Hydrate Management via Piston-Driven Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydrate remediation techniques in fluid systems are costly and complex, often requiring extensive thermal analysis and design constraints to prevent hydrate formation, which can lead to blockages and damage in oil and gas wells and pipelines.
Innovation Solution
A fluid system design that includes a pumping flowline with a cylinder and piston mechanism, allowing for selective fluid communication and pressure manipulation to prevent hydrate formation by isolating the pumping flowline from the production flowline and adjusting fluid pressures, thereby controlling the hydrate formation temperature without the need for hydrate inhibitors or entire line depressurization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hydrate remediation techniques are used (depressurizing entire flow lines, adding hydrate inhibitors, increasing fluid temperature), then hydrate formation is prevented, but system cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flow line into separate zones (production flow line and pumping flow line) that can be independently controlled. The pumping flow line is isolated and equipped with its own pressure control system, allowing hydrate prevention in this specific segment without requiring treatment of the entire flow line system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies pressure control locally to the pumping flow line rather than uniformly across the entire system. By isolating the pumping flow line and controlling pressure only in this specific zone, the system achieves hydrate prevention where needed while avoiding the costs and complexities of treating the entire flow line.
2Reliability
If conventional hydrate remediation techniques are used (depressurizing entire flow lines, adding hydrate inhibitors, increasing fluid temperature), then hydrate formation is prevented, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flow line into separate zones (production flow line and pumping flow line) that can be independently controlled. The pumping flow line is isolated and equipped with its own pressure control system, allowing hydrate prevention in this specific segment without requiring treatment of the entire flow line system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the pumping flow line from the production flow line by providing isolation valves that separate these two systems. This allows the pumping flow line to be depressurized and controlled independently, removing the need to treat the entire flow line system with expensive hydrate inhibitors or thermal processing.
3Reliability
If thermal analysis and testing are performed prior to operation to prevent hydrate formation, then hydrate risk is reduced, but design cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements isolation valves and pressure control systems during the design phase to create a system that can prevent hydrate formation through operational control rather than extensive thermal analysis. This preliminary structural action eliminates the need for time-consuming thermal testing and analysis.
4Reliability
If entire flow lines are depressurized to prevent hydrate formation, then hydrate plugs are removed, but system productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flow line into separate zones (production flow line and pumping flow line) that can be independently controlled. The pumping flow line is isolated and equipped with its own pressure control system, allowing hydrate prevention in this specific segment without requiring treatment of the entire flow line system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies pressure control locally to the pumping flow line rather than uniformly across the entire system. By isolating the pumping flow line and controlling pressure only in this specific zone, the system achieves hydrate prevention where needed while maintaining normal pressure and flow in the production flow line.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively prevents hydrate formation by managing fluid pressures within the pumping flowline, reducing the risk of blockages and system damage while avoiding the costs and complexities associated with conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
the piston is displaced through the cylinder in a first direction to expand a volume of the first chamber of the cylinder... in response to the expansion of the volume of the first chamber, a fluid pressure of the pumping flowline is decreased
Implementation Method 2
pressurization of the second chamber of the cylinder via second port, the piston is displaced in a second direction opposite the first direction to reduce a volume of the first chamber of the cylinder... in response to the reduction of the volume of the first chamber, a fluid pressure of the pumping flowline is increased
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid system includes a pumping flowline, wherein the pumping flowline is in selectable fluid communication with a production flowline, a cylinder including a first port and a second port, a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder, the piston sealing against an inner surface of the cylinder to form a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with the first port and the second chamber is in fluid communication with the second port, and a first flowline in fluid communication with the first port of the cylinder and the pumping flowline, the first flowline including a first flowline valve, wherein, in response to opening the first flowline valve, the piston is displaced through the cylinder in a first direction to expand a volume of the first chamber of the cylinder.