One important problem expeienced in flexible risers is severe slugging phenomenon that typically occurs in the flowline-riser systems found on offshore floating production facilities. The flow and pressure oscillations due to severe slugging have several undesirable effects on the downstream topside facilities unless they are designed to accommodate them. However, designing the topside facilities to accept these transients may require large and expensive slug catchers with compression systems equipped with fast responding control systems. This may not be cost-effective and it may be more prudent to design the system to operate in a stable manner. While lowering production rates (slowing fluid velocity) can minimize severe slugging, operators are investigating alternatives that would allow for maximum production rates without the interruptions caused by slugs. This article references a combination of industrial experience and information from the literature to compile a list of methods of remediating the problems associated with severe slugging in pipelineriser systems.
United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) for Energy and Mineral Resources is a unique instrument for harmonizing industry business processes, efficient capital allocation with policy framework and government oversights. The core competency of UNFC is focusing on objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while managing the natural resources required for the present and future needs of society. The company manages the upstream oil and gas sector, with significant expertise in managing exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources in diverse geological, engineering, and commercial environment. Present day activities span a large spectrum from pure reconnaissance for resources to producing from very mature fields with increased geologic, engineering, and commercial complexities. KOC uses Resource and Reserves Management System (KOC-RMS) for accounting and reporting of reserves and resources, which is based on principles of Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS). PRMS [AZ1]is a framework for classifying and categorizing estimates of petroleum reserves and resources and it is used by most of the upstream oil and gas companies worldwide. UNFC provides common language for classification and reporting of solid mineral and petroleum resources, with main emphasis on socio-economic viability, technical feasibility, and maturity of a project. There have been continued efforts for bridging the gap between PRMS and UNFC systems, including the mapping of PRMS guideline updated in 2007 being to the UNFC system updated in 2009. This effort produced clearly marked similarities between the two systems and there is an effort currently underway to map the PRMS guidelines updated in in 2018 to the recently updated UNFC. This integration will help in comparing renewable energy resources with non-renewable energy. The objective of the present case study is to assess the applicability of UNFC for Energy and Mineral Resources management system for a mature oil reservoir. The results of this UNFC case study identified producing, justified for development, and contingent projects with limited social or environment impediments to development. The novelty of this study is the first known application of the UNFC approach to a petroleum reservoir of the Middle East and shows applicability to similar oil fields around the world. This approach can assist in the identification of all technical and non-technical aspects, such as social and environmental issues associated with development, and may be used to reflect the hydrocarbon resource maturation and reserves progression framework of a reservoir.
A Pilot project was initiated to classify Oil and Gas projects in 19 Blocks in Mexico using the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) which has a unique 3-dimensional evaluation structure with three axes: Economics, Environment and Social viability (E axis), Project Feasibility (F axis) and Geological Knowledge (G axis). The main focus was to capture the environmental and social impact on project classification and resources categorization. The Pilot project was coordinated by the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) with integrated collaboration from the Energy Ministry (SENER), the Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (ASEA), and the Petroleum Work Group of UNECE. SPE classification system (i.e. PRMS) has been mapped to UNFC. While PRMS covers oil and gas projects only, UNFC covers all resources e.g. oil and gas, minerals, renewables, nuclear, etc. The E axis uniquely differentiates UNFC from PRMS by its granular capture of social and environmental issues. A systematic approach was adopted with focus on E and F axes for which a matrix and a decision tree (‘flow chart’) were created for an efficient classification of the hydrocarbon volumes. For the G axis, the volume ranges provided by the project operators were considered to be valid. In the selected 19 blocks, there were 75 projects identified. These were located offshore, onshore and included conventional and unconventional projects with varying degrees of environmental and social issues. This is the first known exercise using UNFC for integrating social and environmental issues into oil and gas projects for hydrocarbon volumes classification and categorization anywhere globally. The outcome shows the differences between the PRMS and UNFC due to social and environmental conditions. Using UNFC for classification and categorization of all energy sources of a country, a potential tool can be created for making energy policy decisions. This may also assist in meeting Sustainable Development Goals- 2030 adopted by most countries including the UN and The World Bank. Classification using UNFC assists in identifying the key social and environmental drivers which may be impediments to moving the oil and gas volumes categorizations higher up the value chain. Added granularity in the classifications incorporating environmental and social considerations will assist project financial investment decision making through comparative assessment of objectives and priorities of national, regional and local stakeholders. To the authors’ knowledge, this is a unique Pilot project with significant value-add outcomes which can be replicated in other countries.
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