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.

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.

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF LONGITUDINAL SUBMERGED ARC WELDED STEEL PIPES USED FOR GAS PIPELINE OF OFFSHORE OIL

Since the development of offshore oil and gas, increased submarine oil and gas pipelines were installed. All the early steel pipes of submarine pipelines depended on importing because of the strict requirements of comprehensive properties, such as, anti-corrosion, resistance to pressure and so on. To research and develop domes- tic steel pipes used for the submarine pipeline, the Longitudinal-seam Submerged Arc Welded （LSAW） pipes were made of steel plates cut from leveled hot rolled coils by both the JCOE and UOE （the forming process in which the plate like the letter “J”, “C”, “0” or “U” shape, then expansion） forming processes. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the pipe base metal and weld metal were tested, and the results were in accordance with the corresponding pipe specification API SPEC 5L or DNV- OS-FI01, which showed that domestic LSAW pipes could be used for submarine oil and gas pipelines.

Numerical Simulation of Flow in Flowrate Measurement Section of Natural Gas Pipelines

The orifice-plate flowmeter and ultrasonic flowmeter are used widely for natural gas flowrate measurement, and the measurement accuracy is affected greatly by flow state. Numerical simulation was used to study the flow of natural gas in the diffusion pipe, and the length of the irregular flow induced by the diffuser or rectifier was computed. Simulation results indicated that the flow in the diffusion pipe was three-dimensional turbulent flow and the steady state flow was restored at 17 pipe-diameters downstream of the diffuser. The rectifiers equipped in the diffusion pipe showed good rectification effect, notwithstanding the induced irregular flow. Downstream the rectifier, the flow became symmetrical and uniform in a shorter length than the case without a rectifier. For the diffusion pipe equipped with plate rectifier, tube rectifier and tube-plate rectifier, the lengths at which uniformly distributed flow was restored were 12, 6 and 5 pipe-diameters downstream the rectifier respectively. On the basis of simulation results, the minimum installation length for flowmeters equipped in the diffusion pipe was determined. This provides a new method for improving natural gas measurement accuracy.

Investigations on Non-Condensation Gas of a Heat Pipe

This paper utilizes numerical analysis method to determine the influence of non-condensation gas on the thermal performance of a heat pipe. The temperature difference between the evaporation and condensation sections of a single heat pipe and maximum heat capacity are the index of the thermal performance of a heat pipe for a thermal module manufacturer. The thermal performance of a heat pipe with lower temperature difference between the evaporation and condensation sections is better than that of higher temperature dif- ference at the same input power. The results show that the maximum heat capacity reaches the highest point, as the amount of the non-condensation gas of a heat pipe is the lowest value and the temperature difference between evaporation and condensation sections is the smallest one. The temperature difference is under 1?C while the percentage of the non-condensation gas is under 8 × 10?5%, and the heat pipe has the maximum heat capacity.

Main Gas Pipelines： Fracture Resistance Assessment of Pipes

This paper proposes an estimation method of fracture resistance of oil ＆ gas pipes, based on the results of full scale hydraulic pressure pipe testing with the artificial notch, made by the authors at 2002-2006. It shows that the fracture process at the stage of stripping （initialization） of crack can be characterized by Critical Fracture Diagram （CFD）. Calculating and experimental way to construct CFD is suggested and discussed. The fracture resistance requirements for oil ＆ gas pipes in terms of fracture mechanics （Kc, Lc） are formulated and proved. The results of full scale hydraulic pressure pipe testing, based on metal testing data of the standard Charpy specimens （KCV） and pipe＇s specification requirements are interrelated. The way to estimate the admissible temperature operation conditions of oil ＆ gas pipes by means of based metal ＂KCV-temperature＂ dependence is proposed.

Deep-large faults controlling on the distribution of the venting gas hydrate system in the middle of the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

Many locations with concentrated hydrates at vents have confirmed the presence of abundant thermogenic gas in the middle of the Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB).However,the impact of deep structures on gasbearing fluids migration and gas hydrates distribution in tectonically inactive regions is still unclear.In this study,the authors apply high-resolution 3D seismic and logging while drilling(LWD)data from the middle of the QDNB to investigate the influence of deep-large faults on gas chimneys and preferred gasescape pipes.The findings reveal the following:(1)Two significant deep-large faults,F1 and F2,developed on the edge of the Songnan Low Uplift,control the dominant migration of thermogenic hydrocarbons and determine the initial locations of gas chimneys.(2)The formation of gas chimneys is likely related to fault activation and reactivation.Gas chimney 1 is primarily arises from convergent fluid migration resulting from the intersection of the two faults,while the gas chimney 2 benefits from a steeper fault plane and shorter migration distance of fault F2.(3)Most gas-escape pipes are situated near the apex of the two faults.Their reactivations facilitate free gas flow into the GHSZ and contribute to the formation of fracture‐filling hydrates.

