|
|
xiii | |
Preface |
|
xxi | |
|
|
1 | (12) |
|
|
1.1 Why are Hydrates Important? |
|
|
1 | (1) |
|
|
2 | (2) |
|
1.2.1 Hydrate Crystal Structures |
|
|
2 | (2) |
|
1.3 Four Rules of Thumb Arising from Crystal Structure |
|
|
4 | (5) |
|
1.4 Chapter Summary Application: Methane Hydrate Formation on an Emulsified Water Droplet |
|
|
9 | (2) |
|
|
11 | (2) |
|
2 Where and How are Hydrate Plugs Formed? |
|
|
13 | (24) |
|
|
|
|
2.1 Where do Hydrates form in Offshore Systems? |
|
|
13 | (3) |
|
2.2 How do Hydrate Plugs form? Four Conceptual Pictures |
|
|
16 | (16) |
|
2.2.1 Hydrate Blockages in Oil-Dominated Systems |
|
|
17 | (1) |
|
2.2.1.1 Rules of Thumb for Hydrate Formation in Oil-Dominated Systems |
|
|
18 | (1) |
|
2.2.1.2 A Model for Hydrate Formation in Oil-Dominated Flowlines |
|
|
19 | (3) |
|
2.2.2 Hydrate Formation in Gas-Condensate Systems |
|
|
22 | (1) |
|
2.2.2.1 Case Study 1: Tommeliten-Gamma Field |
|
|
22 | (2) |
|
2.2.2.2 Case Study 2: Werner-Bolley Field Hydrate Formation |
|
|
24 | (2) |
|
2.2.2.3 Hypothesized Mechanism for Gas-Dominated Systems |
|
|
26 | (1) |
|
2.2.3 Hydrate Blockages in Condensate Flowlines |
|
|
27 | (4) |
|
2.2.4 High-Water-Cut (Volume) Systems |
|
|
31 | (1) |
|
2.3 Risk Management in Hydrate Plug Prevention |
|
|
32 | (3) |
|
2.3.1 Cold Stabilized Flow |
|
|
33 | (2) |
|
2.4 Relationship of Chapter to Subsequent Content |
|
|
35 | (1) |
|
|
35 | (2) |
|
3 Safety in Hydrate Plug Removal |
|
|
37 | (12) |
|
|
|
3.1 Two Safety Case Studies |
|
|
37 | (9) |
|
3.1.1 Case Study 1: One-Sided Depressurization |
|
|
37 | (1) |
|
3.1.1.1 The Cause and Effect of Hydrate Projectiles |
|
|
38 | (3) |
|
3.1.1.2 Predicting Plug Projectile Effects |
|
|
41 | (3) |
|
3.1.1.2.1 Example Calculation |
|
|
44 | (1) |
|
3.1.1.3 The Effect of Multiple Plugs |
|
|
45 | (1) |
|
3.1.2 Case Study 2: Heating a Plug |
|
|
45 | (1) |
|
3.2 Common Circumstances of Plug Formation and Plug Removal Safety |
|
|
46 | (1) |
|
3.2.1 Common Circumstances of Plug Formation |
|
|
46 | (1) |
|
3.2.2 Plug Removal Safety Recommendations |
|
|
46 | (1) |
|
3.3 Relationship of Chapter to Subsequent Content |
|
|
47 | (1) |
|
|
47 | (2) |
|
4 How Hydrate Plugs are Remediated |
|
|
49 | (38) |
|
|
|
50 | (1) |
|
|
51 | (1) |
|
4.3 Blockage Identification |
|
|
52 | (2) |
|
4.3.1 Determining Cause of Blockage |
|
|
53 | (1) |
|
|
54 | (1) |
|
4.5 Determining Blockage Size |
|
|
55 | (1) |
|
4.6 Blockage Removal Options |
|
|
56 | (7) |
|
|
57 | (1) |
|
|
58 | (1) |
|
|
58 | (1) |
|
|
59 | (1) |
|
|
60 | (1) |
|
4.6.4.2 Electrical Heating |
|
|
61 | (1) |
|
|
61 | (1) |
|
