A Holistic Approach to Simulate the Impact of H2S on Production and Injection Surface Facilities Using an Integrated Asset Model as a Digital Twin

The presence of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) in produced reservoir fluids mandates precautions in the design and operation of the surface facilities. The toxicity and corrosive nature of H2S, and the need to prevent both plugging of reservoir formations and increasing the sulphur content of the produced oil dictates the criticality of forecasting and monitoring the volumes and concentrations of H2S flowing through the whole asset. Ensuring the concentration is within acceptable operational limits is critical to safeguard the overall asset and the integrity of the surface pipeline network. The objective of this study was to utilize a history matched Digital Twin Integrated Asset Model (IAM) to predict the volumes and concentrations of H2S in a field located offshore Abu Dhabi by modeling the multi-stage separation, H2S removal, and re-injection facilities for gas injection and gas lifts. The field consists of multiple stacked carbonate reservoirs sharing the same surface facilities. The proposed modelling of H2S removal strategy involved a series of steps beginning with the sweetening of the produced associated gas for fuel gas requirements and mixing the extracted H2S volumes with the gas injection and gas lift streams. The sweetening process effectively mitigated any potential asset integrity issues arising due to corrosion of the power generation system and other surface facility assets. The stripped H2S gas, re-combined with the remaining produced gas, was used for gas-lifts and reinjected into the lower reservoirs for pressure maintenance and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). A next-generation surface-subsurface coupled simulator was utilized for the modeling of this field including the full asset surface pipeline network, the H2S removal plant, bypass lines and re-injection facilities for gas injection and gas-lifts. The Digital Twin IAM approach provided a robust method for tracking and predicting the concentration and volume of H2S in the produced gas over a period of 50 years. The simulation allowed tracking the H2S from its initial location in the reservoirs, into the production wells, then through the pipelines, all the way to the surface facilities where the sweetening of the produced is handled. Moreover, the use of the Digital Twin allowed the verification of the disposal plan of the extracted H2S, showing that mixing it with the re-injection gas stream is a feasible option. Recommendations based on the model were provided to the production and facilities team, leading to a robust long-term field development plan that ensures asset integrity.

Optimal sensor placement to detect ruptures in pipeline systems subject to uncertainty using an Adam-mutated genetic algorithm

Pipelines in critical engineered facilities, such as petrochemical and power plants, conduct important roles of fire extinguishing, cooling, and related essential tasks. Therefore, failure of a pipeline system can cause catastrophic disaster, which may include economic loss or even human casualty. Optimal sensor placement is required to detect and assess damage so that the optimal amount of resources is deployed and damage is minimized. This paper presents a novel methodology to determine the optimal location of sensors in a pipeline network for real-time monitoring. First, a lumped model of a small-scale pipeline network is built to simulate the behavior of working fluid. By propagating the inherent variability of hydraulic parameters in the simulation model, uncertainty in the behavior of the working fluid is evaluated. Sensor measurement error is also incorporated. Second, predefined damage scenarios are implemented in the simulation model and estimated through a damage classification algorithm using acquired data from the sensor network. Third, probabilistic detectability is measured as a performance metric of the sensor network. Finally, a detectability-based optimization problem is formulated as a mixed integer non-linear programming problem. An Adam-mutated genetic algorithm (AMGA) is proposed to solve the problem. The Adam-optimizer is incorporated as a mutation operator of the genetic algorithm to increase the capacity of the algorithm to escape from the local minimum. The performance of the AMGA is compared with that of the standard genetic algorithm. A case study using a pipeline system is presented to evaluate the performance of the proposed sensor network design methodology.

Research of transition processes in the operation of reclamation pumping stations

This paper presents the results of field studies carried out on existing pressure systems with pumping stations. The considered field experiments were carried out on a closed irrigation system, which includes a pumping station with a water intake, a closed irrigation pipeline network and sprinklers. On this system, field studies of transient processes were carried out with the simultaneous shutdown of all pumping units simulating emergency power outages of the motors, and with shutdown of one of the units simulating the automatic operation of the station. The presented results make it possible to carry out practical calculations of transient processes for pumping stations with different water supplies, heads, capacities, diameters and lengths of pressure pipelines and shockproof devices.