Analysis of the quick corrosion of blast furnaces’gas pipes after the installation of dry-type de-dusting equipment and discussion about measures

Compared with the traditional wet-type de-dusting technology ,the dry-type de-dusting technology is considered to be environmentally friendly and energy-saving. However, the pipes carrying the de-dusted blast fiLrnace gas （BFG） tends to be corrosive more quickly and seriously. In order to investigate the reasons for the quick corrosion, the gas pipes and auxiliary bellows installed in Baosteel＇ s newly built BFG dry-type de-dusting system are studied. The corrosive properties of the condensed water, such as the pH value, are measured and analyzed. Meanwhile, various factors that may influence the corrosion rate of the pipes are studied by experiment. On the basis of the investigation and research, the causes of corrosion and leakage on the pipes are discovered. It is the process of dry de-dusting that is responsible ,to a large extent, for the quick corrosion of the pipes. The equipment of spray tower is introduced and its effects are then discussed. This tower is designed to eliminate most of chloridion and neutralized the acid by spraying the alkaline water to the dedusted gas flow. The practical operation shows that the tower helps to lessen the corrosiveness of the dry de-dusted gas effectively. The last part of this study analyzes the possible impacts of the dry-type de-dusting process of the newly built blast furnace （BF） on the main BFG piping which has been in the state of being corroded for years by estimating its potential corrosion rate, and some suggestions on maintenance are given as well.

Girth welding procedure and weldability evaluation of coal seam gas transmission UOE pipeline

According to the requirements of Queensland Gas Company Ltd. （QGC）, the operator of the Queensland Curtis LNG （QCLNG） pipeline project in Australia, girth welding experiments and weldability evaluations have been carded out for three X70 UOE pipes from Baosteel based on API 1104 standards. Shielded metal arc welding （SMAW） and gas- shielded flux-cored wire arc welding （FCAW-G） have been applied, and the girth weld joint quality and mechanical performance were evaluated. It was found that the field girth weldability of Baosteel＇ s XT0 UOE pipes was excellent under the conditions used here and satisfied the requirements of the QCLNG project for field girth welding construction. Furthermore,Baosteel has offered a solution to the QCLNG project for pipeline girth welding in which the girth welding joint design, selection of welding processes and consumables, welding procedures, techniques and joint inspections are included. Such research provides important guidance for the difficult tie-in welding applications for the construction of the QCLNG pipelines in the field.

Polyethylene/Aluminum/Polyethylene Composite Pipe for Fuel Gas Application

Polyethylene/aluminum/polyethylene(PAP)composite pipe has the advantages of corrosion resistance,limited joints and convenient installation.We started to use the PAP pipe in fuel gas conveyance 21 years ago.It has excellent performance in indoor gas application.Later,a unique method was designed to apply the PAP pipe in outdoor gas conveyance with the appearance of outdoor gas meter setting,which involves the addition of UPVC casing pipe as a protection technique to prevent the aging of PAP pipe.The method allows the PAP pipe to climb on the outer wall of building and get into user’s home directly after the connection with outdoor gas meter without any joints in the middle.Since 1996,the number of users has increased gradually and it achieves millions level globally today,including Europe,Asia,Oceania,South America and Africa.There were no quality and performance issues of using the PAP pipe in fuel gas conveyance indoor and outdoor in the past 20 years.In this paper,we put our effort on studying the effects of environmental temperature,sealing reliability,resistance to pipe pull-out,thermal compensation,and rat biting on PAP pipe and solve these problems.

Calculation of the Gas Injection Rate and Pipe String Erosion in Nitrogen Drilling Systems

Detailed information is provided for the design and construction of nitrogen drilling in a coal seam.Two prototype wells are considered.The Guo model is used to calculate the required minimum gas injection rate,while the Finnie,Sommerfeld,and Tulsa models are exploited to estimate the ensuing erosion occurring in pipe strings.The calculated minimum gas injection rates are 67.4 m^(3)/min(with water)and 49.4 m^(3)/min(without water),and the actual field of use is 90–120 m^(3)/min.The difference between the calculated injection pressure and the field value is 6.5%–15.2%(formation with water)and 0.65%–7.32%(formation without water).The results show that the Guo model can more precisely represent the situation of the no water formation in the nitrogen drilling of a coal seam.The Finnie,Sommerfeld,and Tulsa models have different sensitivities to cutting densities,particle size,impact velocity and angle,and pipe string hardness.