4.6.4.4 Mud or Fluid Circulation |
|
|
61 | (1) |
|
4.6.4.5 External Heat Tracing |
|
|
62 | (1) |
|
4.6.4.6 Guiding Principles for Thermal Remediation |
|
|
62 | (1) |
|
|
63 | (12) |
|
4.7.1 Pipelines/Flowlines Strategy |
|
|
63 | (1) |
|
4.7.1.1 Recommended Order of Consideration |
|
|
64 | (1) |
|
4.7.1.2 Detailed Discussion of Pipelines/Flowlines Strategy |
|
|
64 | (1) |
|
4.7.1.2.1 Pressure Method |
|
|
64 | (1) |
|
4.7.1.2.2 Chemical Management |
|
|
65 | (1) |
|
4.7.1.2.3 Mechanical Method |
|
|
65 | (1) |
|
|
66 | (1) |
|
|
66 | (1) |
|
4.7.2.1 Recommended Order of Consideration |
|
|
67 | (1) |
|
4.7.2.2 Detailed Discussion of Well Strategy |
|
|
67 | (1) |
|
4.7.2.2.1 Pressure Method |
|
|
67 | (1) |
|
4.7.2.2.2 Chemical Method |
|
|
68 | (1) |
|
4.7.2.2.3 Mechanical Method |
|
|
68 | (1) |
|
|
68 | (1) |
|
|
69 | (1) |
|
4.7.3.1 Recommended Order of Consideration |
|
|
69 | (1) |
|
4.7.3.2 Detailed Discussion of Riser Strategy |
|
|
70 | (1) |
|
4.7.3.2.1 Pressure Method |
|
|
70 | (1) |
|
4.7.3.2.2 Chemical Method |
|
|
70 | (1) |
|
4.7.3.2.3 Mechanical Method |
|
|
71 | (1) |
|
|
71 | (1) |
|
|
72 | (1) |
|
4.7.4.1 Recommended Order of Consideration |
|
|
72 | (1) |
|
4.7.4.2 Detailed Discussion of Remediation Strategy |
|
|
72 | (1) |
|
4.7.4.2.1 Pressure Method |
|
|
72 | (1) |
|
4.7.4.2.2 Chemical Method |
|
|
73 | (1) |
|
4.7.4.2.3 Mechanical Method |
|
|
73 | (1) |
|
|
74 | (1) |
|
|
75 | (6) |
|
4.8.1 Export Pipeline (BP Pompano) |
|
|
75 | (1) |
|
4.8.1.1 Strategy Employed to Dissociate the Plug |
|
|
76 | (1) |
|
4.8.2 Gas Condensate Pipeline (Chevron) |
|
|
77 | (1) |
|
4.8.3 Well (Gas Condensate) |
|
|
78 | (1) |
|
4.8.4 Equipment (BP Gulf of Mexico) |
|
|
78 | (3) |
|
|
81 | (1) |
|
|
82 | (5) |
|
5 Artificial and Natural Inhibition of Hydrates |
|
|
87 | (18) |
|
|
|
5.1 How Thermodynamic Hydrate Inhibitors Function and How They are Used |
|
|
88 | (4) |
|
5.2 The Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitors (LDHIs) |
|
|
92 | (5) |
|
5.2.1 Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitors |
|
|
92 | (3) |
|
|
95 | (2) |
|
5.3 Naturally Inhibited Oils |
|
|
97 | (6) |
|
5.3.1 Viscosity of Suspension |
|
|
98 | (1) |
|
5.3.2 Viscosity of Aggregated Suspension |
|
|
98 | (2) |
|
|
100 | (1) |
|
|
101 | (2) |
|
|
103 | (1) |
|
|
103 | (2) |
|
6 Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitor Performance |
|
|
105 | (40) |
|
|
|
|
|
105 | (1) |
|
6.2 Study 1: Miniloop Flowing KHI Hold Time |
|
|
106 | (5) |
|
6.3 Study 2: Autoclave Testing Methodology |
|
|
111 | (17) |
|
|
112 | (2) |
|
6.3.2 Miniloop Equivalence Requirements |
