Chapter 1
1.0 Piping and pipeline systems
Once oil and gas are located and the well is successfully drilled and completed, the product
must be transported to a facility where it can be produced/treated, stored, processed, refined,
or transferred for eventual sale[1].
1.1 Typical system
Figure1.1 is a simplified diagram that illustrates the typical, basic “wellhead to sales” concept.
The typical system begins at the well flow-control device on the producing “wing(s)” of the
wellhead tree and includes:
The well “flow line”
Production/treating/storage equipment
Custody-transfer measurement equipment
The gathering or sales pipeline
Figure (1.1) Wellhead to sales
The piping and pipeline systems typically associated with producing wells include[1], but are
not limited to:
The well flow line
The gathering or sales pipeline
The transmission pipeline
Interconnecting equipment piping within the production “battery”
A brief description of the associated piping/pipeline systems is given next[1].
1.1.1 Well flow line
The well flow line, or simply flow line, is the first “pipeline” system connected to the
wellhead[1]. The flow line carries total produced fluids (e.g., oil, gas, and production water)
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from the well to the first piece of production equipment—typically a production separator. The
flow line may carry the well-production fluids to a common production battery, a gathering
pipeline system, process facility, or other[1].
1.1.2 Gathering/sales pipeline
Interconnecting piping includes the piping between the various pieces of production/treating
equipment such as:
Production separators
Line heaters
Oil heaters
Pump units
Storage tanks
Gas dehydrators
The piping systems may also include:
Headers
Fuel systems
Other utility piping
Pressure-relief/flare systems
The pipe that delivers the well production to some intermediate or terminal location is the
gathering or sales pipeline. The gathering pipeline literally “gathers” the production from
producing wells and conveys the production to a collection system, a processing facility,
custody-transfer (sales) point, or other[1].
1.1.3 Transmission pipeline
The transmission pipeline is a “cross-country” pipeline that is specifically designed to transport
petroleum products long distances[1]. The transmission pipeline collects the specific petroleum
products from many “supply” sources along the pipeline (such as gathering pipelines) and
“delivers” the product to one or more end users. There are three general categories of
transmission pipelines:
Natural gas - carry only natural gas
“Product” - carry a number of processed or refined petroleum products such as:
Processed natural-gas liquids (e.g., butane and propane)
Gasoline
Diesel
Refined fuel oils
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Crude oil - convey unrefined crude oil from producing areas to large storage areas or
directly to refineries[1]
1.2 Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco) Fields
The Arabian Gulf Oil Company is an oil company based in Benghazi, Libya, engaged in crude
oil and natural gas exploration, production and refining. It was a subsidiary of the state-owned
National Oil Corporation (NOC). AGOCO often operates fields owned by other companies.
AGOCO production was estimated by NOC at around 430,000 bbl/d ( 68,000m3/d ) in 2003.
As of 2010, AGOCO produced around 400,000 bbl/d (64,000 m3/d), representing
approximately 25% of total Libyan crude oil production (See Figure 1.2) [2].
.
Figure (1.2): AGOCO Fields and terminals
The Arabian Gulf Oil Company compromise of the following fields (See Figure 1.2):
SARIR FIELD was discovered in the Sirte Basin by BP in 1961 is considered the country's
largest field [2].
MESSLA FIELD was discovered in 1971 and is situated 500 km southeast of Benghazi and is
also considered as one of the biggest fields in the Sirte basin. [2]
NAFOORA FIELD is situated in the northeastern part of the Sirte basin and discovered in early
1965.
Beda and Hamada fields were discovered during 1959, in the eastern Sirte basin [2].
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1.2.1. SARIR FIELD
SARIR field is operated by the Arabian Gulf Oil Company (AGOCO). The SARIR FIELD was
discovered in southern Cyrenaica during 1961 and is considered to be the largest oil field in
Libya. [2]. SARIR production capacity (225000 bbl./d) [2].
1.3. Gas and Oil Gathering Systems
There were originally 6 Gathering Centers in SARIR Oil Fields. The system that collects and
transfers the fluid to the place for processing is normally called Gathering System (see Figure
1.5) a & b[2]. The main processing administrative and residential area concedes with
GATHERING CENTER No. 1 lies at the center of gravity of the triangle. GATHERING
CENTER No. 4 lies on the northern point of the triangle GATHERING CENTER No. 3 lies
on the northern point of the triangle GATHERING CENTER No. 5 at the east’s [2].
GATHERING CENTER No. 2 between GC.3 and GC-1. The main 34” oil pipeline runs from
GC-1 in a north –north-easterly direction to TOBRUK, 513 Km. distant. There is a booster
pump station at Km. 265 which comes into operation with the 412,000 B/D scheme [2].
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Figure (1.3)-a: General layout of SARIR filed.
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Figure (1.3)-b: Gathering Systems
1.4. Oil Flow Lines
Flow lines are multi-phase pipelines and transmit the well production (oil, gas and water) to
the Gathering Centers where the three phases are separated. The flow lines are 6" in nominal
diameter and laid above-ground and under-ground along organized corridors to minimize
cluttering, obstruction and unsafe conditions. The Sketch opposite illustrates a typical
arrangement of flowlines AGOCO [2].
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Figure (1.4): Schematic drawing to complete flowline
from wellhead to manifold of gathering center.
1.5. Typical Wellhead & X-Mas Tree Assemblies
Christmas Tree is an assembly of valves, spool, pressure gauges and chokes fitted to the
wellhead of a completed well to control production[2].
In oil and natural gas extraction, a Christmas tree, or "tree," is an assembly of valves, spools
and fittings used for not only extraction, but also for water injection or disposal, gas injection
and other operations. Wellheads and Christmas trees are different pieces of equipment.
Figure shows a 5-valve Christmas tree. The five valves shown are described below, including
their manual or automatic operation, but these methods of operation vary and each can either
be manual or automatic [2].
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Figure (1.5): Wellhead Christmas Tree
1.6 The objective of this project
The objective of this project is to review the literature and search the internet for finding the
best solution to make a design review to selected local company crude oil transportation
pipeline. Then to implement this solution on a selected case study and discuss the results.
1.7 The project outline
In this project, the theoretical background relating to the pipeline stress analysis for pressure
and thermal effects is presented in chapter two. The focus was on the requirement of the code
B31.4 crude oil transportation systems. In addition, CESAR II program features is overviewed.
In chapter three a case study of pipeline stress analysis using CESAR II program is selected.
The input data required to run the program is collected and inserted in the CESAR II program.
Then running the program and post processing of the results is performed. The results are
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presented and discussed. Finally, the concluding remarks and recommendations for future work
are outlined in chapter four.