Securing offshore resources development:A mathematical investigation into gas leakage in long-distance flexible pipes

Gas flexible pipes are critical multi-layered equipment for offshore oil and gas development.Under high pressure conditions,small molecular components of natural gas dissolve into the polymer inner liner of the flexible pipes and further diffuse into the annular space,incurring annular pressure build-up and/or production of acidic environment,which poses serious challenges to the structure and integrity of the flexible pipes.Gas permeation in pipes is a complex phenomenon governed by various factors such as internal pressure and temperature,annular structure,external temperature.In a long-distance gas flexible pipe,moreover,gas permeation exhibits non-uniform features,and the gas permeated into the annular space flows along the metal gap.To assess the complex gas transport behavior in long-distance gas flexible pipes,a mathematical model is established in this paper considering the multiphase flow phenomena inside the flexible pipes,the diffusion of gas in the inner liner,and the gas seepage in the annular space under varying permeable properties of the annulus.In addition,the effect of a variable temperature is accounted.A numerical calculation method is accordingly constructed to solve the coupling mathematical equations.The annular permeability was shown to significantly influence the distribution of annular pressure.As permeability increases,the annular pressure tends to become more uniform,and the annular pressure at the wellhead rises more rapidly.After annular pressure relief followed by shut-in,the pressure increase follows a convex function.By simulating the pressure recovery pattern after pressure relief and comparing it with test results,we deduce that the annular permeability lies between 123 and 512 m D.The results help shed light upon assessing the annular pressure in long distance gas flexible pipes and thus ensure the security of gas transport in the emerging development of offshore resources.

Simulation of long-distance pipeline transportation properties of whole-tailings paste with high sliming

Based on Bingham rheological model,a three-dimensional numerical simulation model for long-distance pipeline transportation is established by computational fluid dynamics(CFD)to study the pipeline transportationproperties of high sliming paste from a copper mine in China.Based on the rheological properties test,the pressure and velocity of pipeline and elbow are simulated by CFD under different mass concentrations and different stowing capacities.The results show that the pipeline resistance of whole-tailings paste with high sliming while without pumping agent is much higher than that with high sliming and pumping agent at the same mass concentration,and the pipeline resistance of whole-tailings paste with high sliming while without pumping agent is much higher than that with low sliming while without pumping agent.It is very important to add pumping agent to whole-tailings paste with high sliming,and the resistance changes with mass concentration and stowing capacity at the same cement-to-sand ratio of1:5and tailings-to-waste ratio of6:1.However,the change is just limited,that is to say,the paste transportation system is of good stability.Furthermore,at the elbow,the maximum pressure and velocity transfer to the outside of the pipe from the inside.However,lubricating layer is formed at the pipe wall because of high content of fine particles in whole-tailings paste,which will protect the elbow from abrasion.CFD provides an intuitive and accurate basis for pipeline transportation study,and would have a wider application space in the study of paste rheological properties and resistance reduction methods.

Features of pipe transportation of paste-like backfilling in deep mine

Based on the pipe transportation of paste-like backfilling system of a certain deep coal mine,its dynamics process was simulated and analyzed.A two-dimensional dynamic model of extraordinary deep and lone pipe was built by GAMBIT,on the basis of which the simulation was done by implicit solver of FLUENT 2ddp.The results show that hydraulic loss of pipe transportation is less than the pressure produced by gravity,which means the backfilling material can flow by itself.When the inlet velocity is 3.2 m/s,the maximum velocity of 4.10 m/s is at the elbow and the maximum velocity in the horizontal pipe is 3.91 m/s,which can both meet the stability requirement.The results of the simulation are proved to be reliable by the residual monitor plotting of related parameter,so it can be concluded that the system of pipe transportation is safe.

