merpro spe march 2006

7/27/2019 Merpro SPE March 2006

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Topside Sand Handling Solutions

Tim Podger, Merpro

Second European Sand Management Forum

Aberdeen, March 2006


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Optimising separator performance

Enhancing downstream PWT systems

Protecting the integrity of produced water re-injection

systems

- through effective topside sand handling

Provide information from four case studies

Topside sand handling solutions


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Topside sand handling solutions

Merpro has developed a range of products for sand handling

Products incorporate Tore for sand/solids removal

They can be provided

as individual products for specific applications

or provided in combination to provide a complete topside

sand handling solution


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Tore - how it works

1 - Tangential feed

to swirl chamber

3 - Internal vessel pressure

forces slurry into discharge pipe

2 - Vortex generated fluidises solids


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Tore - what it does

Moves slurries of up to 40% solids by volume

1" Tore transports up to 4 tonnes of sand per hour

2" Tore transports up to 16 tonnes of sand per hour

Enables the removal of sand from vessels and the

transportation of slurries through pipelines

No moving parts = low maintenance


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Tore sand handling applications

Sand removal from separators

Sand cleaning

Sand transportation

De-sanding

Filtration


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ToreManifold

Removes sand from separators and vessels on-line

Sand removal from separators


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ToreManifold what it is

Tores manifolded within

base of vessel

Fluid introduced to Tores

Tore creates a vortex

which fluidises sand

Slurry exists through

discharge pipe

AIOC, Azerbaijan


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AIOC, Azerbaijan


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AIOC, Azerbaijan

BP Alaska, Prudhoe Bay


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ToreManifold demonstration

Click on the image to run the video clip


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Removal of sand from separators on-line

ToreManifold

Merpro acknowledges with thanks the permission of

Apache to present this case study

Case study 1 Apache Australia


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Produced sand inside production separator before

installation of Tore

Manifold

Case study 1 the problem

Apaches

Stag Platform,

Australia


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Case study 1 - results

Removes sand from separator on-line whenever required.

Apache activates them for half and hour every morningand evening

remove up to 10 tonnes sand per week

Eliminated unplanned shut downs to dig out sand previouspractice was 4 day shut downs to dig out every 3 months

In one year, eliminated 16 days of unplanned shut downs

Apache Stag, Australia


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Case study 1 - results

Eliminated associated shut down/dig out costs and HSEissues

Maintains vessel integrity

Enables separator to operate continuously at designefficiency, maintaining well fluid throughput at maximumlevels

Maximises revenue generation

Apache Stag, Australia


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Removal of sand from separators on-line

ToreManifold

Case study 2 Petronas Carigali

Merpro acknowledges with thanks the permission ofPetronas Carigali to present this case study


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Petronas Carigali Dulang B platform, Malaysia.

Shut downs every 6 months to dig out sand

Existing sand jetting system not working effectively due to

Jet nozzles and piping clogged

Drain line and valves eroded and clogged

Sand carry over to produced water system

Sand hardened and would not fluidise to flow through

drain nozzles No means to monitor how much sand left or removed

Petronas Carigali Dulang B,

Malaysia


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Case study 2 the solution

Tore

Manifold installed in HP separator Consists of 8 Tores in two banks of four

Configured in single line

2 inch inlet header for water; 2 inch outlet header for slurry Modifications to existing facilities minimised

Previous jetting system supports used to support Tore

Manifold


Malaysia


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Operating data

Inlet pressure : 0.5 bar above vessel pressure

Outlet pressure : Free discharge to atmosphere

Inlet flow rate : 16m3/hour

Outlet flow rate : circa 16m3/hour

Inlet fluid : Treated water

Outlet fluid : Slurry (sand and water)


Malaysia


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Case study 2 results

809 litres of sand collected in first month after

commissioning Annualised sand removal rate 9.7 kilolitres (15 tonnes)

Some loss of fine sand

Separator volume for oil and water separation is 92m3(based on normal 60% liquid level)

Accumulated sand would therefore result in loss of

residence time of 10.5%

More sand was removed by the B manifold closer to the

fluids inlet nozzle then the A manifold


Malaysia


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Petronas Carigalis conclusions

Tore Manifold was easy to install, utilising existing vessel

nozzles

It is simple to operate with minimum controls No problems in utilisation at a practical level

