IDENTIFY OPS UPSETSOUTSIDE PLANT, TAKE BASIC ACTION, ALERT Course contents:1-OPS definition - What is the meaning for

OPS? - OPS in oil field industry. 2- OPS classifications - OPS types in oil field. 3- Production wells OPS, basic action & alert - production Wells - Pipe lines. - Storage tanks 4-Process OPS, basic action & alert - Process Equipements. 5-Safety OPS, basic action & alert 6-Gathering centers OPS, basic action & alert 7- Service equipments (pumps ,generators ,compressors.etc) 8-Summery

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1-OPS definition

-What is the meaning for OPS? -Ops = operations -Introduction:Processing, handling, storing and transportation of crude oil and its products involve a great degree of fire risk and in some situations, toxic hazards. Plants are designed incorporating maximum possible safety features such as alarms, interlocks and trip systems to minimize the risk. In addition, safe operating procedures has to be followed during normal operation, start-up, shutdown and emergencies for smooth and accident free oprations.

Operations personnel shall refer the unit operation manual, standing instructions, equipment operation manuals, vendor data, etc for detailed procedures and safety aspects. The term field operator in the following clauses shall mean either field operator or senior field operator unless otherwise specified.
- OPS in oil field industry.

OPS in oil field industry

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An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum (crude oil) from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometers across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area. In addition, there may be exploratory wells probing the edges, pipelines to transport the oil elsewhere, and support facilities.

Because an oil field may be remote from civilization, establishing a field is often an extremely complicated exercise in logistics. For instance, workers have to work there for months or years and require housing. In turn, housing and equipment require electricity and water. Pipelines in cold areas may need to be heated. Excess natural gas may be burned off if there is no way to make use of it, requiring a furnace and stacks, and pipes to carry it from well to furnace.

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Thus, the typical oil field resembles a small self-contained city in the midst of a landscape dotted with drilling rigs and/or the pump jacks known as "nodding donkeys" because of their bobbing arm. Several companies, such as BJ Services, Bechtel, Esso, Schlumberger Limited, Baker Hughes and Halliburton, have organizations that specialize in the large-scale construction of the infrastructure and providing specialized services required to operate a field profitably. More than 40,000 oil fields are scattered around the globe, on land and offshore.

However, it is more accurate to divide the oil industry into three sectors: upstream (crude production from wells and separation of water from oil), midstream (pipeline and tanker transport of crude) and downstream (refining and marketing of refined products).

Expert training center 2012 HAZARDS AT OIL FIELDS

Following are some of the hazards in operation unit areas; - Ignition hazard of flammable gas/vapour & liquid - Gas/liquid/vapor at high temperature, pressure & quantity - Toxic gases, corrosive chemicals, pyrophoric material - Hazards of steam, water, compressed air, nitrogen, expansion hazard of water - Electrical & static electricity hazards - Flying particles, dust, falling objects, rotating equipment - Slipping, tripping, falling hazards, restricted access, obstacles - Noise pollution - Heat & ionizing Radiation, Hot/Cold surfaces

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GENERAL PRECAUTIONS PERSONNEL

a. All Operations and other personnel working in hazardous area shall have basic safety and fire fighting knowledge related to oil industry, before assigning in the field. b. Operations personnel shall keep continuous monitoring and vigilance. Operations personnel of that unit/area only are authorized to be in the area. c. Non-Operation personnel shall obtain work permit before performing any work other than visual inspection (Refer document: Safe Work Practices on Work Permit System and Risk Assessment).

d. Head Count: Authorized personnel belonging to other disciplines should sign a register kept at the operator shelter and inform supervisor/control room operator/field operator while entering and leaving the unit. Executor or the group leader shall mention the number of men in the work group while signing the entry/exit register and others are not required to sign when working/visiting as a group. All personnel should cooperate with Operations to enable them to estimate

Expert training center 2012 e. PPE: Personnel entering hazardous area shall wear mandatory basic PPE, i.e. helmet, safety glass, coverall and safety boots/shoes. They shall wear earplug/muff in noisy units and other special PPE as required (ex. Face mask, acid suit, dust respirator, as per document on PPE management program, Operating procedures and MSDS). Visitors shall wear safety helmet, safety glass and safety shoes as the minimum requirement during site visits. f. Helmet: Each person shall wear assigned color helmet for easy identification of craft as per document on PPE Management. g. Eating, drinking and smoking shall not be allowed in control rooms (CR, CCR) and the occupants shall use the mess room for this purpose. h. Sleeping and eating food at the work site is strictly prohibited. Contractor shall provide food shelter and other facilities as per SH&E Guidelines for contractors during shutdown, etc.

