Introduction

To Nitrogen
SAK NAFTA DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM ( PHASE - I ) -
INTRODUCTORY TRAINING PROGRAM – COURSES
NITROGEN SERVICE CLASS ROOM TRAINING

BY : TAMER ABD ELGHANY FARAG

 Introduction To Nitrogen
 Nitrogen service equipment normally converts low
pressure liquid nitrogen to high pressure and temperature
gaseous nitrogen for various applications.

 Gaseous nitrogen is weightless. It can be used to displace

any heavy liquid column off the well to reduce the
hydrostatic head. (Well flowing)
 Gaseous nitrogen is compressible and Energized fluid that
can store energy. (Hydraulic circuit accumulators)

 It can also increase the velocity of any fluid pumped as

foam. (For better cleaning, Diverting, deep penetration and
fast flow back)
 Introduction To Nitrogen (Cont.)

 Liquid nitrogen is obtained from fractional distillation of

liquid air.

 Air is liquefied by compression and progressive refrigeration.

 Liquid nitrogen boils off at -320.45°F.

 Introduction To Nitrogen (Cont.)

 The field of science that deals with the technology of handling

liquids colder than -187°F is called cryogenics.

 All the liquids and equipment to handle these cold liquids are
labeled cryogenic liquids and cryogenic equipment.

 Interest in nitrogen for oil and gas well stimulation work is

focused on the compact source of high energy gas available at
reasonable cost.
 Safety Considerations

 Exposure to cold temperature

 Asphyxiation

 Over pressurization of containers or piping

 Safety Precautions

 Avoid contact with liquid nitrogen or it’s vapor.

 Stand clear of boiling liquid nitrogen to avoid spatter

and vapors.

 Do not touch frosted pipes or valves without adequate

protective equipment.

 Stay out of closed areas with liquid nitrogen.

 Safety Precautions (Cont.)

 Good ventilation is a must to avoid concentration of

gaseous nitrogen in the air.

 Do not rely on the absence of a visible plume or

vapor cloud as evidence of a normal air content.

 Personnel should not work in or enter areas where

suspected oxygen content is less than 19% unless
equipped with a self-contained breathing apparatus.
 First Aid

 If any liquid nitrogen or nitrogen vapor contacts the skin or

eyes, flush immediately with large quantities of unheated
water.

 If the skin is blistered or there is any chance of the eye

being affected, the individual should seek immediate
treatment by a physician.
 First Aid (Cont.)

 Persons suffering from an oxygen deficiency

(asphyxiation) should be quickly moved to an area of
normal oxygen concentration.

 Artificial respiration and supplemental oxygen should be

administered if the victim is not breathing.
NOTE: Coma due to lack of oxygen is not always fatal.

 Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques should

be administered and continued until the victim is revived
or is in the care of a trained physician.
 Field Supply & Storage
Of Liquid Nitrogen

 Location of plant facilities to manufacture liquid nitrogen

is only limited by the availability of power, Since the raw
material is air.

 A liquid nitrogen plant will also produce liquid oxygen

and other rare gasses found in the air.

 Usually a big gas plant will have transporters to deliver the

liquid nitrogen and other products to his clients. In most
cases will send it’s own transporters or tanks to be filled in
the plant on its way to location.
 Field Supply & Storage
Of Liquid Nitrogen (Cont.)
 The road transporters and tanks used to transport liquid
nitrogen are vacuum-jacketed cryogenic tanks.

 An inner tank made of stainless steel and tested to 50 psi

holds the liquid nitrogen (new tanks are tested to 9.1 bars
(133.77 psi)).

 An outer shell of mild steel provides an evacuated space

for insulating purposes. This space is filled with multi-
layers of expanded perlite (Insulating Material).
 Field Supply & Storage
Of Liquid Nitrogen (Cont.)
 The tanks are provided with pressure-relief valves to
release nitrogen gas as pressure builds up in the tank due
to gas expansion by heat. As pressure is released, the
remaining liquid nitrogen is cooled.

 Liquid nitrogen in storage loses product continuously.