Geographic Information Systems based approach for assessing the locational feasibility for biomethane production from landfill gas and injection in pipelines in Brazil

ABSTRACT Biomethane can readily replace fossil fuels including natural gas, which has similar physical and chemical properties. In Brazil, municipal solid waste is predominantly disposed of in landfills. Landfill gas is mostly employed for electricity generation, but still at low levels when compared to the existing potential. Production of biomethane from landfill gas may be an alternative to exploit the existing potential, but Brazil’s pipeline network is rather limited and concentrated along the country’s coast. In this context, the research sought to identify the locational viability of using landfill gas to produce biomethane and injecting it into pipelines, considering the available potential and its proximity to Brazil’s existing pipeline network. The QGis software was used to integrate the information. Territorial arrangements with a biomethane production capacity of more than 15,000 Nm3 day−1 and located up to 50 km from the pipeline network were considered feasible. The research estimated a potential production equivalent to 3,407,027 Nm3 day−1 of biomethane from landfills in Brazil. This potential corresponds to 6% of country’s natural gas consumption in 2019 and is almost 32 times greater than current production of biomethane from all substrates used with this purpose in that year. The results indicate the suitability of using geographic information systems to identify regions that can benefit from the production of biomethane from landfill gas using the existing natural gas pipelines as an alternative to the electricity generation and provides relevant subsidies to the formulation of more efficient public policies in both the sanitation and energy sectors.

Improving the Efficiency of Distributed Water Supply Systems by Means of an Adjustable Electric Drive

The water supply of the pumping station must meet the needs of the consumer which change during the day. Therefore, its performance needs to be adjusted. Any deviation of the pump unit’s performance from the nominal value leads to additional energy costs. Under such conditions, great importance is paid to optimising the operation of electric drives of the water supply pumping station. To regulate the performance of a pumping station, it is often resorted to changing the number of operating pumping units, the engines of which are started directly from the electrical network. Medium-and high-power engines are subject to technical restrictions for a direct start, which are supplemented by the need to maintain pauses between starts. Therefore, when ensuring the desired value of pumping station performance, it is very important to consider the features of starting pump engines. Control systems are widely used in the field of electric drive and water supply. It is in these areas that the efficiency of the control system depends on the amount of electricity that will be consumed by the technological process or the reliability of its operation. It is known that pumps account for about half of all energy produced. Therefore, the issue of effective control systems is particularly relevant in the field of water supply. The purpose of this study is to increase the reliability and efficiency of the water supply system by considering the distribution properties of the pipeline network when controlling electric pump drives, which will allow coordinating the operation of the pumping station, the pipeline network, and the consumer. To achieve this purpose, the study was conducted to assess the impact of the distribution and length of the pipeline network. The system of water supply and distribution is analysed, what criteria affect the correct performance of work and what problems may arise during operation for a long period of time are investigated. Ways to optimise the operation of pumping stations to increase their energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of installations are investigated. The main reasons for the expediency of using an adjustable electric drive to control pumping units are considered

Simulation of Coupled Power and Gas Systems with Hydrogen-Enriched Natural Gas

Due to the increasing share of renewable energy sources in the electrical network, the focus on decarbonization has extended into other energy sectors. The gas sector is of special interest because it can offer seasonal storage capacity and additional flexibility to the electricity sector. In this paper, we present a new simulation method designed for hydrogen-enriched natural gas network simulation. It can handle different gas compositions and is thus able to accurately analyze the impact of hydrogen injections into natural gas pipelines. After describing the newly defined simulation method, we demonstrate how the simulation tool can be used to analyze a hydrogen-enriched gas pipeline network. An exemplary co-simulation of coupled power and gas networks shows that hydrogen injections are severely constrained by the gas pipeline network, highlighting the importance and necessity of considering different gas compositions in the simulation.