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i. Operators and others working in H2S containing units or shared sewer systems shall carry personnel H2S detectors/alarms. When working as a group within a 5meter radius, one common detector is considered adequate. j. Personnel shall not hang or keep their belongings (cloth, food) in hazardous area (other than operator shelter). Vessel skirt manways should be covered by properly secured removable mesh to prevent entry and storing any material.

Expert training center 2012 CONTROL OF IGNITION SOURCES a. Vehicles for personnel movement including that of Operations shall be parked outside hazardous area boundary or outside the dike area of tanks.

b. Mobile equipment use and entry of vehicles to load/unload materials shall have hot work permit (refer document on Safe Work Practices on Work Permit & RA and Traffic safety guidelines). Such areas shall be clearly demarcated with signs indicating No Entry of Vehicles without Permit and/or with removable chain barriers.
c. Power tools and battery or electrically operated instruments need hot work permit d. Smoking shall only be allowed in approved smoking shelter away from hazardous area. Electrical lighter and large sand ashbin shall be provided. Person shall extinguish the cigarette before leaving the smoking shelter. Ash trays/bins shall be cleared daily.

Expert training center 2012 f. Intrinsically safe radios, pagers and flashlights (torch) shall only be used. Use of any other item shall be under hot work permit. g. Ordinary electrical appliances (kettle, cooler, AC, heater, microwave, fridge, etc) shall not be allowed inside operator shelters in hazardous area. Special arrangements shall be made to provide basic necessities of the field operator. Ex-proof water cooler, electrical socket for plugging kettle in the nearby smoking shelter, provision of ice cubes, etc may be required.

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HAZARD WARNINGS, PROTECTIONS & PRECAUTIONS

a. Warning signs shall be displayed at the unit (or tank or major equipment) entry points indicating specific hazards with hazard symbols and required precautions with PPE symbols. b. Locations of safety shower/eyewash, fire extinguishers, fire alarm points, escape sets/SCBA, and paging sets should be clearly identified by suitable signs and/or fluorescent colours. c. Available protection for the mechanical hazards shall be properly in place. eg:Guards of rotating parts, vertical ladder safety bar, covers of drains/sewers/sumps, gratings in place, etc. d. Walkways, stairs, platforms, etc shall be free of tripping hazards (eg:- hoses haphazardly laid, scaffold material, left over maintenance material). e. Scaffolds shall not block cage ladders, stairs, walkways and access to instruments or valves.

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f. Field Operator shall check adequacy of lighting during late evening and night. Supervisor shall initiate actions to correct deficiencies.
g. Ditch, valve pit or platform where covers or gratings are temporarily removed shall be barricaded. Covers shall be replaced at the earliest. Excavations also shall be barricaded with warning signs and temporary access provided.

LEAKS/ SPILLS

Expert training center 2012

Leaks/spills can occur due to maintenance activity, failure of packing/gasket/seals/piping, sampling, chemical handling, uncontrolled draining, overflow, etc. a. Field operator shall monitor the unit area for leaks and spills. Portable gas monitor should be used to detect minor leaks. Operator shall carry escape mask when testing at height or restricted locations.

b. Masking tape and soap solution may be used during start-up for leak test. Used tape shall be removed when the leak test is completed.
c. Field operator shall act immediately to stop the leak from source if possible without creating further hazard. Arrest the leak at the earliest by isolation, tightening the gland/flange, etc. Spilled material shall be cleaned at the earliest.