 SAKANFTA IN EGYPT
•For offshore and normal land jobs we have the usual gal
2000storage tanks (6tanks).
New Liquid Nitrogen Tanks
2000 Gallon - 1
New Liquid Nitrogen Tanks
Static Storage Tanks

They have high capacity

(15000 7000 US Gallon).
Vertical tanks are preferred
for their lower evaporation
rate (Lower exposed surface
area). Losses per day are
:around
Horizontal Tanks
0.5% per Day
Vertical Tanks
0.3% per Day
 :Transport Tanks
 They have capacities between 7000 to 2000 US
Gallons.
 They are either trailer or truck mounted for land
work or skid framed for land and / or off-shore
work.
 Losses per day are around :
 6000 gallon Tanks 0.5%
 2000 & 4000 gallon tanks 0.8%
 Nitrogen Tank
VENT
JR
TCGT V-10
V-11
SV RR

BD
V- V- V-8
7 6 95% FULL
V9
PG VF
LLG

PUMP
RETURN V-
4
V-
VESSEL FILL 1
V-
PUMP V
2-
SUCTION 3

V-
5

1/1/97
 Nitrogen Pump Units
for Oilfield
 In oilfield applications, the nitrogen can only be used as a
high pressure and temperature gas.

 Any oilfield nitrogen pump unit should contain a system

for liquid nitrogen pumping and a vaporizer system.

 The liquid nitrogen pumping system will pressurize the

low pressure liquid nitrogen and the vaporizer will turn it
into gas. The resultant is a high pressure and temperature
nitrogen gas.
 Nitrogen Pump Units
for Oilfield (Cont.)

 The liquid nitrogen pumping system consists essentially of

a centrifugal charge pump and a high pressure triplex
pump for pressurizing the liquid.

 The nitrogen pump units are known by their triplex pump

rate capacity. The 90K nitrogen unit is the one with a
triplex pump that can pump 90’000 SCF per Hour.

 services division has three nitrogen units with the capacity

of 90K, 180K (2 X 90K) and 250K (1 X 250K).
 Nitrogen Pump Units
for Oilfield (Cont.)

 The vaporizer systems will differ in design according to

the principle of heat exchange with the liquid nitrogen.

 The vaporizer system can use any wasted heat from the
pump unit other systems like the diesel engine wasted
heat (Cooling system & Exhaust) and the hydraulic
system wasted heat.

 Other vaporizers will have their own separate heating

system like the fuel burners.
 Nitrogen Pump Units
for Oilfield (Cont.)

 The vaporizer system in any nitrogen pump unit is

designed according to it’s pumping rate and safety rules
limitations of the place it is intended to work in.

 The higher the pumping rate, the higher the heat

exchanging rate should be. This will decide how many
stages of heat exchanging will be needed for a certain unit.
 Nitrogen Pump Units
for Oilfield (Cont.)
Principles of Operation : 90K nitrogen pump unit)
 During normal operation liquid nitrogen flows from the supply
tank through the centrifugal charge pump (where suction
pressure is Boosted) to the triplex pump where it is pressurized
by reciprocating pistons to downstream pressure.

 Then high pressure liquid flows through the nitrogen

vaporizer, absorbs a sufficient amount of heat from the power
unit cooling system to raise the temperature to 70°F and then
to the exhaust heat exchanger to super heat the nitrogen to
180°F and flows out through the discharge valve as high
pressure heated gas.
90K Nitrogen Pump Unit
General View
90K Nitrogen Pump Unit
L N2 Side View
NITROGEN UNIT 180 K
NITROGEN UNIT -180 K
 NITROGEN CALCULATIONS

Nitrogen Well Service Displacement calculations

 Laws of arithmetic
1- T.c = T.s × F.L , D = BBL
2- BHP1 = 0.052 × ∞ × D = PSI
BHP2 = 0.052 × ∞ × M.P = PSI
WHP + BHP
3- Paverage =
2

T1+ T2
4- Taverage = 2

5- T2 = T1+ ( 1.1 × D / 100 )

Taverage -6
Paverage ├ NVF
F.D.H.B

1.1 × ] 10000 + )BBL × NVF([

= LN2 -7 93.12
 Phase Diagram

C
Pressure

Solid Liquid

Gas

Temperature
 Nitrogen Properties
 Chemical symbol N2
 Normal boiling point - 320o F
 Critical pressure 492.3 psi
 Critical temperature - 232.87o F
 Triple point - 345.9o F @ 1.82 psi
 1 gallon of LN2 = 93.12 SCF of gas

1/1/97
 Standard Cubic Foot
 One cubic foot of gas measured at 60o F and
14.7 psia

1/1/97
 Compressibility Factor
2.1

2.0
0 F
0
1.9
0F
0
10
1.8 0F
0
20
0F
0
30
1.7 00F
400 0
F
1.6 500 0
F
600 0
0 F
70 0 F
1.5 800

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1
Pressure pounds per square inch absolute
2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000

1/1/97
 Nitrogen Volume Factor
 Standard cubic feet per barrel of space
 SCF/BBL = 198.6 P/ZT
 Where
 P = Pressure, PSI
 T = Temperature, absolute Rankine
(Rankine = F+460)
 Z = Compressibility factor

