Subsea Engineering

Gas Pipelines
W. K-S. Pao

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 1

Where Are We in the Big Picture?

Separator
piping

Gas

Oil

Compressor

pump

Water
pump

Meter

Oil/Gas
Terminal
Storage

Venting

Treatment

Flaring

Injection

Sales
MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 2

Universal Gas Law

Universal gas law:

pV ZnRT
where n is the amount of matter.

mg
Mg

mg is mass of gass, Mg is molar mass of gas

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 3

Universal Gas Law

Specific density of gas

Mg
M air (28.97)

But in natural gas, there are many components C1, C2, etc
#

HC

MW

Critical
[psia]
673
709
618
530
551
482
485
434
370
492

pressure

Critical Temperature [R]

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1

C1
C2
C3
C4I
C4n
C5i
C5n
C6
C7++
N2

16.04
30.07
44.09
58.12
58.12
72.15
72.15
86.17
114.2
28.02

344
550
666
733
766
830
847
915
1025
227

CO2

44.01

1072

548

H2S

34.08

1306

673

0
1
MCB45232

2012 UTP Slide No. 4

Kays Law
Let yi be molar fraction of gas i,

M g yi M i ; Tpc yiTi ,c ; p pc yi pi ,c
i

Subscript pc is called pseudo-critical. From pseudo-critical

pressure and temperature, we can compute the pseudoreduced properties

p
T
p pr
; Tpr
p pc
Tpc
Why are we calculating pseudo-reduced properties?

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 5

Suttons correlation
If gas gravity is known, we can use Suttons correlation
Ppc [psia] 756.8 131.0 g 3.6 g2
Tpc [R] 169.2 349.5 g 74.0

2
g

for 0.57 g 1.68

We calculate pseudo-reduced properties because (i) the

universal gas law is only valid for ideal gas; (ii) real gas
deviates hugely from ideal behaviour; and (iii) the theorem of
correspondence state postulates that the extend of deviation of
a real gas from ideal gas is the same for all gas for the same
corresponding state.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 6

Density of gas and formation volume factor

pV ZnRT

mg
Mg

ZRT

g M air p
g

V
ZRT
ZRT
mg

Mg p

Formation volume factor

Bg

Vreservoir ZnRT
pstc
Zp T

stc
Vstc
p Z stc nRTstc
Tstc p

It relates the variation of gas density in reservoir condition with

reference to a standard condition.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 7

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 8

California Natural Gas Assumption

Pavg 344400(10)

Z 1

1.785

3.825
Tavg

P is in psig (gauge pressure)

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 9

Pipeline Equations
Weymouth
Panhandle
Modified Panhandle
Using these three equations, various combination of pipe
diameter and wall thickness for a desired rate of fluid
throughput can be calculated

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 10

Pipeline Equations
Weymouth equation is preferred for smaller-diameter lines
(D < 15 in).
Panhandle equation and the Modified Panhandle equation are
better for larger-sized lines.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 11

Weymouth Equation for Horizontal Flow

Weymouth proposed that f vary as a function of

diameter in inches as follows:

where qh = scfh

D = pipe internal diameter, in

f = Moody friction factor

Weymouth equation is preferred for smaller-diameter lines (D < 15 in)

For partially developed flow regime
MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 12

Weymouth Equation for Horizontal Flow

Assumptions for use of the Weymouth equation
including

no mechanical work,
steady flow,
isothermal flow,
Constant compressibility factor,
horizontal flow,
and no kinetic energy change.

These assumptions can affect accuracy of calculation

results.
MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 13

Example 1
For the following data given for a horizontal pipeline, predict gas flow rate in ft3/hr
through the pipeline given Z=0.9188 and viscosity 0.0099cp.