Expert training center 2012 d. Supervisor/ Control Room Operator may activate emergency shut down depending on the situation. Protection of human life shall be given prime importance. e. Report the incident and activate as necessary f. Follow Environmental Manuals/Procedures for disposal of leaked material. g. Maintenance shall arrange drip tray during line breaking & similar jobs. Tray or container shall be safely disposed before closing the work permit or without allowing to overflow. h. Supervisor/field operator shall ensure that the unit drain systems are clear and free of blockage.

i. For leaks from loading arms in berths please refer to Chapter-22 Marine Terminal Safety.

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OIL SOAKED INSULATIONS

Non-volatile hydrocarbons can creep in to the insulation due to draining, at start-up or shutdown, leaks and other incidents. Oil soaked insulation can auto ignite at a temperature much below the auto ignition temperature of free oil. Hence oil soaked insulation shall be replaced at the earliest. All possible oil soaked insulation shall be removed before startup and whatever insulation getting soaked during start-up shall be replaced immediately after the startup.

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WASTE MANAGEMENT
Process unit shutdown maintenance activities have a significant impact on environment. Venting / flaring of process gases, equipment preparation for maintenance, inspection, revamping of existing facilities, tying-up with new facilities, replacement of catalyst are few of the activities, which have a major impact on the environment during shutdown activities. In addition to the above, gaseous and liquid effluents, handling of hazardous solid waste like spent catalyst, drums containing hazardous chemicals, refractory, radioactive materials also will have a substantial impact on environment. Waste Management Guidelines issued by Environment Division shall be followed in the handling and disposal of waste. Waste transportation Manifest must be used while transporting the waste outside Refinery to a designated location/ area for disposal.

Expert training center 2012 DAILY CHECKS

Field operator /shift supervisor shall carry out the following checks on safety related items every shift. Any abnormality and identified hazards shall be reported and logged. Shift Supervisor shall ensure that the defects are attended at the earliest. Area safety engineer shall also audit these items in his daily rounds.

Expert training center 2012 Item Expected Condition/ Action 1 Operators PPE Required PPE available? PPE is in good condition? PPE being used as required? 2 Gas Meters Available? Battery charge ok? Calibration is not overdue? Apparently in good working condition? Are required accessories available?

3 SCBA & Escape sets Pressure is OK?* Equipment stored conveniently for reading cylinder pressure? Equipment is easily accessible? * Report to Fire Station for replacement immediately after use/ or when pressure is low (below green mark)
4 Safety Shower/ Eye-Wash Water pressure ok? Water quality ok? Valves operating smoothly? No sign of water leak around? No sign of corrosion?

Expert training center 2012 5 Communication System (Radio, Paging System) In working condition (tested jointly by control room & field operators every shift)

6 First Aid Box, Fire Blanket First Aid Box available? Fire Blanket available? Fire Blanket in good condition? FAB content as per list? Medicines within expiry period? Materials other than medicines not stored in FAB?

7 Availability Of Manuals & Drawings Following documents available? Unit operating manual MIPP (and other relevant ) Manual Safety Regulations Unit P&ID

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8 Work Permits Files Work permits shall be filed daily. Activities shall be monitored frequently. 9 Plant Audit Walk through check of the unit: No heavy leaks ? No spillage ? Fire equipment in place and in apparent good condition ? Fire equipment access not blocked ? Wheel keys available on Fire hydrants ? No unusual noise from machinery ? No unusual vibration on machinery? Scaffolds tagged properly ? Personnel using mandatory / required PPE? Hazard warning labels and signs clearly visible ? General house keeping satisfactory ?

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PERIODIC CHECKS
In addition to routine daily checks, thorough periodic checks and preventive maintenance shall be carried out as follows. Check by Operations can be performed in the afternoon or night shift and evenly distributed among the four shifts.

Records shall be maintained and copies sent to respective divisions when action is required.

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2- OPS classifications

OPS types in oil field.

