Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS)
Oil production from Alaskan North Slope oil fields has steadily declined. In the near future, ANS crude oil production will decline to such a level (200,000 to 400,000 bbl/day) that maintaining economic operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) will require pumping alternative products th...
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ftunivnotexas:info:ark/67531/metadc887153 2023-05-15T17:40:12+02:00 Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) Chukwu, Godwin A. Khataniar, Santanu Patil, Shirish Dandekar, Abhijit United States. Department of Energy. 2006-06-30 Text https://doi.org/10.2172/919007 https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc887153/ English eng University of Alaska grantno: FC26-01NT41228 doi:10.2172/919007 osti: 919007 https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc887153/ ark: ark:/67531/metadc887153 Alaskan North Slope Oil Fields Pipelines Fluid Flow Alaska Deposition Vapor Pressure 02 Petroleum Report 2006 ftunivnotexas https://doi.org/10.2172/919007 2019-05-18T22:08:13Z Oil production from Alaskan North Slope oil fields has steadily declined. In the near future, ANS crude oil production will decline to such a level (200,000 to 400,000 bbl/day) that maintaining economic operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) will require pumping alternative products through the system. Heavy oil deposits in the West Sak and Ugnu formations are a potential resource, although transporting these products involves addressing important sedimentation issues. One possibility is the use of Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) technology. Estimated recoverable gas reserves of 38 trillion cubic feet (TCF) on the North Slope of Alaska can be converted to liquid with GTL technology and combined with the heavy oils for a product suitable for pipeline transport. Issues that could affect transport of this such products through TAPS include pumpability of GTL and crude oil blends, cold restart of the pipeline following a prolonged winter shutdown, and solids deposition inside the pipeline. This study examined several key fluid properties of GTL, crude oil and four selected blends under TAPS operating conditions. Key measurements included Reid Vapor Pressure, density and viscosity, PVT properties, and solids deposition. Results showed that gel strength is not a significant factor for the ratios of GTL-crude oil blend mixtures (1:1; 1:2; 1:3; 1:4) tested under TAPS cold re-start conditions at temperatures above - 20 F, although Bingham fluid flow characteristics exhibited by the blends at low temperatures indicate high pumping power requirements following prolonged shutdown. Solids deposition is a major concern for all studied blends. For the commingled flow profile studied, decreased throughput can result in increased and more rapid solid deposition along the pipe wall, resulting in more frequent pigging of the pipeline or, if left unchecked, pipeline corrosion. Report north slope Alaska University of North Texas: UNT Digital Library Bingham ENVELOPE(-63.400,-63.400,-69.400,-69.400) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of North Texas: UNT Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnotexas |
language |
English |
topic |
Alaskan North Slope Oil Fields Pipelines Fluid Flow Alaska Deposition Vapor Pressure 02 Petroleum |
spellingShingle |
Alaskan North Slope Oil Fields Pipelines Fluid Flow Alaska Deposition Vapor Pressure 02 Petroleum Chukwu, Godwin A. Khataniar, Santanu Patil, Shirish Dandekar, Abhijit Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) |
topic_facet |
Alaskan North Slope Oil Fields Pipelines Fluid Flow Alaska Deposition Vapor Pressure 02 Petroleum |
description |
Oil production from Alaskan North Slope oil fields has steadily declined. In the near future, ANS crude oil production will decline to such a level (200,000 to 400,000 bbl/day) that maintaining economic operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) will require pumping alternative products through the system. Heavy oil deposits in the West Sak and Ugnu formations are a potential resource, although transporting these products involves addressing important sedimentation issues. One possibility is the use of Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) technology. Estimated recoverable gas reserves of 38 trillion cubic feet (TCF) on the North Slope of Alaska can be converted to liquid with GTL technology and combined with the heavy oils for a product suitable for pipeline transport. Issues that could affect transport of this such products through TAPS include pumpability of GTL and crude oil blends, cold restart of the pipeline following a prolonged winter shutdown, and solids deposition inside the pipeline. This study examined several key fluid properties of GTL, crude oil and four selected blends under TAPS operating conditions. Key measurements included Reid Vapor Pressure, density and viscosity, PVT properties, and solids deposition. Results showed that gel strength is not a significant factor for the ratios of GTL-crude oil blend mixtures (1:1; 1:2; 1:3; 1:4) tested under TAPS cold re-start conditions at temperatures above - 20 F, although Bingham fluid flow characteristics exhibited by the blends at low temperatures indicate high pumping power requirements following prolonged shutdown. Solids deposition is a major concern for all studied blends. For the commingled flow profile studied, decreased throughput can result in increased and more rapid solid deposition along the pipe wall, resulting in more frequent pigging of the pipeline or, if left unchecked, pipeline corrosion. |
author2 |
United States. Department of Energy. |
format |
Report |
author |
Chukwu, Godwin A. Khataniar, Santanu Patil, Shirish Dandekar, Abhijit |
author_facet |
Chukwu, Godwin A. Khataniar, Santanu Patil, Shirish Dandekar, Abhijit |
author_sort |
Chukwu, Godwin A. |
title |
Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) |
title_short |
Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) |
title_full |
Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) |
title_fullStr |
Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Operational Challenges in Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Transportation Through Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) |
title_sort |
operational challenges in gas-to-liquid (gtl) transportation through trans alaska pipeline system (taps) |
publisher |
University of Alaska |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.2172/919007 https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc887153/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-63.400,-63.400,-69.400,-69.400) |
geographic |
Bingham |
geographic_facet |
Bingham |
genre |
north slope Alaska |
genre_facet |
north slope Alaska |
op_relation |
grantno: FC26-01NT41228 doi:10.2172/919007 osti: 919007 https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc887153/ ark: ark:/67531/metadc887153 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.2172/919007 |
_version_ |
1766141059634561024 |