Erosion wear at the bend of pipe during tailings slurry transportation:Numerical study considering inlet velocity,particle size and bend angle

Pipeline hydraulic transport is a highly efficient and low energy-consumption method for transporting solids and is commonly used for tailing slurry transport in the mining industry.Erosion wear(EW)remains the main cause of failure in tailings slurry pipeline systems,particularly at bends.EW is a complex phenomenon influenced by numerous factors,but research in this area has been limited.This study performs numerical simulations of slurry transport at the bend by combining computational fluid dynamics and fluid particle tracking using a wear model.Based on the validation of the feasibility of the model,this work focuses on the effects of coupled inlet velocity(IV)ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 m·s^(-1),particle size(PS)ranging from 50 to 650μm,and bend angle(BA)ranging from 45°to 90°on EW at the bend in terms of particle kinetic energy and incidence angle.The results show that the maximum EW rate of the slurry at the bend increases exponentially with IV and PS and first increases and then decreases with the increase in BA with the inflection point at 60°within these parameter ranges.Further comprehensive analysis reveals that the sensitivity level of the three factors to the maximum EW rate is PS>IV>BA,and when IV is 3.0 m/s,PS is 650μm,and BA is 60°,the bend EW is the most severe,and the maximum EW rate is 5.68×10^(-6)kg·m^(-2)·s^(-1).In addition,When PS is below or equal to 450μm,the maximum EW position is mainly at the outlet of the bend.When PS is greater than 450μm,the maximum EW position shifts toward the center of the bend with the increase in BA.Therefore,EW at the bend can be reduced in practice by reducing IV as much as possible and using small particles.

Long-Distance Pipe Jacking in Complex Urban Geological Environment

A steel underground pipeline with a diameter of 2.4 m and a total length of 3,617 m(plate thickness of 26 mm)has been constructed in a city in central Hubei,and the engineering,procurement,and construction(EPC)project has been lifted from the upstream channel to supplement water to the downstream lake inside the city.Through preliminary geological survey data,site topographic and geomorphic survey,urban construction,as well as the requirements of the construction party,the preliminary arrangement of working wells and receiving wells as well as the selection and customization of pipe jacking machines have been proposed.Frequency conversion motor and remote monitoring technology are adopted for geotechnical change and long-distance pipe jacking.Through detailed survey,the rock and soil change section as well as gradual change conditions have been determined,the accuracy of construction mechanics calculation and construction operation control have improved,the basis and analysis basis are provided,and some experiences in construction operation are summarized.

Analysis on Shock Wave Speed of Water Hammer of Lifting Pipes for Deep-Sea Mining

Water hammer occurs whenever the fluid velocity in vertical lifting pipe systems for deep-sea mining suddenly changes. In this work, the shock wave was proven to play an important role in changing pressures and periods, and mathematical and numerical modeling technology was presented for simulated transient pressure in the abnormal pump operation. As volume concentrations were taken into account of shock wave speed, the experiment results about the pressure-time history, discharge-time history and period for the lifting pipe system showed that： as its concentrations rose up, the maximum transient pressure went down, so did its discharges; when its volume concentrations increased gradually, the period numbers of pressure decay were getting less and less, and the corresponding shock wave speed decreased. These results have highly coincided with simulation results. The conclusions are important to design lifting transporting system to prevent water hammer in order to avoid potentially devastating consequences, such as damage to components and equipment and risks to personnel.

Three-phase flow of submarine gas hydrate pipe transport

In the hydraulic transporting process of cutter-suction mining natural gas hydrate, when the temperature-pressure equilibrium of gas hydrate is broken, gas hydrates dissociate into gas. As a result, solid-liquid two-phase flow(hydrate and water) transforms into gas-solid-liquid three-phase flow(methane, hydrate and water) inside the pipeline. The Euler model and CFD-PBM model were used to simulate gas-solid-liquid three-phase flow. Numerical simulation results show that the gas and solid phase gradually accumulate to the center of the pipe. Flow velocity decreases from center to boundary of the pipe along the radial direction. Comparison of numerical simulation results of two models reveals that the flow state simulated by CFD-PBM model is more uniform than that simulated by Euler model, and the main behavior of the bubble is small bubbles coalescence to large one. Comparison of numerical simulation and experimental investigation shows that the values of flow velocity and gas fraction in CFD-PBM model agree with experimental data better than those in Euler model. The proposed PBM model provides a more accurate and effective way to estimate three-phase flow state of transporting gas hydrate within the submarine pipeline.