Expert training center 2012 1- SAFE OPERATION OF VALVES Sudden abrupt opening of valves can lead to hazardous situations such as surge, splash, freezing, etc. Operators shall keep in mind the following rules/guidelines while opening and closing of valves. a. Valves should be opened slowly. Wear suitable gloves and other PPE as required. b. Position yourself to avoid back pain or undue stress to any part of the body. c. Correct (C Type) of wheel key shall be used. F type is not allowed as it may slip. d. Wheel key must be in good condition and kept on a wheel key stand. Operator shall return it to the stand after use.

e. Safe Work Practices on Confined Space Entry shall be followed when entering a valve pit. Ensure sufficient covers are removed for proper ventilation. Practice good lifting posture and get help while removing heavy covers. f. Follow ladder safety rules when using a portable ladder to access a valve.

Expert training center 2012 2- CONTROL OF DRAINING & VENTING Uncontrolled draining and venting can create pollution and explosive, toxic or inert atmosphere depending on the gases released. Many cases of fires and H2S exposure have been reported from plant areas, oily sewer and separators due to uncontrolled and uncoordinated release. Precautions are: a. Draining or venting shall be minimized by recovering to the maximum possible extent and then using slop or flare systems. b. Risk assessment shall be done jointly and procedure prepared prior to opening flanges in flammable, toxic or corrosive service. c. Operator shall never leave the location with a drain valve open. d. Avoid draining sour water to the oily water system. Acid or alkali solution should be drained to dedicated system or neutralized. e. Avoid draining hydrocarbons to storm water system, open ground or paved floor. Provide drip tray for small quantities and route to oily sewer for larger quantities.

Expert training center 2012 g. When draining long liquid hydrocarbon lines, inert gas must be introduced to prevent vacuum formation. h. When releasing large quantities of water, ensure measures to prevent soil erosion and damage to flumes or foundations.

i.

Steam release produces excessive noise. Consider silencers, remote venting and avoid depending on hearing protection alone

j. When there is a likelihood of hazardous substances escaping to atmosphere (as in the case of a vessel that is being purged with N2), suitable warning signs and barricade shall be provided to warn people who are likely to enter into the vicinity.

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3- RELEASE OF LIGHT HYDROCARBONS, LPG OR OTHER HAZARDOUS GASES a. Flammable gas/vapor should be depressurized to flare to the maximum possible extent.
b. If venting to atmosphere is unavoidable, it shall be routed to a safe location. c. Steam shall be used to prevent accumulation of explosive mixtures during leaks or controlled release.

d. Closed drainage or slop system should be used for volatile liquids. Avoid draining flammable liquids to non-sealed sewer system.
e. Double block & bleed valves (DBBV, separately or as a modular unit), valve with body drain or modified blind (blind with bleed) should be utilized if available to avoid release of light material during line breaking (opening flange) where valve is passing.

Expert training center 2012 f. During atmospheric venting or draining, suspend hot work including vehicle entry, equipment use and use of battery operated instruments within 15m radius and in all affected downwind/downstream areas. g. Operations shall continuously monitor the gas concentration. Supervisor/Operator shall alert those in the immediate vicinity as well as downwind personnel by paging system or using warning signs and barricades. Inform downstream units likely to get affected. h. LPG or similar liquid should be drained to closed blow-down systems. If there is no such provision, it should be depressurized safely to the extent possible by routing to flare, etc. If atmospheric release is unavoidable (ex. blinding short pipe segment where no drain or vent is available) Operations, Executors and Safety shall carry out risk assessment jointly prior to start of the job. Fire crew shall be standby. i. Environment Division shall be informed in advance of planned draining/ release.

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4- CONTROL OF DRAINING/ VENTING OF H2S CONTAMINATED STREAMS

Any stream containing H2S should not be released to atmosphere. If unavoidable, air mask shall be used. Escape set or SCBA shall be readily available. Means of communication shall be available. Downwind facilities shall be alerted and personnel evacuated if required.

Tanks containing H2S shall be clearly identified with warning signs displayed at access points to the dike and at the entrance of stairs.