1/1/97
 NITROGEN
CALCULATION
EXAMPLE
 Nitrogen Displacement To
trip tank

?What you need to know

Backer
13446

.Perf

Brine
 .Csg
Required Information Tbg

SSD
•Tbg Data O.D, weight,...
Tbg. End
•No. of BBL or displacement depth
•Perf. Depth .Perf

•Temperature (bottom, surface, gradient…)

• Fluid Data (Mud) weight, …
•Reservoir pressure
 Nitrogen Displacement

• Under balance Perforation:

•The diagram indicate the purpose of using N2
DISPLACEMENT & UNDER BALANCE

EXAMPLE 1
Data
T.S= 0.00735 -- PH6
D= 7258
M.P= 9673
R.P = 4316
U.B = 2000
9.5 =∞
2875
T.C = 7258 × 0.00735= 53
BHP1 = 0.052 × 9.5 × 7258 = 3585.5
BHP2 = 0.052 × 9.5 × 9673 = 4778.5 3500
875

VENT = ( R.P – U.B ) – ( BHP2 – BHP1 )

BHP
VENT = 2316 – 1193 = 1123
1000

FROM F.D.H.B
VENT = 875 PSI
M/D=2875 PSI 7258
D
DISPLACEMENT & UNDER BALANCE

EXAMPLE 2
Data
T.S= 0.0087
D= 5287
M.P= 5866
R.P = 2600
U.B = 500
9.5 =∞
T = 180 °F
2200

T.C = 0.0087 × 5287 = 46 BBL

BHP1 =0.052 × 9.5 × 5287 = 2612 2612
BHP2 = 0.052 × 9.5 × 5866 = 2898
1600
VENT = ( R.P – U.B ) – ( BHP2 – BHP1 ) BHP
VENT = ( 2100 – 286 ) = 1814
1814
FROM F.D.H.B
VENT = 1600 PSI
M/D= 2200 PSI 5278
D
DISPLACEMENT & UNDER BALANCE
EXAMPLE 2

= N2 Required

T = 180 °F
180 M.P 5866
? D 5287

= T2 F° 162 1 ‫مثال‬
Taverage = 170 °F
Paverage = 2406 PSI
NVF = 715

1.1 × ] 10000 + )46 × 715 ([

= LN2 Gallon 507 =
93.12
 ” Purging ”
Data
L. PIPE = 20 K.M
I.D = 8 INCH
? How many LN2 Required
L = 20 × 1000 × 3.281 = 65620 FT
P = 1700 PSI
T= 70 °F
²)ID(
= ‫بالتعويض في‬
1029

T.C = 0.0621 × 65620 = 4075

FROM T&P F.D.H.B
NVF = 631
1.1 × ] 10000 + 631 × 4075([
= LN2 Gallon 30492.45 =
93.12
 FOAM -Q
 Liquid ratio = 1- gas ratio

 Volume of foam = gas + liquid

volume gas nitrogen

=FQ
gas volume+ liquid volume
 Example
 Data

 1 bbl foam

 FQ = 70%

 BHT = 160 0F

 BHP = 2000 psi

 Sol:
 From BHT ,BHP we get NVF= 615 scf/bbl
 1 bbl foam = 0.7 bbl N2 Gas+0.3 bbl liquid
 Volume of gas N2 = 615*0.7 = 431 scf
 0.3 bbl liquid Need 431 scf N2
 0.1 bbl liquid Need N2 scf
 N2 scf = 431/0.3 = 1437 scf / 1 bbl
 Well Service Nitrogen
Displacement calculations using

INTERPOLATION
Nitrogen Displacement Calculations
using interpolation

Sample Problem # 2
INTERPOLATING LOOK AT SECT 4 PAGE 13

SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2 N2 in
To pits /
trip tank
Displace the well tubing down to the WEG with N2
• Fluid in well sea water 8.5 PPG (Tbg & Annulus )
• Tubing size 3.5 “ 7.7 Lbs/ft Lets look visually at what
we are trying to do
• Tubing depth 5000 ft
Fluid in Tbg
& Annulus
8.5 PPG Sea
Water

RTTS
Packer
unset

3500 ft WEG
INTERPOLATING LOOK AT SECT 4 PAGE 13

SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2 N2 in

Displace the well tubing down to the WEG with N2 To pits /

trip tank
• Fluid in well sea water 8.5 PPG (Tbg & Annulus )
• Tubing size 3.5 “ 7.7 Lbs/ft
• Tubing depth 5000 ft

