This technical paper presents the approach adopted by Kuwait Oil Company to establish an integrated Crude Oil Export Pipeline simulation model in South & East Kuwait area to achieve increase in overall asset-wide production and to improve future Pipeline & Facilities Design. The simulation used As-Built pipeline data along with field data to achieve the objectives of the study. The study had the following objectives: • Identify additional capacity/ deficiency within the system. • Perform Hydraulic Calculations (Pressure losses, Temperature Changes & Estimation of Pumping requirements from Gathering Centers). • Determination of operating constraints/bottlenecks due to non-availability of any critical pipe segments. • Optimization of Network. Accuracy of the pipeline model was verified by comparing simulation results of the existing pipelines & Manifolds with the operating data to confirm that model results duplicated field measurements. The model developed in this study has the characteristics and the ability to predict the flows and pressures under wide range of conditions — including various operational modes and constraints. The model accurately predicted the capacities and also raised few flags which were solved within short time and subsequently the network was optimized. Hydraulics study revealed that no additional capacity or looping were required. Model was studied for reliability of supply under wide range of conditions subject to potential bottlenecks and constraints which were identified in the study.
Application of chemical treatments has become an essential part of everyday oilfield operations, to achieve specific objectives, minimize production problems, reduce production costs and achieve product specifications. Also, many process equipment performance and reliability problems can be solved economically by proper selection and application of chemical treatment practices. For instance, the corrosion problems that can be solved by changing metallurgy, reducing velocity, changing process conditions, removing corrosives upstream, can credibly be prevented by using corrosion inhibitors.With increasing oil production, rising water cuts, H 2 S related issues and increased effluent water injection & disposal, the oilfield operating conditions are becoming more stringent, entailing the projects to be engineered with higher projected life. Also, with growing HSE concerns and compliance with environmental regulations, application of varied chemical treatments have become inevitable. Projects have been undertaken for introducing new chemical treatments, bulk handling of production chemicals, installation of chemical injections and monitoring systems. This necessitates periodic assessment of the chemical treatment practices and philosophies, for selecting and effectively monitoring & controlling performance of the chemical treatments by adopting a systematic approach.To this effect our Company has deployed a huge network of chemical treatments and management systems all over its fields, for protecting its facilities/equipment, improving their performance, achieving quality, etc., taking into consideration; the process equipment problems, addressing HSE concerns and effectiveness of chemicals, etc. By operating and adopting a systematic & structured approach the chemical treatment practices have demonstrated proven performance. Those practices are not only cost competitive, but often can be implemented on-stream without curtailing unit operations.
Production chemicals are primarily used to treat crude oil to its sale specifications, to minimize process problems, and to treat produced water to meet regulatory guidelines for disposal or injection. Voluminous quantities of various chemicals are used in production operations - Company uses more than 50,000 drums (55 USG standard drums) per year at different locations throughout the field areas. Transferring drums from stores to the facilities, chemicals loading from drums to the tanks, spillages and disposing-off empty drums have been causing numerous operational, health, safety and environmental concerns. Therefore, in line with Company’s policies of enhancing it’s operational & HSE performance, the Company decided huge capital investment (KD 16 Million) for constructing modernized facilities for bulk handling of the production chemicals. This paper outlines the facilities and associated support systems for bulk handling of the chemicals, eliminating use of the conventional chemical drums (55 USG standard drums). The facilities comprise of the Primary Chemical Storage Facility consisting of ten (10) storage tanks for receiving the chemicals in Road Tankers, and subsequent distribution by specialized road tankers (loading arm conforming to API-RP 1004) to the Secondary Storage Facilities in the Gathering Centers (20 Nos.) located in different field areas. The Primary Storage Facility is provided with loading & unloading pumps, ethernet based Terminal Automation System (TAS), utilities, control room & offices, fire-fighting, safety & public address systems, etc. The Secondary Storage Facilities have been provided at the Gathering Centers, with filling connections, instrumentation/controls, pumping facilities, etc. to the Day Tanks. Oil Companies normally outsource chemicals handling activities. But our Company decided to build its own facilities - unique of its kind. Knowing that many oil majors in the region do not possess bulk handling facilities of this magnitude and configuration, our facilities could be a model for others. Company carried out extensive work prior to the project, in examining options, payment procedures, inventories controls, tankers selection, safety systems, waste management, etc. Construction of bulk handling facilities is a landmark that enhances Company’s HSE & operational performance, improves inventories & quality controls, eliminates manual handling, and storage/losses problems.
