Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
(OP)
We currently have production wells with ESP (Electrical Submersible Pumps).
What are the typical safety devices to protect the flowline from rupturing form overpressure?
Our flowlines are polyethylene SDR 7 which are rated at 133 psi for Crude service.
The flowlines are tied into 3 phase separator operating at 40 psi. We currently have a check valves and chokes at the casing and tubing.We have a pressure safety high sensor, that if it senses higher pressure on the line exceeding 133 psi, it shuts down the ESP.
Could someone please advise, wether shutting down the ESP is enough protection for my flowline?, or do i require a shut down valve?
Thanks in advance!!
What are the typical safety devices to protect the flowline from rupturing form overpressure?
Our flowlines are polyethylene SDR 7 which are rated at 133 psi for Crude service.
The flowlines are tied into 3 phase separator operating at 40 psi. We currently have a check valves and chokes at the casing and tubing.We have a pressure safety high sensor, that if it senses higher pressure on the line exceeding 133 psi, it shuts down the ESP.
Could someone please advise, wether shutting down the ESP is enough protection for my flowline?, or do i require a shut down valve?
Thanks in advance!!





RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
Take a look at this document, published by the local regulatory authority in Alberta which attempts to distill down the local requirement...
http
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
**********************
"The problem isn't working out the equation,
its finding the answer to the real question." BigInch
http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
The situation that rneil mentions is pretty common, PSV's are really rare on gathering systems. Most people rely on PSV's on production equipment for over-pressure protection in the event that spec break equipment fails to adequately protect the downstream piping and equipment.
I read an incident report just this week where a company was doing a coiled-tubing conveyed re-perf of a lower zone and a valve either failed or got left open and 10,000 psi natural gas was applied to a spoolable composite flow line (MAWP 750 psig) and it failed, caught fire, and burned the coiled tubing rig down (no injuries, significant property damage). It could have been prevented with a viable spec break.
Your ESP can probably build up enought pressure to bust the plastic pipe, but having an overpressure kill is only adequate if the reservoir pressure is too low to fail the pipe.
David
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
**********************
"The problem isn't working out the equation,
its finding the answer to the real question." BigInch
http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
**********************
"The problem isn't working out the equation,
its finding the answer to the real question." BigInch
http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
*STAR* for your post linking to that EUB document. This very morning, not more than 5 minutes ago, I was looking for a long-winded email that I remember writing a couple of years ago explaining "pressure limiting" versus "pressure relieving" systems and their applications in upstream O&G facilities designed to CSA Z662-07. I don't know why I logged into EngTips this morning, other than as a distraction while colleagues were looking through their archives for that email. In any event, that EUB document is *exactly* what I needed; I didn't even know it existed (how scary is that???).
Regards,
SNORGY.
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
Glad the link was helpful.
RE: Recommended safety devices wellhead flowlines
**********************
"The problem isn't working out the equation,
its finding the answer to the real question." BigInch
http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/