Modeling and Simulation of Real Gas Flow in a Pipeline

In this paper, a mathematical model that describes the flow of gas in a pipe is formulated. The model is simplified by making some assumptions. It is considered that the natural gas flowing in a long horizontal pipe, no heat source occurs inside the volume, transfer of heat due to heat conduction is dominated by heat exchange with the surrounding. The flow equations are coupled with equation of state. Different types of equations of state, ranging from the simple Ideal gas law to the more complex equation of state Benedict Webb Rubin Starling (BWRS), are considered. The flow equations are solved numerically using the Godunov scheme with Roe solver. Some numerical results are also presented.

A unified fractional flow framework for predicting the liquid holdup in two-phase pipe flows

Two-phase pipe flow occurs frequently in oil&gas industry,nuclear power plants,and CCUS.Reliable calculations of gas void fraction(or liquid holdup)play a central role in two-phase pipe flow models.In this paper we apply the fractional flow theory to multiphase flow in pipes and present a unified modeling framework for predicting the fluid phase volume fractions over a broad range of pipe flow conditions.Compared to existing methods and correlations,this new framework provides a simple,approximate,and efficient way to estimate the phase volume fraction in two-phase pipe flow without invoking flow patterns.Notably,existing correlations for estimating phase volume fraction can be transformed and expressed under this modeling framework.Different fractional flow models are applicable to different flow conditions,and they demonstrate good agreement against experimental data within 5%errors when compared with an experimental database comprising of 2754 data groups from 14literature sources,covering various pipe geometries,flow patterns,fluid properties and flow inclinations.The gas void fraction predicted by the framework developed in this work can be used as inputs to reliably model the hydraulic and thermal behaviors of two-phase pipe flows.

Research and development of 3PP coating steel pipes

The industrial application of an exterior three-layer anticorrosive polypropylene coating system(3PP)on large-diameter(larger than Φ600 mm)steel pipes was developed using an experimental process simulation study and the optimization of raw materials inspection,steel pipe surface pretreatments,and water cooling control on a coating application process.The coating properties meet ISO standard 21809 on buried or submerged 3PP pipelines used in the petroleum and natural gas industries.Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction were used to analyze the crystallinities and grain sizes of polypropylene(PP)top coats with different cooling rates.Increasing the melt cooling rate reduces the crystallinity and grain size of the PP top coat and enhances its strength and toughness.

Prediction of gas pulsation of an industrial compressor

The measurement and prediction of gas pulsations are performed along the discharge pipeline of a reciprocating compressor for a refrigerator. A regression based experimental model of the one-dimensional acoustic field is developed. First, the conventional method for gas pulsation measurement and prediction, which separates the incident and reflected wave of acoustic waves traveling in the frequency domain, is discussed. Then, regression based on our proposed simple model, which is able to predict gas pulsation compared to the conventional method, is introduced for the analysis of a reciprocating compressor(The conventional method requires the value of sound speed in the piping line for the reciprocating compressor). A numerical prediction is made for the regression method. Three power spectrum values along the discharge pipeline are used for analysis, and two values are used for verification. Our results are in a good agreement with the conventional method.

Development of pipeline steel at Baosteel over the last 20 years

This study reviews the development of Baosteel＇ s pipeline steel over the last 20 years. Energy demand accelerates the development of high-grade pipeline steel as well as modem petroleum and natural gas pipeline construction. Pipeline steel is a kind of typical modem microalloyed steel produced via thermo-mechanical controlled processing. The development process of pipeline steel at Baosteel represents the course of the technological progress of pipeline steel in China. In the last two decades, Baosteel＇ s pipeline steel has been developed from a single product of hot- rolled strips to a variety of products including hot-rolled strips, heavy plates, high-frequency electric resistance welded （HFW） pipes and U-ing-O-ing-Expanding （UOE） welded pipes. Moreover, the proportion of the HFW and the UOE welded pipes has been increasing year by year. UOE longitudinal submerged arc welding （SAW） pipes have become the leading product of strategic significance in Baosteel＇ s pipeline steel family. Over the last 20 years, Baosteel＇ s pipeline steel products have shifted from ＂ferrite ＋ pearlite＂ X52 to ＂acicular ferrite＂ XT0 and X80, and Baosteel has developed hydrogen-induced cracking （HIC） resistant pipeline steel. Baosteel＇ s pipeline steel products have been applied in variety of geographical areas,including deserts, Gobi, mountains,plains as well as the ocean. And both the X100 and the X120 ultra high strength pipeline steels have been produced on a trial basis. Baosteel has accumulatively produced 6.5 Mt of pipeline steel for both domestic and overseas projects. Baosteel will continue strengthening its strategic cooperation with oil companies, and conducting research on ultra high strength pipeline steel, pipeline steel for strain-based design and submarine pipeline steel,etc. , so as to meet the need of construction in the future.

