Wax and hydrate control with electrical power
Electrical heating of subsea flowlines is an effective way to prevent wax and hydrate information, especially for long transportation distances and in low-temperature deep water. Systems are available for use in conjunction with bundles, pipe-in-pipe, and wet-thermal-insulation systems. These systems provide environmentally friendly fluid-temperature control without chemicals or flaring for pipeline depressurizing. Enhanced production is achieved because no time is lost by unnecessary depressurizing, pigging, heating-medium circulation, or removal of hydrate and wax blockages. The seabed temperature at 100-m and greater water depths may range from 7 to {minus}1.5 C, causing a rapid cooling of the hot well streams being transported in subsea flowlines. Under these supercooling conditions, vulnerable crude oils and multiphase compositions will deposit wax and asphalts; also the gas/water phase may freeze solid with hydrate particles. The paper discusses thermal-insulated flowlines, heat-loss compensation with electrical power, electrical power consumption and operation, and subsea electrical-power distribution system.
- OSTI ID:
- 536500
- Journal Information:
- JPT, Journal of Petroleum Technology, Journal Name: JPT, Journal of Petroleum Technology Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 49; ISSN 0149-2136; ISSN JPTJAM
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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