Expert training center 2012 5- SAMPLING SAFETY - GASES, LIQUIDS, LPG a. Sampler should wear protective goggles, appropriate hand gloves, shoes etc while taking sample. Ensure sample coolers are working. Face shield should be used if there is a chance of hot or corrosive liquid splash and cold burn.

b. Closed circuit sampling with purge to flare should be used for H2S, toxic or flammable gas and LPG sampling.
c. Sampler messenger should stop the vehicle outside hazardous area or dike of a tank unless authorized to enter by a hot work permit. d. Cap sample bottles properly after sampling for personnel safety and accurate results e. Sample bottles should be kept in a metal sample crate (basket). f. Field operator shall accompany the sampler when sampling is done by another party.

g. Special sampling bombs shall be used for LPG sampling. Sampling bombs

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h. For safety reasons, fill the bomb about 80% only to allow for liquid expansion.
i. LPG sample points should have 2 isolation valves 1 meter apart. Absence of source of ignition must always be confirmed before and during sampling of LPG. j. LPG samples shall be collected only in open/ventilated areas and the person taking the sample shall stand upwind. k. When using bladders to collect samples, do not overfill the bladder at any point of time. l. After collecting sample close the sample point and confirm that there is no leakage / passing of valves.

m.When collecting hot oil sample open the cooling medium before opening the sample point for flushing
n. For hot oil samples leave some space in the bottle for vapor

o. After collecting sample make sure valves are isolated and confirm there is no passing of valves.

Expert training center 2012 6- USE OF INERT GAS Inert gases (mostly N2) is widely used in operations to create an inert atmosphere. This may be during startup (to remove air) or during shutdown to purge hydrocarbons or during the running of the unit itself where an inert blanket may be necessary for safe operation. It is important to ensure that the N2 used is pure and free from any contamination so that it will be suitable for operation purpose. To ensure that N2 header is free from contamination following measure shall be taken: -N2 samples shall be collected and sent to lab every 24 hrs. -If tests indicate that N2 header is contaminated, Section Head- Utilities shall inform all users from Operations Dept and Maint Dept and issue instructions.

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7- TANK OPERATIONS a. Operator shall carry personal H2S monitor, radio and escape set when gauging or draining tanks contaminated with H2S. Such tanks should have warning signs displayed at dike entry and stairs.
b. Crude oil & slops tanks are normally drained to oily sewer to remove the water accumulated in the tank bottom. Operator shall wear face shield in addition to above. He shall be in constant radio contact with control room. Draining shall not be left unattended. c. Ensure nylon rope/cord is not used for sampling /gauging which is to be lowered into product tanks. Metal or natural fiber is recommended. d. Ensure no personnel is allowed on tank roof for gauging /sampling during product transfer unless dip pipe extend to the bottom of tank. Allow 30 min relaxation time to dissipate static charges if any. Use only mechanical gauges for ascertaining product transferred. e. Roof drain and bottom drain shall be distinctly identified. Roof drain should be locked open.

Expert training center 2012 f. Heating coil of a tank shall not be commissioned unless the coil is submerged. g. Inspection & Corrosion Division along with Operations shall identify the tanks with corroded roof and Operations shall arrange to provide warning signs. h. When removing/fixing back PV valve of a fixed roof tank, tank shall be idle (no filling/lowering/circulation). Nozzle shall be left open and not blinded. i. Gas blanketing systems shall be kept healthy. j. Bird mesh should be provided at vent outlets and foam pourers. They shall be checked and cleaned regularly. Operations shall get it done through Maintenance Planning. k. Spark arrestors in tank vents can get clogged leading to tank collapse. Hence if provided, they shall be checked weekly and cleaned regularly.

Expert training center 2012 8- HEATER FIRING Following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) during heater firing is very important to avoid internal explosions and back firing. a. Explosion doors shall be checked to ensure they are free to function. b. Heater box shall be adequately purged before lighting. No personnel shall be up on heater platforms. c. Safety interlocks shall be checked as per procedure and signed by Operations and Instrument. d. Do not light main burner without lighting pilot burners. Do not re-light burners without checking pilot burners after tripping.

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e. Portable electric torch or gas torch is recommended for lighting burners. Operator shall ensure the valve is closed immediately after use. Oil torch is not recommended. Never light one burner from the adjacent burner.

f. Any flexible hoses shall be monitored for leaks using gas monitor or soap test.
g. Operator shall wear face shield during firing and checking the flames.

h. Draft shall be controlled as per procedure to avoid back firing and to keep pilot burners live. Field Operator shall check the pilot burners every shift.
i. Peep glasses shall be cleaned frequently.

