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SLUG CATCHERS

SLUG CATCHER Definition

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Slugcatcher is the name of a unit in the gas refinery or

petroleum industry in which slugs at the outlet of pipelines
are collected or caught. A slug is a large quantity of gas or
liquid that exists in the pipeline.

SLUGS
Pipelines that transport both gas and liquids together, known as twophase flow, can operate in a flow regime known as slugging flow or slug
flow.
Under the influence of gravity liquids will tend to settle on the bottom of
the pipeline, while the gases occupy the top section of the pipeline.
Under certain operating conditions gas and liquid are not evenly
distributed throughout the pipeline, but travel as large plugs with mostly
gases through the pipeline.
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These large plugs are called slugs.

Slugs existing in the pipeline can overload the gas/liquid handling capacity
of the plant at the pipeline outlet, as they are often produced at a much
larger rate than the equipment is designed for.
Slugs can be generated by different mechanisms in a pipeline:

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Terrain Slugging is caused by the elevations in the pipeline, which

follows the ground elevation or sea bed. Liquid can accumulate at a low
point of the pipeline until sufficient pressure builds up behind it. Once the
liquid is pushed out of the low point, it can form a plug.

Hydrodynamic slugging is caused by gas flowing at a fast rate over a

slower flowing liquid phase. The gas will form waves on the liquid
surface, which may grow to bridge the whole cross section of the line.
This creates a blockage on the gas flow, which travels as a slug through the
line.

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Riser Based Slugging also known as severe slugging is associated with

the pipeline risers often found in offshore oil production facilities. Liquids
accumulate at the bottom of the riser until sufficient pressure is generated
behind it to push the liquids over the top of the riser, overcoming the static
head. Behind this slug of liquid follows a slug of gas, until sufficient liquids
have accumulated at the bottom to form a new liquid plug.

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Slugs formed by terrain slugging, hydrodynamic slugging or riser based

slugging are periodical in nature. Whether a slug is able to reach the outlet
of the pipeline depends on the rate at which liquids are added to the slug
at the front (ie. in the direction of the flow) and the rate at which liquids
leave the slug at the back. Some slugs will grow as they travel the pipeline,
while others are dampened and disappear before reaching the outlet of
the pipeline.

PURPOSE OF THE SLUG CATCHER

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A slug catcher is a vessel with a significant buffer volume to store the

largest slugs expected from the upstream system.
The slug catcher is located between the outlet of the pipeline and the
processing equipment.
The buffered liquids can be drained to the processing equipment at a
much slower rate to prevent overloading the system. As slugs are a
periodical phenomenon, the slug catcher should be emptied before the
next slug arrives.
Slug catchers can be used continuously or on demand.
A slug catcher permanently connected to the pipeline will buffer all
production, including the slugs, before it is sent to the gas and liquid
handling facilities

 This is used for difficult to predict slugging behaviour found in terrain

slugging, hydrodynamic slugging or riser based slugging.
The slug catcher can be by-passed in normal operation and be brought
online when a slug is expected, usually during pigging operations.

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An advantage of this set up is that inspection and maintenance on the

slug catcher can be done without interrupting the normal operation.

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TYPES OF SLUG CATCHER

Types of Slug catcher

Slug catchers are used at the terminus of offshore

pipelines:
to catch large slugs of liquid in pipelines, to hold these
slugs temporarily, and then to allow them to follow into
downstream equipment and facilities at a rate at which
the liquid can be handled properly.

Slug catchers may be either a vessel or constructed of

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pipes.

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Types of Slug catcher

TYPES OF SLUG CATCHER

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Three following categories:

1. vessel type;
2. multiple-pipe type;
3. parking-loop type.

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Types of Slug catcher

Vessel-type slug
catcher
The geometry of the

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vessel-type slug catcher

could range from a
simple knock-out vessel
to a more sophisticated
lay-out.
This type is preferred in
the case of limited plot
sizes (e.g. offshore
platforms).

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Types of Slug catcher

Multiple-pipe slug
catcher

Multi-pipe slug catchers are

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made of pipeline materials.

This type allows for wide
ranges of flow situations and
configurations with different
shapes of the available ground
area.
The advantage of a multiplepipe slug catcher is that it is
easy to operate since no flow
controls are required.

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Types of Slug catcher

Multiple-pipe slug
catcher (continue1)
The configuration of a
pipe-type slug catcher
consists of the
following parts:
Fingers for gas/liquid
separation and liquid
storage capacity

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Gas equalization lines

located on each finger.
Liquid header collecting
liquid from each finger.

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Types of Slug catcher

Multiple-pipe slug catcher (continue3)

Slug catcher design is dependent on several factors, of

which the most important are:
Pigging operation and changes in flow rates.

Slug catcher size should be chosen on the basis of

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balancing the cost of frequent pigging operations and the

capital reduction of smaller slug catchers.

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Types of Slug catcher

Parking loop slug catcher

Separating and storage

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parts are virtually

disconnected.
It consists basically of a
large separator with the
liquid outlet connected to
a long single pipe-loop.
The incoming gas/liquid
stream is separated in the
vessel.

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This type of slug catcher is particularly suited to offshore applications where the
separator can be placed on the platform and the parking loop on the sea-bed.

Slug catcher design

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SLUG CATCHER SIZE

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Slug catcher design

Slug catcher volume (VSC) must be able to:

1. intercept the maximum possible slug size emerging
from the two-phase pipeline at any moment (VINT).
2. It should also contain a buffer volume of
condensate (VBUFFER) in order to guarantee liquid
supply to treating facilities downstream of the slug
catcher.

(VSC) = (VINT) + (VBUFFER)

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The intercepting capacity of the slug catcher is determined by

the nature and operating philosophy of the system.
If the pipeline is to be pigged regularly, it can be sized according
to the amount of liquid expected to accumulate between pigging
intervals.

Slug catcher design

For long pipelines, sphere-generated volumes

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(SGV) based on equilibrium hold-up conditions can be

very large and a special operating and pigging
philosophy may have to be devised to limit the size
of a slug catcher.
The size of (VBUFFER) is largely determined by the
characteristics of the liquid-treatment facilities and
required plant flexibility.

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