Simulation study on cuttings transport of the backreaming operation for long horizontal section wells

The backreaming operation plays a significant role in safe drilling for horizontal wellbores, while it may cause severe stuck pipe accidents. To lower the risk of the stuck pipe in backreaming operations, the mechanism of cuttings transport needs to be carefully investigated. In this research, a transient cuttings transport with multiple flow patterns model is developed to predict the evolution of cuttings transported in the annulus while backreaming. The established model can provide predictions of the distribution of cuttings bed along the wellbore considering the bulldozer effect caused by large-size drilling tools(LSDTs). The sensitivity analyses of the size of LSDTs, and backreaming operating parameters are conducted in Section 4. And a new theory is proposed to explain the mechanism of cuttings transport in the backreaming operation, in which both the bit and LSDTs have the “cleaning effect” and “plugging effect”.The results demonstrate that the cuttings bed in annuli is in a state of dynamic equilibrium, but the overall trend and the distribution pattern are obvious. First, larger diameters and longer drilling tools could lead to a higher risk of the stuck pipe. Second, we find that it is not the case that the higher flow rate is always better for hole cleaning, so three flow-rate intervals are discussed separately under the given conditions. When the “dangerous flow rate”(<33 L/s in Case 4) is employed, the cuttings bed completely blocks the borehole near the step surface and causes a stuck pipe directly. If the flow rate increases to the “low flow rate” interval(33-35 L/s in Case 4), a smaller flow rate instead facilitates borehole cleaning. If the flow rate is large enough to be in the “high flow rate” interval(>35 L/s in Case 4),the higher the flow rate, the better the cleaning effect of cuttings beds. Third, an interval of tripping velocity called “dangerous velocity” is proposed, in which the cuttings bed accumulation near the LSDTs is more serious than those of other tripping velocities. As long as the applied tripping velocity is not within the “dangerous velocity”(0.4-0.5 m/s in Case 5) interval in the backreaming operation, the risk of the stuck pipe can be controlled validly. Finally, through the factors analyses of the annular geometry,particle properties, and fluid properties in Section 5, it can be found that the “low flow rate”, “high flow rate” and “dangers flow rate” tend to decrease and the “dangerous velocity” tends to increase with the conditions more favorable for hole cleaning. This study has some guiding significance for risk prediction and parameter setting of the backreaming operation.

Research & Development of Grade X70 LSAW Steel Pipes for West-East Gas Pipeline

In this article the research and development of X70 large diameter longitudinal seam submerged arc welded (LSAW) steel pipes for West East Gas Transportation Pipeline project (WEGTP) in China are introduced, including the key technique, fabrication of pipe production line, mass production and the latest progress of LSAW steel pipe technique.

大粒径矸石料浆配比优化及全尺寸环管输送阻力测试研究

为确定不同粒径范围矸石料浆的最优配比,给出了大粒径矸石料浆骨料粒径的划分依据,提出了矸石料浆输送性能的优化原理,设计了输送性能测试指标及筛选标准,揭示了0~2 mm和0~5 mm这2种粒径范围矸石料浆输送性能随浓度和粒径级配的变化规律,分析了大粒径矸石料浆输送性能指标的变化机理,最终结合输送性能筛选标准确定了大粒径矸石料浆最优配比,并通过全尺寸环管输送测试验证了料浆优选配比的可行性。结果表明:矸石料浆中0~0.15 mm小粒径矸石具有较强的保水悬浮能力,对矸石料浆的输送性能具有明显改善作用;料浆的沉析率随浓度升高而减小,随粗粒径矸石占比增加而增大;料浆的黏度随浓度升高而增大,随粗粒径矸石占比增加而逐渐降低。矸石料浆在直管段的压力损失受浓度、粒径级配的影响,在弯管段又受到管路曲率半径的影响。

Influence of wave and current on deep-sea mining transporting system

As a solution to the breaking of pipeline under high axial force,carbon fiber composite pipe with low density and high intensity is applied to deep-sea mining transporting system.Based on the fact that the transporting pipe is under the forces of gravity,inner liquid,buoyancy as well as hydrodynamic force,geometric nonlinear finite element theory has been applied to analyzing the transporting system.Conclusions can be drawn as follows.Under the interaction of waves and currents,node forces FX and FZ acted by the transporting pipe on the mining vehicle are less than 2 kN,which indicates that waves and currents have little influence on the spatial shape of the transporting pipe and the mining vehicle movement.On the other hand,the horizontal force acting on the mining ship could be as large as 106 830 N,which has great influence on the mining system.