It removes a significant volume of sand without causing any

operational or process interruptions


Malaysia


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Petronas Carigalis conclusions ctd

Eliminated shut downs to dig out sand

Dulang B operations personnel have noticed better control

over the produced water discharge due to less sand level

interruption with the interface level reading


Malaysia


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Case study 3 BP Schiehallion

Improving efficiency of produced water re-injection

systems through effective topside sand handling therole played by Tore


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Case study 3 BP Schiehallion

Merpro acknowledges with thanks the permission of the

Schiehallion partners to present this case study:

BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd

Shell UK Ltd Amerada Hess Ltd

Murphy Petroleum Ltd

OMV (UK) Ltd

Statoil Exploration (UK) Ltd


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Increasing produced water led to installation of PWRI

system as part of reservoir pressure support strategy

With increasing produced water came increasing sand

Smaller than expected particle size resulted in increasing

drop out from suspension later than expected in the processtrain

Resulted in elevated solids loading within the treated

produced water system

In 2004, 13 tonnes of solids were removed from key process

vessels

BP Schiehallion, UK


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Key factors that set solids loading limit for the PWRI system

well injectivity

erosion limits for pumps, pipework, well bore and

completion type

Despite pipework integrity and sand removal/disposalmethods in original design, increased solids loading within

the produced water stream had several adverse effects

including

filter blockage

accelerated pump erosion

BP Schiehallion, UK


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Within 4 months water seals and pump casings began to failwithin the water injection and produced water booster

pumps.

Wedge wire screen filters upstream of the water injection

pump blocked

Result the PWRI system was suspended one year after

commissioning

BP Schiehallion, UK


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Significant modifications made to the PWRI system - Tore

important element in this

Erosion and mechanical improvements

sand erosion probes fitted to each production riser

pumps changed out for high solids pumps

desanding cyclone replaced wire screens

BP Schiehallion, UK


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Sand removal and entrainment minimisation

sand jetting system in the slug catcher and first stage

separator - replaced with ToreManifold

ToreManifold installed in the degasser to remove the

finer grained sand settling out in the vessel to minimisere-entrainment into the produced water system

nucleonic profiler for oil/water/sand interface

measurement fitted to improve level control in the firststage separator

BP Schiehallion, UK


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Case study 3 lessons learned

Detailed understanding of sand production issues

sand particle size distribution

sand quantities

sand drop out points within the process

Equipment Specification

sand removal and sand handling equipment

pumps suitable for solids loading

Review the correct point in the process to remove sand fromproduced water

BP Schiehallion, UK


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Case study 4 Statoil Gullfaks C

Eliminating sand carry over problems into

produced water outlet through effective topside

sand handling

Merpro acknowledges with thanks the permission ofStatoil to present this case study


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Existing sparging system causing excessive sand in the

produced water outlet

Production restricted by additional jetting water introducedinto the separator

Statoil, Gullfaks C, Norway


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ToreManifold installed in production and produced water

separators



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80 kgs of sand removed every 2 days from each separator

Fluidising effect of each Tore is localised

eliminated jetting system induced problems of solids in

the produced water outlet, giving improved operational

stability Feed water requirement reduced to 32m3/hour compared to

previous 100m3/hour

upstream and downstream equipment can be smaller



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Since Tores cause minimal turbulence at the liquid

interface, and the feed water and slurry discharge rates arebalanced, the separator interface level remains unaltered

allows separation of liquids to continue unaffected while

solids are removed

Enabled Statoil to increase well fluid throughput by up to

30% - increasing oil production and revenues

Supports field life extension



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Tore

Manifold atannual shut downinspection after oneyear of operation

No erosion inpipework or in vessel

Statoil describedvessel as clear ofsand

Case Study 4 results

Statoil Gullfaks C, Norway


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Conclusions

Operator experience with ToreManifold has demonstrated it

is an effective means of removing sand from separators

provides significant financial and operating benefits

eliminates unplanned shut downs to dig out produced sand removes sand on-line, enabling separators to operate at

design capacity on a continuous basis, maximising

revenues

protects downstream equipment from erosion e.g. PWRI

systems


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Thank you for your attention

Questions?

merpro spe march 2006

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