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9- HANDLING OF PYROPHORIC MATERIALS

Iron reacts with sulfur forming a compound of iron sulfide especially in processes containing H2S. These deposits react with oxygen when exposed to air. Heat from this spontaneous combustion can ignite any associated oil. Hence, following precautions shall be undertaken while carrying out work on equipment, which are likely to have pyrophoric deposits: a. Process lines and other inline equipment exposed to H2S atmosphere, like vessels, columns, pumps, pump strainers, etc shall be purged with inert gas or steam or demine water before opening. The inner surface shall be kept wet by water spray or saturated steam during cleaning until all scales are removed. b. Pyrophoric scales and rust particles containing iron sulfide shall be kept isolated from oxygen by topping up with water or blanketing with inert gas until these are removed to an assigned weathering area or buried to prevent ignition.

c. Drums or containers used for pyrophoric waste shall be painted in

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10- CONTROL OF STATIC GENERATION

a. Electrical & A/C Maint Division shall ensure earthing of piping, equipment and tanks are in order. b. Source and receiver of the transferring fluid shall be bonded together. c. Avoid high velocity or splash filling in all types of products. d. Ensure reduced rate of flow velocity below 1 m/sec initially into tank/vessel until fill point /nozzle is completely submerged in fluid. Process Engineering shall advise Operations on the rate of tank level rise to achieve above flow rate. e. Ensure that only gauge tapes with earthing provision are used for gauging. f. Agitation with air, steam, gas, jet nozzle or mechanical mixture should be avoided. Side entry mixers shall not be started until the blades are submerged. g. Free water can promote static generation. Hence carry out prompt draining of

11- RADIO ACTIVE SOURCES Expert training center 2012 There are several instruments/ analyzers in the process areas using hazardous radio active source as part of primary sensing device. When exposed to human body on a continuous basis the cumulative effect of the radio active exposure can be lethal to the sensitive internal body organs. -Special care is therefore taken to arrest radiation leakage on the detector surface by encapsulating it in Lead sheathed chambers. Precautions as per the manufacturers guidelines has to be taken during installation, maintenance, transportation and disposal of radio active sources. Additional precautions are required when a gauge is used on a vessel large enough to permit entry of personnel. Procedure for Safe Transportation of Radio Isotopes shall be followed.

-Before any person enters a vessel, the source must be in the "safe" position (OFF or drawn up into the protective housing.) Of course, for this instruction to be carried out, the person must be able to identify radiation source holders on vessels, and be able to determine if they are safe. Each manway of the vessel shall be marked with a sign indicating the presence of radioactive sources. Contractors hired to work on vessels must be made aware of the presence of radioactive sources. Confined space entry procedures, which typically include procedures for protecting against chemical, electromagnetic, and mechanical hazards, must also include procedures to protect against

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12- CHEMICAL/CATALYST/LUBE OIL HANDLING a. Avoid over-stacking of drums and overstocking of chemicals in the unit area. Keep minimum inventory and avoid spillage (refer document on Chemical Hazard Management Program). b. Use proper tools /eqpt. Avoid splashing. Do not leave containers open. c. Wear appropriate PPE as per MSDS. All relevant MSDS shall be available in the operator shelter. d. Avoid direct skin contact. Check wind direction and stand upwind.

e. Ensure safety shower/eye wash in working order before handling chemicals.

f. Use drum stands with valve on drum to control flow and drip tray for lube oil drums.

Expert training center 2012 13- HANDING OVER OF EQUIPMENT TO MAINTENANCE

a. Operations shall carry out depressurizing, draining, washing, steaming, purging, and cooling as per unit/equipment shutdown procedures. b. When the shifts change during such preparation, status of preparation shall be logged and acknowledged by the incoming personnel. c. Preparation should not be hurried or bypassed and shall be in accordance with the unit operation manual. Any deviation shall be approved by the Team Leader. d. Hot work within 15 meters shall be stopped before permitting line breaking.