A Method Based on Thermo-Vibrational Effects for Hydrogen Transportation and Storage

Transporting and storing hydrogen is a complex technological task.A typical problem relates to the need to minimize the strength of fluid motion and heat transfer near the walls of the container.In this work this problem is tackled numerically assuming an infinite cavity of pipe square cross-section,located in a constant external temperature gradient.In particular,a method based on the application of vibrations to suppress the gravitational convection mechanism is explored.A parametric investigation is conducted and the limits of applicability of the method for small Grashof numbers(10e4)are determined.It is shown that it is possible to minimize the intensity of the vibrogravitational flow for any values of the problem parameters if correction factors are specified.The results obtained can be applied in technological processes associated with the transportation,storage and use of hydrogen:pumping the working fluid through pipes,storage in tanks,as well as flow processes in the combustion chambers of power plants.

PRESSURE DROP IN THE VERTICAL PNEUMATIC PIPE FOR POWDER CONVEYING

Based on the former research work of the authors,the resistance of differentsolid particle suspension flow in a vertical pipe is analysed,and investigatedexperimentally.The applicable formulas of pressure drop are presented.Two types of par-ticles,talcum powder and glass beads,are convcyed in the test which has been carried outat various air vclocities of 10 to 28 m/s and at the ratio of solids-air mass flow rateranged from 0 to 2.The experimental results show a good agreement with the calculatedones.

Numerical Investigation on Inclined Hydraulic Transport of Large Particles for Deepsea Mining

Hydraulic transport in pipelines is the most promising conveying method for large ore particles in deepsea mining.The dynamic performances of particles during transportation in vertical,inclined and horizontal pipelines are significant for the design of hydraulic transport systems.In the present study,we focus on the statistical characteristics and flow regimes of the mixture composed of ore particles and seawater in the pipelines.Numerical simulations are conducted by using Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)and Discrete Element Method(DEM).The influences of inclination angle and particle diameter are evaluated through two sets of numerical tests.The regulation of the inclined transport is totally different from that of the vertical transport,whereas the dynamics of the mixtures in inclined and horizontal pipes are similar.A number of particles accumulate on the pipe wall even with a small inclination angle.Large hydraulic gradient and local concentration would occur when the inclination angle of the pipe is in the range of30°-60°.With the decrease of particle diameter,the particle flow becomes uniform,reflected by the almost uniform particle distribution in the vertical pipe and the clear interface between the suspended load and the bed-load in the inclined pipe.However,small particles will introduce larger local concentrations and hydraulic gradients in the inclined pipe,which is not conducive to particle transport.

The current situation and prospect of oil steel pipe in China

The oil steel pipe in the petroleum industry is very important for its high price, large consumption volume and great effect on the development of petroleum industry. The oil steel pipe mainly includes oil well pipe (drill pipe, drill collar, casing and tubing etc.) and oil-gas transportation pipe. This paper is an attempt to make a comprehensive review on the current situation and prospect of the oil steel pipe in China, presenting the past , today and future of the China oil pipe. The first section is a historical review of the China oil pipe. The developing course and progress of the oil steel pipe products are presented. The second section is about the current situation of the China oil pipe. The general situation of the China’s steel pipe corporation and their products types, capability, etc. is introduced. The third section is about the prospect of the China oil pipe. This part mainly describes the new product research and development in China steel pipe corporations, which are facing more and more strict technical requirements of the petroleum industry in oil pipe, and reveals the prosperity of China’s steel pipe corporations.

Manufacturing Technology Research and Appraisal of Large-Diameter SSAW Pipe Applied to the West-East Pipeline Project

This paper introduced the research and development of large-diameter SSAW pipes applied to West-East Pipeline project as well as domestic acicular ferrite pipeline steel of X70 grade. Its microstructure analysis was performed in comparison with the pipeline steel of a foreign steel plant (SPC). This paper introduced the research of welding procedures prior to SSAW pipe making and some new procedures and technologies used for West-East Pipeline Project, and appraised the practical level of Large-diameter SSAW pipe applied to the West-East Pipeline Project.

