Process Intensification: An Offshore Oil & Gas Industry PerspectiveHeriot-Watt, June 3rd 2004

Mike SWIDZINSKI

Technology Team Leader - NSBU

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Outline:

• General Overview

• Current Approaches to Oil & Gas Processing

• Examples of Process Intensification – Offshore

• Future Opportunities & Concepts

Problem background

1970-80 1980-90 1990-2000

2000+ -1°C-1°C

+4°C+4°C

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

General Overview:-

What is happening?

1. Production of Wellstream Fluids (Oil, Gas and associated Liquids)

2. Gathering

3. Separation & Stabilisation

4. Clean-Up

5. Compression/Pumping

6. Transportation

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

General Overview:-

What is happening?

1. Production of Wellstream Fluids

• Reduction of flowing pressure eg 750+ barg to 70 bar

• Chemical Treatment for Flow Assurance

• Flow Measurement

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

TUNGSTEN CARBIDE DISC STACK

TUNGSTEN CARBIDEPLUG

TUNGSTEN CARBIDESEAT INSERT

INCONEL SEATCARRIER

CCI CHOKE VALVE

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

General Overview:-

What is happening?

1. Production of Wellstream Fluids (Oil, Gas and associated Liquids)

2. Gathering

3. Separation & Stabilisation

• Separation of Gas from Produced Liquids

• Separation of Water from Oil

• Separation of Produced Solids

GATHERING, SEPARATION & STABILISATION

HP SEP1100C

40 BARG

LP SEP730C

13.5 BARG

GAS

FLASH GAS

OIL

LIVE OIL

WATER

NGL

Production From Wells

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

General Overview:-

What is happening?1. Production of Wellstream Fluids (Oil, Gas and associated Liquids)

2. Gathering

3. Separation & Stabilisation

4. Clean-Up

• Removal of Water (Dehydration)

• Removal of Acid Gases

• Removal of Residual Oil from Water

• Removal of Solids/Scale from Liquid Streams

•Chemical Treatment

GAS PROCESSING(Dehydration & Compression)

EXPORT GAS

Water

NGLNGLNGL

NGL

1st Stage Suc

Drum 240C35

BARG

Contactor 230C

67 BARG

2nd Stage Suc

Drum 90C62

BARG

FUEL GAS

Compression Compression

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

General Overview:-

What is happening?1. Production of Wellstream Fluids (Oil, Gas and associated Liquids)

2. Gathering

3. Separation & Stabilisation

4. Clean-Up

5. Compression/Pumping

6. Transportation

• (Re-) Compression of Processed Gas

• Pumping of Processed Hydrocarbon Liquids

• Disposal of Waste Product

• Chemical Treatment

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Consequences:

• Demand for SPACE

• Weight Control/Constraints

• Equipment Availability/Reliability

• Cost (CAPEX and OPEX)

• HSE Issues (Need for Manning/Intervention)

All of the preceding necessitate investment in and use of appropriately sized (invariably large) and heavy production and processing equipment.

All of the preceding Production & Processing actions have inherent inefficiencies.

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

These Issues are recognised and well understood.

There a several examples of initiatives taken to simplify and intensify oil and gas processing offshore.

Examples include:-

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Compact Heat Exchangers

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Compact Heat Exchangers

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Processing on the Sea Bed

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Processing in the Well: DOWNHOLE

The following example involves:

• Liquid:Gas Separation

• Transport of Gas & Liquid to Surface

• Re-injection of separated Water

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

An Improvement over Conventional:

• Processing moved to the seabed

• But still the need for a nearby host facility to supply power and receive production

Can We Do Better Still?

• What is the “Ultimate Achievable”?

How about TOTALLY removing the need for an How about TOTALLY removing the need for an offshore host and producing straight to shore?offshore host and producing straight to shore?

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Why do we process?

• To Stabilise Production

• To achieve a product that is Transportable/Exportable

What are the Threats/Concerns of Not Processing?

• Hydrates

• Corrosion

• Wax

• Scale

• Complex Multiphase Flow Regime

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

What if I could Stabilise all the Species and Phases that I expect to encounter in

Production?

As Perhaps ….

A STABLE SLURRY?

The Concept is calledThe Concept is called

““COLD FLOW”COLD FLOW”

”Cold Flow" definition

Flow of hydrocarbon production fluids over distances long enough that the majority of the time is spent at ambient temperature

• no chemical solids inhibition, and - in particular:• no "anti-agglomerant" hydrate slurry producers,• no pipeline insulation,• no pipeline or component heating,• bare steel pipelines, exposed to sea,• with a slurry which is easily transportable, able to go through long-lasting shut-ins, re-dispersing at restart, etc.

Hydrate growth – "improved"

Hydrate

Water

Dry, inert, easilyflowable hydratepowder

The solution

The solution

WELL

OilCondensateWaterGas

Recirculation

Split

Inert slurry

Problem background

1970-80 1980-90 1990-2000

2000+ -1°C-1°C

+4°C+4°C

Process IntensificationAn Offshore Oil & Gas Industry Perspective

Summary:

• Further Process Simplification and Intensification in the Offshore Oil & Gas Industry is unlikely to happen if conventional oil & gas processing philosophy continues to prevail.

• Subsea processing or processing in the well itself may simplify and minimise the need for surface facilities, but the need for near-by host facilities to support and receive production from such installations remains.

• A possible way forward maybe to homogenise the different components associated with oil & gas production and transport these as a controllable slurry to an Onshore host facility?

Process Intensification: An Offshore Oil & Gas Industry PerspectiveHeriot-Watt, June 3rd 2004

Mike SWIDZINSKI

Technology Team Leader - NSBU