|
|
114 | (2) |
|
|
116 | (4) |
|
6.3.4 Test Procedures and Data Interpretation |
|
|
120 | (1) |
|
|
120 | (8) |
|
|
128 | (4) |
|
6.4.1 Autoclave Study Summary |
|
|
132 | (1) |
|
6.5 Study 3: Correlation of Miniloop, Large Loop, and Rocking Cell Results |
|
|
132 | (1) |
|
6.6 Study 4---Correlation of Large Loop and Field Results |
|
|
133 | (1) |
|
|
134 | (1) |
|
|
135 | (1) |
|
|
136 | (9) |
|
7 Industrial Operating Procedures for Hydrate Control |
|
|
145 | (18) |
|
|
|
|
|
145 | (1) |
|
7.2 Deepwater System Design |
|
|
146 | (1) |
|
7.3 Application of Chapters 1 through 6 |
|
|
147 | (6) |
|
7.3.1 Question 1: When and Where Are Hydrates Likely to Form in the Production System? |
|
|
148 | (1) |
|
7.3.2 Question 2: What Can I Control in Order to Prevent Hydrates from Forming? |
|
|
148 | (1) |
|
7.3.3 Question 3: What are the Monitoring Points in the System That Will Give Indication of Hydrates? |
|
|
149 | (1) |
|
7.3.3.1 Risk of Hydrate Plugging |
|
|
150 | (1) |
|
7.3.3.2 Signs of Hydrate Plugging |
|
|
150 | (1) |
|
7.3.4 Question 4: If a Hydrate Plug Forms in the Production System, How Can It Be Remediated? |
|
|
151 | (1) |
|
|
152 | (1) |
|
|
152 | (1) |
|
|
152 | (1) |
|
|
152 | (1) |
|
7.4 Generation of Operating Procedures for Hydrate Control |
|
|
153 | (2) |
|
7.4.1 Detailed Design---Customer: Engineering |
|
|
153 | (1) |
|
7.4.2 Operating Guidelines---Customer: Engineering and Operations |
|
|
153 | (1) |
|
7.4.3 Operating Procedures---Customer: Operations |
|
|
154 | (1) |
|
7.5 Operating Procedure Details |
|
|
155 | (5) |
|
7.5.1 Who Is the Customer? |
|
|
156 | (1) |
|
7.5.2 Writing an Operating Procedure |
|
|
157 | (3) |
|
7.6 Sample Operating Procedure: Cold Well Startup into Cold System |
|
|
160 | (2) |
|
7.6.1 Pre-Startup Checklist |
|
|
161 | (1) |
|
|
161 | (1) |
|
7.7 Relationship of Chapter to Others in This Book |
|
|
162 | (1) |
|
|
162 | (1) |
|
|
163 | (8) |
|
8.1 Chapter 1: Basic Structures and Formation Properties |
|
|
164 | (1) |
|
8.2 Chapter 2: How Hydrate Plugs Form and are Prevented |
|
|
165 | (1) |
|
8.3 Chapter 3: Hydrate Safety during Remediation |
|
|
166 | (1) |
|
8.4 Chapter 4: Industrial Methods for Hydrate Plug Dissociation |
|
|
167 | (1) |
|
8.5 Chapter 5: Inhibitor Mechanisms and Naturally Inhibited Oils |
|
|
167 | (2) |
|
8.6 Chapter 6: Certifying Hydrate Kinetic Inhibitors for Field Performance |
|
|
169 | (1) |
|
8.7 Chapter 7: Offshore Production Operating Procedures for Hydrate Control |
|
|
169 | (2) |
Appendix: Six Industrial Hydrate Blockage Examples and Lessons Learned |
|
171 | (22) |
Index |
|
193 | |