Emergency Shutdown (ESD) valves play a vital role in meeting production and safety requirements in a process plant. On headers of a Gathering Center (GC), ESD valve assemblies are installed to protect the downstream processing equipment from over pressure, high level and other emergency conditions. ESD valves typically stay in open position for months or years awaiting a command signal to operate. Little attention is paid to these valves outside of scheduled turnarounds. The pressures of continuous production often stretch these intervals even longer. This leads to build up or corrosion on these valves that prevents them from moving. For safety critical applications, it must be ensured that the valves operate upon demand. The SIL-3 rated ESD valves complete with auto self-testing and acoustic leak detection are designed to operate upon demand. This paper discusses the enhancement of safety and integrity of the GCs following installation of new SIL-3 rated ESD valves in its headers. Kuwait Oil Company is carrying out projects to enhance Safety Integrity Level (SIL) of header ESD systems by providing new SIL-3 certified ESD valves as replacement of the existing valves in its GCs. This paper examines the numbers arrived in calculating various performance indicators of ESD valve reliability and interpret these for benefit of the engineers. It is evident that there is a marked improvement in the failure rate and hence integrity of new ESD valves compared to old system. This has also remarkably optimized production, leading to substantial savings. If ESD valves are called into use, they have to work reliably, because the consequences of failure will be far more serious than the disruption, when they work. The new SIL-3 rated ESD valves are designed to operate when called for, thus enhancing safety and integrity of the GC.
This paper aims at exposing oil and gas companies, contractors and service providers, to inspire and urge them to delve into the exciting and exponentially expanding world of MOOCs -Massively Open Online Courses. They have immense potential of vastly improving the process of workforce learning and knowledge growth. The benefits of the MOOCs are simply too great to ignore and continue to tread on the traditional training path only. Already several corporates have made a paradigm shift and redefined their training models.The paper presents the platforms, tools and opportunities available in both technical and non-technical fields, and how one can access these digital education processes from some of the world's best universities, professional forums and institutions, available often free of cost on the World Wide Web. This is the age of digital information, actively pursued by the current generation aptly named as Љdigital nativesЉ. The humankind has gone through several revolutions through the centuries and currently is undergoing through a very large, powerful and rapidly evolving e-learning transformation all over the world on the virtual platforms. Therefore, it is essential that everyone is made aware, understand and be part of these sweeping transformations in these learning mechanisms.MOOCs will empower the large community of oil and gas professionals to various self-learning technical, managerial, HSSE and personality development courses, while providing them accessibility sitting in their cozy confines of home. The Authors through this paper would like to bring and share their MOOCs experience to the SPE community. The paper discusses the essential attributes of the learning processes, and analyses both the traditional classroom based learning and MOOCs based learning opportunities. The focus is from a point of an engineer working in the oil and gas industry. However, the mechanisms and the approach methodology is beneficial for all the professionals, technical staff, managerial and administration personnel in the oil and gas industry as well outside it.The paper lists MOOCs providers, websites and resources under different categories such as universities based open source learning, institutional agencies, technical forums, libraries, general learning etc. where one can benefit from the tools such as MOOCs, video lectures, notes, books, standards, and technical spreadsheet based calculations etc.MOOCs have come into prominence very recently in the late 2012. Within these three years, they have caught the imagination of people, universities and the corporates alike defying the boundaries of nations, class, and abilities. It is no longer a fad but well established new trend of training and learning -anyone, anything, anytime, any rate, anywhere at no or insignificant cost. The authors are confident the resources and the information provided through this presentation will enlighten the oil and gas professionals with this new training trend.
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