Expert training center 2012 14- TAKING OVER OF EQUIPMENT AFTER MAINTENANCE

a. Permit issuer shall ensure that check valves and any other directional fittings are fitted in the correct direction. Permit issuer in coordination with instrument engineer shall ensure the status of fail-safe condition of control valves and ESD circuits are maintained as per design when reinstalling after overhaul.

b. Permit issuer shall ensure housekeeping done and work permit closed prior to acceptance as per Safe Work Practices on Work permit and Risk Assessment requirements.
c. Equipment blind list shall be verified and logged if applicable.

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3- Production wells OPS, basic action & alert

production Wells

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Risks associated with oil and natural gas wells

-Drilling for oil and natural gas is technically demanding. Pressures of up to several 100 bar can be encountered in the rock formations in which we operate. These pressures need to be managed safely to ensure that hydrocarbons cannot escape from the borehole. - We use various safety systems designed to counter two main scenarios:

oil or gas leak (blow-out) explosion and fire

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Oil or gas leak (blow-out)

- During drilling operations, it is possible for hydrocarbons contained in high-pressure rock formations within the reservoir to flow into the borehole the technical specialists call it a kick. A kick increases the risk of hydrocarbons leaking and reaching the surface. This, in turn, can lead to loss of control over the well. It is therefore imperative that the drilling crew can detect the signs of a kick at an early stage. To this end, qualified personnel constantly monitor the portion of the drilling mud circuit that is located on the surface by means of gas sensors and tank level gauges. If hydrocarbons are present, they can be safety removed from the well via the blow-out preventer, which also prevents a further inflow.

Proper preparation of the borehole, which includes qualified cementing of the casings, is the most important prerequisite for ensuring that the safety systems can function reliably.

Expert training center 2012 Explosion and fire Crude oil and natural gas are mixtures of flammable hydrocarbons which can explode if air is added at the right ratio. Areas where oil and gas can escape are declared zone 1 explosion hazard areas and are assigned the highest hazard rating. These zones are monitored by gas sensors. If the gas concentration exceeds the critical level, a process is triggered automatically to return parts of the rig or even the entire well to a safe condition. Moreover, at RWE Dea all electrical and mechanical devices, without exception, are designed to conform to the applicable explosion protection regulations. If a fire breaks out at a plant or a well, it must be detected and extinguished without delay. Smoke and fire alarms are installed at all of RWE Deas process areas. When these are triggered, they activate a process designed to maintain safe conditions. For example, subsurface safety valves in all the wells are automatically actuated as part of this process.

The control room initiates a rapid fire-fighting response by releasing the water cannon and mobilising the fire-fighting crews. These employees are trained for their role in the initial fire-fighting response

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3- Production wells OPS, basic action & alert

Pipelines.

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3- Production wells OPS, basic action & alert

Storage tanks.

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The Oil and Gas Process

The oil and gas process is the process equipment that takes the product from the wellhead manifolds and delivers stabilized marketable products, in the form of Crude Oil, Condensate or Gas. Components of the process also exist to test products and clean waste products such as produced water.

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Manifolds and Gathering 1 - Pipelines, and Risers

This facility uses Subsea production wells. The typical High Pressure (HP) wellhead at the bottom right, with its Christmas tree and choke, is located on the sea bottom. - A production riser (offshore) or gathering line (onshore) brings the well flow into the manifolds. As the reservoir is produced, wells may fall in pressure and become Low Pressure (LP) wells. - This line may include several check valves. The choke, master and wing valves are relatively slow, therefore in case of production shutdown, pressure before the first closed sectioning valve will rise to the maximum wellhead pressure before these valves can close. The pipelines and risers are designed with this in mind.

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2- Production, test and injection manifolds

Check valves allow each well to be routed into one or more of several Manifold Lines. There will be at least one for each process train plus additional Manifolds for test and balancing purposes. -In the diagram we show three: Test, Low Pressure and High Pressure Manifolds. The test manifold allows one or more wells to be routed to the test separator. Since there is only one process train, the HP and LP manifolds allow groups of HP and LP wells to be taken to the first and second stage separators respectively. The chokes are set to reduce the wellhead flow and pressure to the desired HP and LP pressures respectively. - The desired setting for each well and which wells produce at HP and LP for various production levels are defined by reservoir specialists to ensure the optimum production and recovery rate.