Solution
Calculate the tbg volume in barrels to the WEG.
From Red book : 3.5 “ 7.7 Ibs/ft tbg : 0.00914 bbls/ft is the volume factor
Fluid in Tbg
0.00914 bbls/ft x 5,000 ft = 47.7 bbls & Annulus
8.5 PPG Sea
Water
Now calculate the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid at the point you wish to displace it to.
(BHP)
BHP = 5000 ft depth x 8.5 PPG x 0.052 = 2,210 psi
RTTS
Packer
unset

We now have the three figures we require to use the nitrogen displacement
tables
3500 ft WEG
The TUBING DEPTH 5000 ft
The BOTTOM HOLE PRESSURE (BHP) 2,210 psi
The TUBING VOLUME 47.7 bbls
INTERPOLATING LOOK AT SECT 4 PAGE 13 SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2

• The calculation of the WHP and the gas volume factor (V’/V) require 2 numbers – the DEPTH & the BHP
• The depth (5000 Ft) is conveniently on the chart, the BHP (2210 psi) is not.
• Therefore will have to interpolate the BHP 2210 psi.
• To do this we will have to interpolate between the nearest BHP columns 2000 & 2500 psi

2210
INTERPOLATING SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2

INTERPOLATING BETWEEN 2000 & 2500 psi BHP

• We are trying to work out the well head pressure for a given bottom hole
pressure. 2000 2210 2500

100% (500)
• The BHP has been calculated as 2210 psi – which falls between 2000 &
2500 psi.
44% (210)

• The difference between 2000 & 2500 psi is 500 psi is 100% of the
difference. We need to know what PERCENTAGE 2210 psi represents so
we can create a factor.

• First we to know the difference between 2210 psi and the lowest other
value 2000 psi. Which is 2210 – 2000 = 210 psi

• Using the full equation to work out the factor or percentage of 2210
2210 – 2000 210 = 0.442 (or 44%)
2500 – 2000 500
2210

• Therefore the difference factor for 2210 psi, between 2500 & 2000 psi

is 0.442
INTERPOLATING SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2

INTERPOLATING BETWEEN 2000 & 2500 psi BHP

• We now know required factor for 2210 psi BHP

2000 210 2210 2500

• At 5000 ft 2000 psi BHP shows a WHP of 1707 psi

100% (500)
• At 5000 ft 2500 psi BHP shows a WHP of 2139 psi

0.442 (44%)
• To interpolate between the two do the following:

WHP = max WHP – min WHP x actual BHP – min BHP + min WHP
max BHP – min BHP

WHP = 2139 psi – 1707 psi x 0.442 + 1707 psi

WHP = 432 X 0.442 + 1707 = 1899 psi

• Therefore a BHP of 2210 psi will produce a WHP of 1899 psi

Gas does have a weight.
2210
This weight exerts a pressure of 312 psi (2210 – 1899 psi)
INTERPOLATING LOOK AT SECT 4 PAGE 13 SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2
LET US REVIEW THE LAST PROBLEM EQUATION

WHP = max WHP – min WHP x actual BHP – min BHP + min WHP
max BHP – min BHP

WHP = 2139 psi – 1707 psi x 2210 psi - 2000 psi + 1707 psi
2500 psi – 2000 psi

WHP = 2139 psi – 1707 psi x 221 psi + 1707 psi

500 psi

WHP = 2139 psi – 1707 psi x 0.442 + 1707 psi

WHP = 432 psi x 0.442 + 1707 psi = 1898 psi

2210

Now let interpolate the volume factor

 Here is the formula for interpolating the V’/V :
INTERPOLATING LOOK AT SECT 4 PAGE 13
V’/V = max V’/V – min V’/V x actual BHP – min BHP - min V’/V
SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2 max BHP – min BHP

V’/V = 805 – 624 scf/bbl x 2210 psi - 2000 psi + 624 scf/bbl
2500 psi – 2000 psi

V’/V = 805 – 624 scf/bbl x 221 psi + 624 scf/bbl

500 psi

V’/V = 805 – 624 scf/bbl x 0.442 + 624 scf/bbl

V’/V = 180 scf/bbl x 0.442 + 624 scf/bbl = 704 scf/bbl

2210
SHORT CUT METHOD FOR CALCULATING THE V’/V LOOK AT SECT VI PAGE 1

SAMPLE PROBLEM No 2
WHP

Section VI can be used to as alternative method of finding of the gas

volume factor

• The left hand column marked PSIG can also be considered as the
WHP

• Find the 80deg F column

• Find the calculated WHP (1900) in the left hand column and follow
across to the 80 deg F column.

• Answer 705 scf/bbl