Flow Assurance and Operability

The successful design and operation of a multiphase production system must consider design parameters and issues for the entire system, from the reservoir to the processing and export facilities (Figure 1). To assure that the entire system can be designed to operate successfully and economically, system designers must consider flow assurance fundamentals such as reservoir characteristics, production profiles, produced fluid chemistry, and environmental conditions as well as mechanical, operational, risk, and economic issues for all parts of the system. 

Important system parameters established as part of the design effort include tubing and flowline diameters, insulation (on wellbore tubing, trees, jumpers, manifolds, flowlines and risers), chemical injection requirements, flow blockage intervention provisions, host facility requirements, capital and operating costs, operating boundaries (e.g. maximum and minimum production rates), and risk mitigation.  All production modes including startup, normal steady state operation, rate change, and shutdown must be considered throughout the system lifecycle.

Flow assurance encompasses the thermal-hydraulic design and assessment of multiphase production/transport systems as well as the prediction, prevention, and remediation of flow stoppages due to solids deposition (particularly due to hydrates and waxes).  In all cases, flow assurance designs must consider the capabilities and requirements for all parts of the system throughout the entire production life of the system to reach a successful solution.

Operating philosophies, strategies, and procedures for successful system designs must be robust.  They must be developed with system unknowns and uncertainties in mind and should be readily adapted to work with the system that is found to exist after production starts, even when that system is different from what was assumed during design (which often happens).

System Design is the synthesis of Flow Assurance and Operability features and attributes with all other aspects of the system.  These include reservoir, completions, subsea hardware, controls, pipelines, facilities, production operations, transportation, economics, and others.  The successful flow assurance design represents a system solution that best meets the needs of all groups.  (Figure 2)

•  Systems Engineering
  • Systems Integration
  • Integrity and Risk Management
•  Flow Assurance and Operability
  • Complete System Designs
  • Thermal-Hydraulic Simulations
  • Hydrate Prediction, Inhibition,
    and Remediation
  • Production Chemistry –
    Wax and Asphaltene Management
  • Production Chemistry – Scale Management
  • Slug Prediction and Slug Catcher Sizing
  • Production/Flow System Operability
  • Production System Design
  • Flow Assurance and Operability
    Design Stages
  • Analysis Tools
•  Subsea Engineering
  • Overall Field Development Planning
  • Conceptual Design
  • Subsea Structural Design
  • FEED
  • Detailed Engineering / Design / Analysis
  • Fabrication / Manufacturing Services
  • Installation Support
  • Project Conclusion
•  Subsea Active Production Technologies
•  Offshore Wind
•  Interface Management
  • Workflows and Processes
  • Interface Management Capability
  • Interface Management Tool
•  Construction Management
  • Design Support
  • Construction Planning
•  Project Management
  • WPMP
  • EMS
•  Materials Engineering
  • Materials Selection
  • Corrosion Management
  • Welding Engineering
  • Non-Destructive Testing

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