Ahmed Iftikhar, Prana Iswara Aditya, Abbas Shahbaz, Qaisar Jamal Faheem, Ahmad Iftikhar, Hussain Shah Syed Tasweer, Naseem Afshan
Department of Engineering Management, College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (CEME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Department of Disaster Management, Postgraduate School, Universitas Airlangga, Jl. Airlangga 4-6, Surabaya, 60286, Indonesia.
Heliyon. 2024 Jul 22;10(15):e35006. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35006. eCollection 2024 Aug 15.
Pakistan has limited natural gas reserves, and most are found onshore. This article reports on the problems of an onshore gas gathering network (GGN) analysed through steady-state simulation modelling using PIPESIM software. The research methodology incorporates a comprehensive steady-state hydraulic analysis considering fluid flowing velocity limitations, liquid holdup and slugging along with other issues faced by gas gathering networks. The steady-state hydraulic analysis has led us to pinpoint specific GGN pipelines facing critically low gas velocities and consequent liquid holdup. Addressing these issues involved application of PIPESIM software for modelling, considering various operating schemes of gas-producing wells and their associated pipelines. To select an optimal operating scheme, the study utilized the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for operational optimization, to identify the most effective solution for reduced liquid holdup, improving production, and ensuring the safe operation among available alternatives. Findings from our hydraulic analysis highlight the importance of reducing GGN outlet pressure to mitigate challenges associated with liquid holdup which causes slugging and back pressure effect at source leading to low production and poor performance of the GGN. Study of three alternative cases reveals that decreasing outlet pressure lowers the liquid holdup, improve gas flowing velocities, and enhanced overall production. These findings validate our hypothesis that reducing GGN outlet pressure is a viable strategy to lower the liquid holdup in pipelines. This research offers significant value by providing a comprehensive solution to GGN liquid holdup, low flowing velocities, back pressure and low production challenges. The integration of steady-state hydraulic analysis, simulation modelling with PIPESIM, and the application of AHP for optimization contributes novel insights into the optimization of operation of gas gathering networks. Emphasizing the reduction of liquid holdup and enhancing production through outlet pressure adjustments offers a practical framework for optimizing the functionality of gas gathering networks.
巴基斯坦的天然气储量有限，且大部分位于陆上。本文报道了通过使用PIPESIM软件进行稳态模拟建模来分析陆上集气网络（GGN）的问题。研究方法包括全面的稳态水力分析，考虑流体流速限制、持液率和段塞流以及集气网络面临的其他问题。稳态水力分析使我们能够确定特定的GGN管道面临极低的气体流速以及随之而来的持液率问题。解决这些问题涉及应用PIPESIM软件进行建模，考虑产气井及其相关管道的各种运行方案。为了选择最佳运行方案，该研究利用层次分析法（AHP）进行运行优化，以确定在可用替代方案中减少持液率、提高产量并确保安全运行的最有效解决方案。我们水力分析的结果突出了降低GGN出口压力以减轻与持液率相关挑战的重要性，持液率会导致段塞流和源头的背压效应，从而导致产量低和GGN性能不佳。对三种替代方案的研究表明，降低出口压力可降低持液率、提高气体流速并提高总产量。这些发现验证了我们的假设，即降低GGN出口压力是降低管道持液率的可行策略。这项研究通过为GGN持液率、低流速、背压和低产量挑战提供全面解决方案，具有重要价值。稳态水力分析、使用PIPESIM进行模拟建模以及应用AHP进行优化的整合，为集气网络运行优化提供了新的见解。强调通过调整出口压力来减少持液率并提高产量，为优化集气网络功能提供了一个实用框架。
