Hydrate Formation and Decomposition Regularities in Offshore Gas Reservoir Production Pipelines

Na Wei, Wantong Sun, Yingfeng Meng, Jinzhou Zhao, Bjørn Kvamme, Shouwei Zhou, Liehui Zhang, Qingping Li, Yao Zhang, Lin Jiang, Haitao Li and Jun Pei
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Na Wei: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Wantong Sun: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Yingfeng Meng: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Jinzhou Zhao: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Bjørn Kvamme: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Shouwei Zhou: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Liehui Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Qingping Li: CNOOC Research Institutes Limited Liability Company, Beijing 10027, China
Yao Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Lin Jiang: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Haitao Li: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Jun Pei: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-22

Abstract: In recent years, the exploitation and utilization of offshore oil and gas resources have attracted more attention. In offshore gas reservoir production, wellbore temperature and pressure change continuously when water-bearing natural gas flows upward. The wellbore temperature is also affected by the low-temperature sea water. The combination of temperatures and pressures controlled by the upward flow, and cooling from the surrounding seawater frequently leads to the conditions of temperature and pressure for hydrate formation. This can lead to pipeline blockage and other safety accidents. In this study, we utilize mathematical models of hydrate phase equilibrium, wellbore temperature, wellbore pressure to study hydrate formation and decomposition in offshore gas reservoir production. Numerical solution algorithms are developed and numerical solutions are validated. The sensitivity influence of different parameters on the regions and regularities of hydrate formation and decomposition in wellbores are obtained through numerical simulations. It is found that increased daily gas production, water content, or geothermal gradient in offshore gas reservoir production pipelines results in less hydrate formation in the wellbores. Accordingly, the risk of wellbore blockage decreases and production safety is maintained. Decreased tubing head pressure or seawater depth results in similar effects. The result of this study establishes a set of prediction methods for hydrate formation and decomposition that can be used in the development of guidelines for safe construction design.

Keywords: gas reservoir; natural gas hydrate; formation and decomposition; sensitivity influence; prediction method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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