A review of Baosteel's development of steel for oil and natural gas

The development of oil and natural gas steel products at Baosteel over the past two decades is reviewed in this paper. After years of researching and developing steel products that are used in the energy industry such as drilling, exploitation, collection, transportation, and the storage of oil and natural gas, the system of composition and manufacturing techniques for Baosteel＇ s oil and natural gas steel products have been established. The oil and natural gas steel products of Baosteel consist of two major categories： the oil country tubular goods（OCTG） used underground, and the pipes used for pipeline construction on the ground. Currently, the product quality has maintained stability, and the related products have been extensively used worldwide for the exploration and transportation of oil and natural gas.

Environmental boundary and formation mechanism of different types of H2S corrosion products on pipeline steel

To establish an adequate thermodynamic model for the mechanism of formation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) corrosion products, theoretical and experimental studies were combined in this work. The corrosion products of API X60 pipeline steel formed under different H2S corrosion conditions were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. A thermodynamic model was developed to clarify the environmental boundaries for the formation and transformation of different products. Presumably, a dividing line with a negative slope existed between mackinawite and pyrrhotite. Using experimental data presented in this study combined with previously published results, we validated the model to predict the formation of mackinawite and pyrrhotite on the basis of the laws of thermodynamics. The established relationship is expected to support the investigation of the H2S corrosion mechanism in the oil and gas industry. © 2017, University of Science and Technology Beijing and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Reliability Analysis of Super 13Cr Tubing in Ultra-Deep Gas Well

Abnormal oil casing pressure appeared in the process of test production of multiple Ultra-Deep Gas Wells in Tarim Basin. The super 13Cr oil pipe string was used to analyze the causes of pipe string failure in view of the oil casing channeling well during the test and blowout period. The construction process of the well was analyzed in detail. Combined with the review of the operation flow and the detection of fracture string material and fracture morphology, the causes of pipe string fracture were analyzed and calculated in detail. Through field investigation, analysis and calculation, it was found that the main cause of cracking of super 13Cr tubing in this well is the decrease of vibration natural frequency caused by excessive fluid velocity in pipe and too long span of pipe string. At the same time, the mixed failure of stress corrosion cracking and stress load interaction occurred in Cl−1 environment and other corrosion environments.

Gas Flare Design Debottlenecking Using Pinch Analysis

Gas flaring is concerned with the combustion of lighter ends of hydrocarbon mostly produced in association with crude oil. Flare networks are designed to handle the gas volume required to be flared. Most times, this flare networks are in close proximity but still have independent flare stacks, increasing risk to environment and cost on infrastructures. There is a need to integrate the flare networks in facilities within same area and through the application of Pinch Analysis concept, the resultant flare network can be optimized to give a system having optimal tail and header pipe sizes that will reduce cost and impact on environment. In the light of the foregoing, the concept of pinch analysis was used in debottlenecking integrated gas flare networks from a flow station and a refinery in close proximity. Both flare networks were integrated and the resultant gas flare network was optimized to obtain the optimum pipe header and tail pipe sizes with the capacity to withstand the inventory from both facilities and satisfy the set constraints such as Mach number, noise, RhoV2 and backpressure. Mach number was set at 0.7 for tail pipes and 0.5 for header pipes, noise limit was not to exceed 80 dB upstream and 115 dB downstream the sources, RhoV2 was limited to 6000 kg/m/s2 and the back pressure requirement was source dependent respectively. The fire case scenario was considered, as it is the worst-case scenario in the studies. When pinch analysis was applied in debottlenecking the combined gas flare network, it gave smaller tail and header pipe sizes which is more economical. A 20% decrease in pipe sizes was recorded at the end of the study.