi

tà (m

)

Pig positionwas lost

TBI APPLICATIONTO AN OIL SEALINE

sea level

Productionplatform

Onshoreterminal

LOCATE STUCK PIG (OBSTRUCTING)

FINAL SOLUTIONcut and substitute a pipeline section

Stop bywax deposits

-115.0

-114.0

-113.0

-112.0

-111.0

-110.0

9800 10000 10200 10400 10600 10800 11000 11200 11400

CU

T 2

LOCATED PIG

CU

T 1

-20.00

-18.00

-16.00

-14.00

-12.00

-10.00

-8.00

-6.00

-4.00

-2.00

0.00

2.00

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Line Lenght [%]

Sign

al [

a.u.]

8.41.13 9.49.57 11.37.49 13.22.26 15.10.51 18:44:56

(grey) Difference due to thedeposits removed by the pig

Progressivepig positions

Curves artificially separatedfor the sake of clarity

TBI APPLICATIONTO PIG TRACKING

Estimate pig arrival time and monitor its tripwhen other tracking techniques not applicable

Pig traveling direction

PRESENTATIONAGENDA

Overview






• Conclusions

ECONOMICCONCLUSIONS

Since its first Eni field application (Dec 2000),TBI impact has been evaluated.

Several million US$ savings on OPEX

(reduction of repair and intervention costs,optimization of well cleaning jobs,reduction of time–to–action)

Several thousands bbl of oil productionNOT delayed or lost

WHAT’S NEXT FOR TBI–LIKE TECHNOLOGIES:

• APPLY TO PRODUCTION OPTIMIZATION(e.g. gas condensate wells)

• TUBING + PIPELINE MONITORING

• NEAR-WELL FORMATION DAMAGE MONITORING

• MULTIPHASE FLOWING SYSTEMS

TBI FUTUREDEVELOPMENTS

TECHNICALCONCLUSIONS

OVERALL TECHNICAL MESSAGE FROM TBI:Often very easy to gain precious information from annoying shutdowns or flowrate changes

GENERATE “CULTURAL” ACCEPTANCE OF TRANSIENTS AS MONITORING TOOLS:

Never apply transients without asking which information they could provide

Stop just “tuning simulations” andstart to “measure through simulations”

Thank you for your attention

spe distinguished lecturer series spe … · spe distinguished lecturer series ... integrity or...

Documents