浅层稠油开采用全液压斜直井修井机研制

目前国内用于油田浅层稠油开采中的斜直井修井机技术相对落后,还不能满足现场作业的要求。提出了全液压斜直井修井机的设计方案和技术参数;对该修井机的主要零部件和系统(如液压系统、游动吊卡、抓管机、可调底座、支架、接送管装置、油管对中及上卸扣装置等)进行了详细设计。全液压斜直井修井机经过试制和一年多的现场应用,结果表明:其结构设计合理,使用安全可靠,减少了作业人员,大幅降低了作业人员劳动强度。

基于满管输送的充填管路优化研究

满管输送可以延长充填管路的使用寿命,提高矿山充填作业效率。基于凡口铅锌矿新探明边缘矿体开采的充填需求,针对现有充填管线直径100 mm无法实现满管输送的问题,以地表管线SL1和地下管线L2-2为研究对象,开展充填管路优化研究。首先,运用理论计算,得出输送分级尾砂和细尾砂时,SL1的满管率分别为0.62和1.95,L2-2的满管率分别为0.72和2.26;其次,以最优满管率0.8为标准,通过公式推导,得出输送分级尾砂和细尾砂时SL1的理想水平管径分别为87 mm和155 mm,L2-2的理想水平管径分别为94 mm和168 mm;最后,利用CFD构建管道模型,运用Fluent软件进行变径满管流的数值模拟,通过对管道的压力及出口最大流速等进行对比分析得出,输送分级尾砂时减小管径可以增大满管率,且仍可自流输送;输送细尾砂时增大管径可以降低泵送压力。模拟结果证明此优化方案合理且具有很强的可行性。

集输系统双管掺水工艺节能优化运行研究

某区块采用双管掺水集油工艺流程,由于现场无法判断掺水参数与现场工况的关系,导致回液温度远高于原油凝点,造成能源浪费,超出了经济运行成本区间。针对上述问题,利用Pipesim软件实现工艺建模,分析了掺水参数与工艺热能损失、井口回压、回液温度、工艺压能损失及能耗损失占比等参数的定量关系,得到了符合现场调控的一般性规律,并通过建立目标函数和约束条件,利用萤火虫算法实现了掺水比和掺水温度的自动调控。结果表明:掺水温度建议不超过75℃,掺水比不宜过高,现场调控应采用先调节掺水温度再调节掺水比的操作方式;随着掺水比和掺水温度的增加,单井运行费用存在最低值;经算法优化后,不同单井掺水比和掺水温度均有不同程度下降,预计每天可节约运行费用0.5万元~1万元。

强迫振动下垂直管道固液两相流数值模拟研究

粗颗粒固液两相流的管道输运适用于深海采矿工程.扬矿管道在流致振动作用下的内部固液两相流的输运机理尚未被完全探究.因此,采用计算流体动力学(CFD)与离散元(DEM)耦合的方法,分析不同粒径、不同振动频率与振幅和不同浓度工况下在强迫振动管道中的粗颗粒动力学特性以及管内流场变化特性.其中,将管道的振动简化为一维径向振动,将实际工况中的柔性管道假定为刚体管道.研究表明,在管道振动过程中,大颗粒相比小颗粒的惯性更大,而流体也需要更大的速度产生更大的曳力推动大颗粒,导致更大的轴向流场速度以及更大的轴向颗粒速度.随着粒径增大,大颗粒对流场的扰动更大,导致流体与壁面间的作用力更大;并且大颗粒与壁面间的碰撞和摩擦作用力更大,因此壁面剪应力增大.同时,大颗粒与流体间摩擦损耗的能量也更大.因此管道需要更大的能量将其输运,导致振动管道内的压降增加.增大管道振动频率与振幅会导致颗粒在截面上的分布更加分散,同时对流场扰动更大,然而对轴向流场速度的影响相对较小.增大进料浓度使颗粒间、颗粒与流场间的作用更加频繁,导致颗粒分布发生变化,并导致更大的轴向流场速度和湍动能.