Solution

MCB4523

[ R] [ F ] 459.67
1' 12"

2012 UTP Slide No. 14

Exercise 1
For the following data given for a horizontal pipeline, predict
gas flow rate in ft3/hr through the pipeline by using Weymouth.
Diameter of pipeline = 16 in
Length
= 220 miles
Average temperature = 80 deg F
Specific gravity of gas = 0.7
Upstream pressure
= 650-psia
Downstream pressure = 230-psia
Absolute roughness of pipe= 0.0006-in
Standard temperature = 60 deg F
Standard pressure
= 14.7 psia
Average z factor
= 0.8533
Viscosity of gas
= 0.0099
Ans: ~2.4 MMscf/hr

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 15

Panhandle A Equation-Horizontal Flow

pipeline flow equation is thus

where q is the gas flow rate in ft3/d measured at Tb and pb, and
other terms are the same as in the Weymouth equation.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 16

Panhandle B Equation-Horizontal Flow

(Modified Panhandle)

Long transmission and Delivery lines

q = gas flow rate (ft3/d)

Units are same as in Panhandle A Eqn
MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 17

Panhandle B Equation-Horizontal Flow

(Modified Panhandle)
A section of a pipeline system is to handle 200 MMSCFD gas flow. The pipeline
inlet pressure is 900 psig and the gas flows to a dehydrator operating at 800 psig.
The allowable working pressure of the pipeline is 1480 psi. The following data are
given: STC 14.73 psi, 60oF, average temperature 80oF, compressibility 0.67,
specific gravity of gas 0.85, viscosity 0.01 cp, length 5 miles. Determine D.
Soln:

200 10 737 D

MCB4523

2.530

520
14.73

914

1.02

814

(540)(0.67)(5)(0.85)

0.510

0.961

2012 UTP Slide No. 18

Example
A natural gas pipeline, NPS 16, 0.25, 50 mi long, with a branch pipe (NPS 8,
0.25, 15 mi long), as shown in Figure below, is used to transport 100 MMSCFD
gas (gravity = 0.6, viscosity 0.000008 lb/ft-s) from A to B (20 mi long). At B, a
delivery of 30 MMSCFD occurs into the branch pipe BE. The delivery pressure at E
must be maintained at 300 psig. The remaining volume 70 MMSCFD is shipped to
terminal C at the delivery pressure of 600 psig. Assume a constant gas
temperature of 60F, pipeline efficiency of 0.95, base temperature and pressure at
60F and 14.7 respectively. The compressibility factor Z=0.88.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 19

Cont.
a) Using Panhandle A, calculate the inlet pressure at A
b) Is a pressure regulator required at E?

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 20

Cont.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 21

Cont.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 22

Empirical Pipeline Equation

A general non-iterative pipeline flow equation is written as

[ft3/day]
The values of the constants are given in Table for the
different
pipeline flow equations.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 23

What happen to multiphase flow?

Simple answer to that is there is no

readily available analytical solutions that
is analytic; and allow us to estimate
pressure drop per unit length.

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 24

Lets see what is involved for 2 phase

Conservation of mass:

g g g g vg gl 0

t
x

l l l l vl gl 0
t
x

Conservation of momentum:

phase change

Gas-liquid friction
Gas-wall friction

p pg

2
g g vg g g vg g
Rgl Rgw g g g sin

t
x
x
p pl

2
Rgl Rlw l l g sin
l l vl l l vl l
t
x
x
Capillary pressure
MCB4523

Liquid-wall friction
2012 UTP Slide No. 25

Steady and incompressible

Conservation of mass:

g g vg 0

x
vg
g
g
vg
0
x
x

l l vl 0
x
vl
l
l
vl
0
x
x

Conservation of momentum:
p
Rgl Rgw g g g sin
x
p
0 l
Rgl Rgw l l g sin
x
0 g

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 26

Steady and incompressible

Eliminating pressure derivative

Rgl

Rgw

g g sin

Rgl

Rgw

l g sin

Constraint:S g Sl 1
Assume at inlet:
g g vg k g ; l l vl kl

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 27

Steady and incompressible

Define unknowns as g
l
y
vg
vl

Define F=0 where

MCB4523

g g vg k g

l l vl kl

Rgl Rgw
Rgl Rgw

g g sin

l g sin
g g
l l

g l 1

2012 UTP Slide No. 28

Steady and incompressible

Ay 0 F
F ( y )
F ( y y ) F ( y )
y
y
A
F ( y)
y
y
A
Let F ( y y ) 0. y F ( y )
y
or
A
y
y

F ( y ) J 1F

where J is the Jacobian of J11 = dF1/dy1 etc

MCB4523

2012 UTP Slide No. 29