Page 18 - Handbook Of Multiphase Flow Assurance

12 1. Introduction

TABLE 1.1 Combined scope of flow assurance (FA) and production chemistry (PC)—Cont’d
FA PC
Naphthenate scale analysis and remediation X
Oil quality non-compliance due to water content X
Paraffin wax analysis, deposition and remediation X
Scraping of flowlines and pipelines X
Pressure drop analysis in single phase and multiphase flow X
Produced fluids export, discharge or reinjection plan X
Relief and flare lines flow capacity and blockage potential analysis X
Sand transport flow velocity analysis X
Scale precipitation and deposition analysis and remediation plan X
Souring of reservoir fluids: analysis, modeling and mitigation X
Sulfur (elemental and organomercury) X
Sizing of flowlines for control of multiphase flow slugging and erosion X
Steam condensation and evaporation in distribution lines X
Stuck scraper during pipeline commissioning or during flow line maintenance X
Transient surge volume analysis for production separator or slugcatcher X
Under-deposit corrosion X
Value loss from hydrocarbon contaminant metals, methanol or water X
Vibration induced by phase transition in process equipment X
Viscous oil or viscous emulsion flow X
Water or gas injection for pressure maintenance X
Water quality, filtration and treatment with clarifier, oxygen scavenger X
Water hammer, HIPPS flow analysis X
Distribution of items varies by operator company.

An operator company which neglects or misses to check and quantify any one of these
items at the project design stage carries a risk of increased cost or abandonment during
operation.
Some companies maintain internal boundaries between flow assurance and production
chemistry disciplines, while others combine the two along with materials and corrosion is-
sues, depending on the company size and the depth of available engineering resources.
The American Petroleum Institute have clearly listed nine flow assurance issues as follows:
– hydrate formation,
– wax formation,
– asphaltene formation,