Expert training center 2012 Separation As described earlier, the well-stream may consist of Crude oil, Gas, Condensates, water and various contaminants. The purpose of the separators is to split the flow into desirable fractions. 1 - Test Separators and Well test Test separators are used to separate the well flow from one or more wells for analysis and detailed flow measurement. In this way, the behavior of each well under different pressure flow conditions can be determined. This normally takes place when the well is taken into production and later at regular intervals, typically 1-2 months and will measure the total and component flow rates under different production conditions. Also undesirable behavior such as slugging or sand can be determined. The separated components are also analyzed in the laboratory to determine hydrocarbon composition of the Gas oil and Condensate. The test separator can also be used to produce fuel gas for power generation when the main process is not running. In place of a test separator one could also use a three phase flow meter to save weight.

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2 - Production separators The main separators are gravity type. On the right you see the main components around the first stage separator. As mentioned the production choke reduces will pressure to the HP manifold and First stage separator to about 3-5 MPa (30-50 times atmospheric pressure). Inlet temperature is often in the range of 100-150 degrees C. On the example platform, the well stream is colder due to Subsea wells and risers.

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Gas treatment and Compression

The gas train consist of several stages, each taking gas from a suitable pressure level in the production separators gas outlet, and from the previous stage. A typical stage is shown to the right. Incoming gas (on the right) is first cooled in a heat exchanger. It then passes through the scrubber to remove liquids and goes into the compressor. The anti surge loop (thin orange line) and the surge valve (UV0121 23) allows the gas to re-circulate. The components are described below.

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Heat exchangers
For the compressor operate in an efficient way, the temperature of the gas should be low. The lower the temperature is the less energy will be used to compress the gas for a given final pressure and temperature. However both gas from separators and compressed gas are relatively hot. When gas is compressed, it must remain in thermodynamic balance, which means that the gas pressure times volume over temperature (PV/T ) must remain constant. (PV = nkT). This ends up as a temperature increase.

Expert training center 2012 When designing the process it is important to plan the thermal energy balance. Heat should be conserved e.g. by using the cooling fluid from the gas train to reheat oil in the oil train. Excess heat is disposed e.g. by sea water cooling. However hot seawater is extremely corrosive, so materials with high resistance to corrosion, such as titanium must be used.

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Scrubbers and re-boilers

The separated gas may contain mist and other liquid droplets. Liquid drops of water and hydrocarbons also form when the gas is cooled in the heat exchanger, and must be removed before it reaches the compressor. If liquid droplets enter the compressor they will erode the fast rotating blades. A scrubber is designed to remove small fractions of liquid from the gas.

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Compressor anti surge and performance

Several types of compressors are used for gas compression, each with different characteristics such as operating power, speed, pressure and volume:

Reciprocating Compressor that use a piston and cylinder design with 2-2 cylinders are built up to about 30 MW power, around 500-1800 rpm (lower for higher power) with pressure up to 5MPa (500 bars). Used for lower capacity gas compression and high reservoir pressure gas injection

Expert training center 2012 Screw compressors are manufactured up to several MW, synchronous speed (3000/3600 rpm) and pressure up to about 2.5 MPa (25 bar). Two counter rotating screws with matching profiles provide positive displacement and a wide operating range. Typical use is natural gas gathering.

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Axial blade and fin type compressors with up to 15 wheels provide high volumes at relatively low pressure differential (discharge pressure 3-5 times inlet pressure), speeds of 5000-8000 rpm, and inlet flows to 200.000 m3/hour. Applications include air compressors and cooling compression in LNG plants

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The larger oil and gas installations use Centrifugal compressors with 3-10 radial wheels, 6000 20000rpm (highest for small size), up to 80 MW load at discharge pressure of up to 50bars and inlet volumes of up to 500.000 m3/hour. Pressure differential up to 10.

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summery

Expert training center 2012

Expert training center 2012

Expert training center 2012

Expert training center 2012

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