Severe Slugging in Offshore Pipeline Riser-Pipe Systems

Abstract

Abstract Severe slug flow (i.e., terrain-dominated slug flow) was studied in a simulated offshore pipeline riser-pipe system. Severe slug flow is characterized by extremely long liquid slugs generated at the base of the vertical riser. This phenomenon occurs at low gas and liquid flow rates and for negative pipeline inclinations. Slugging in some offshore platforms has required the use of operating procedures that drastically curtail production. Losses in flow capacity up to 50% have been reported. A hydrodynamic model has been developed for severeslug flow. The model's predictions agree with experimental data. The model can be used to design new pipeline riser-pipe systems or to adjust the operation of existing systems to prevent the occurrence of severe slug flow. Also, a flow-regime map is presented for predicting the severe slug flow regime, where the boundaries are determined analytically. Finally, additional methods are proposed to prevent the flooding of separation facilities by riser-pipe generated slugs. This study is an extension of Ref. 1, in which severe slug flow was introduced and was only partially modeled.