SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Chemical Engineering

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B41OA

OIL AND GAS PROCESSING

Semester 2 – 2014/15

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Tuesday, 28th April 2015

Duration: 2 Hours

Instructions to candidates:

Answer THREE questions in total - at least one from each section.

(2 separate booklets – answer Section A in one book and Section B in the

other)

Candidates are expected to make reasonable assumptions where

necessary.

Marks shown in () at the side of each question are for indication only.

Candidates are expected to show all calculation steps, equations used

and assumptions made (if any).

Data sheets are attached with this paper.

 B41OA

SECTION A

(Answer at least ONE question from this Section)

A1. (a) Describe the three main gas hydrate crystal structures that are formed when
hydrocarbons mix with water under appropriate conditions. Your answer
should include the differences and similarities between the structures and the
relationship between the host and the guest species.
(11 marks)

(b) Calculate the potential hydrate formation pressure for the following gas
mixture at 290 K, using the distribution coefficient technique. Use the
figures presented on the additional sheets attached to this examination
paper.
(8 marks)

Component Mole% Molar Mass

C1 95 16
C2 3 30
C3 2 44

(c) What information would you need in order to estimate the amount of
methanol inhibitor required to prevent hydrate formation if the actual
temperature is 275 K at the pressure determined in part (b)? YOU ARE
NOT REQUIRED TO DO THE CALCULATION.
(3 marks)

(d) What other three factors determine the amount of inhibitor actually
used?
(3 marks)

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 B41OA

A2. (a) Describe the formation process for barium sulphate scale.
(11 marks)

(b) Where in the production process does barium sulphate scale usually
form?
(4 marks)

(c) Distinguish between microcrystalline and macrocrystalline wax

deposits. You should include details of the composition and physical
nature of the deposits.
(5 marks)

(d) Describe the mechanism of asphaltene precipitation and some of the

processes that may result in asphaltene deposition.
(5 marks)

END OF SECTION A

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 B41OA

SECTION B

(Answer at least ONE question from this Section)

B1. (a) Describe with the aid of suitable diagrams, the fundamental features of
horizontal and vertical three-phase gas/liquid separators. Include any
specific internals used to assist in the separation of gas from liquid and
coalescence of dispersed droplets.
(6 marks)

(b) Two and three phase separators are often affected by sand. Describe one
method by which sand can be automatically removed from horizontal
separators.
(4 marks)

Question B1 Cont’d…/

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 B41OA

Question B1 Cont’d/

(c) A horizontal separator, 20 m long (seam-seam), 4 m internal diameter is

used to separate a mixture of gas, oil and water. Residence time of the oil is
6 minutes and the water is 8 minutes. Properties of the oil and other
relevant data are included below.

(i) Calculate the holdup volume of oil and water and hence the normal
volumetric flowrates of both phases.

(ii) Calculate the size of a water-in-oil drop that could be separated from
this separator.

(iii) Comment on the value in part (ii) with expected normal values.

(iv) If sand of mean size 50 microns were to enter this separator,

determine if this would be deposited or pass through the separator.
(15 marks)

Physical properties
Oil density is 890 kg/m3, viscosity 6 cP, gas density at separator conditions is
45 kg/m3. Take the density of water to be 1010 kg/m3 and viscosity to be 1 cP.
Normal liquid levels are 1 m for the oil-water and 2.5 for the oil-gas interface.
Density of sand is 2500 kg/m3.

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 B41OA

B2. Chevron’s Rosebank field lies 130 km northwest of the Shetland Islands in water
depth approximately 1100m. The proposed pipeline route will install a line
147 km long to tie into the SIRGE pipeline that connects Sullom Voe on the
Shetland Islands to the Frigg UK pipeline, which in turn connects to St Fergus
terminal. Chevron recommended an FPSO is installed to provide processing
facilities.

(a) What does the term FPSO mean and outline why this type of platform was
probably selected over a fixed based one for this particular field.
(3 marks)

(b) Data from TOTAL, which operates the Frigg pipeline, suggests this line has
a capacity of 34 mmscfd. If the same flowrate of gas was transported from
Rosebank along a 24” diameter pipeline to the SIRGE connection point,
calculate the following:

(i) the frictional pressure drop using the Panhandle B equation. Assume
that the pressure at the SIRGE connection point is 50 bar;
(6 marks)

(ii) explain why equations like Panhandle are used in long gas pipelines.
(2 marks)

Question B2 Cont’d…/

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 B41OA

Question B2 Cont’d/

(c) According to Chevron, the FPSO has an oil processing capacity of

75,000 b/d oil. If this oil were transported along a 24” diameter pipeline,
what would be the frictional pressure drop? What would you expect to
happen to the pressure drop if the gas and oil were transported along the
same line?
(2 marks)

(d) Give a short summary of the type of processing stages needed to treat the
gas from the field before it enters the pipeline, explaining why each stage
would be necessary.
(5 marks)

(e) Discuss what impact the movement of the FPSO could have on the
processing equipment and outline what measures you would recommend to
offset any negative effects.
(4 marks)

(f) Cleaning and inspection of pipelines is often carried out for pipelines
onshore. Discuss what options Chevron may have for cleaning and
inspecting this pipeline, given the nature of the pipeline network in the North
Sea.
(3 marks)

Physical properties of gas and oil in this question

Specific gravity Compressibility Flowing Temp Pipeline Efficiency
0.6 0.94 5ºC 1

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 B41OA

B3. Answer both parts of this question.

(a) The production of water for an oil field is due normally to two factors:

(i) the formation water, and

(ii) any water injected as part of pressure maintenance programme.

Water that is injected has to be treated and any water produced with the oil
has to be treated. With this scenario in mind, answer the following:

(1) Outline what processing stages are used to treat water for
injection. Include in your answer the reasons why the stages are
selected.
(4 marks)

(2) Hydrocyclones are often used to treat oily-water from the

production separators. Explain how this unit works and outline
the key operating characteristics and challenges for using these
units.
(4 marks)

(3) A filter coalescer unit is something that can be used to separate

water from oil, or oil from water. Outline how this unit works and
what some of the operating problems are with this unit.
(4 marks)

Question B3 Cont’d…/

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 B41OA

Question B3 Cont’d/

(b) A crude oil emulsion, 5000 bpd, is passed into a horizontal heater-treater
where it is heated from 30ºC to 70ºC. The target water cut is 0.75%.
Properties of the oil and water are listed below. Calculate the following:

(i) the size of a water-in-oil droplet that is needed to achieve the required
water cut;
(3 marks)

(ii) the settling velocity of this water drop that would separate from the oil
in the coalescing section;
(4 marks)

(iii) the diameter and effective length of the coalescing section;

(3 marks)

(iv) the target oil temperature is 70ºC. Comment on using this value and
what you can consider as an alternative to raising the temperature this
high.
(3 marks)

Assume the oil density is 890 kg/m3, water density 1070 kg/m3. Water
viscosity is 1 cP, oil viscosity is given by: m =125e-0.0349T , where T is in
ºC, m in cP.

END OF PAPER

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