Tools for studying hydrate slurry transport in hydrocarbon transport lines - principally gas-condensate lines

Good mathematical models for the physico-chemical processes that govern the critical flow assurance aspects of direct well stream production are important for e-field operations as well as for the initial design. Such models are today inaccurate and immat ure or in some cases non-existent. This project aims to reduce the existing gap by improving the models for hydrate slurry transport. This KMB project includes two industry projects. The NRC funding will extend the industry work with new activities with t he goal to develop new experimental techniques to transfer results from bench top experiments on real fluid samples to model parameters for subsequent use in on-line flow assurance models. A post doc position is included in the project. The project involv es a co-operation with Institute Francais du Petrole on multiphase flow loop experiments with hydrate slurries. In IFPs high pressure medium scale loop the influence of chemicals on transport capacity and stop-restart behaviour both with horizontal line a nd with dips in the line will be studied. IFEs role will be in planning the experiments, analysing data and obtain detailed rheological information that will enable comparison between models and experimental results. A fluid and particle characterisation lab at IFE will be extended with better equipment for rheology and settling characterisation with samples under pressure. The lab will be used to obtain the detailed information mentioned above. Emphasis will also be in developing experimental methods tha t can aid analysis of real field development. A cross sectional model for particle and velocity distributions over a cross section will be further developed and tested against the loop data. The rheology parameters that can be used in the model will be e xtended to include yield stress. This model will be implemented in the OLGA multiphase flow code to obtain wall friction factors and slip ratios for particles in order to describe possible particle accumulation.