Numerical Feasibility Study of Electric Heating Strategies for Subsea Tie-In Flowlines Using a 1-D Mechanistic Multiphase Flow Simulator

摘要

This paper reports the outcome of a study investigating four electrical heat-tracing strategies that can be employed to avoid wax deposition in subsea flowlines transporting untreated crude oil from subsea wells to a host installation. The strategies, described in the paper, are distinct by the configuration of deploying the heat tracing along the pipe and by the activation schedule (continuous or alternating heating cycles). The study demonstrates quantitatively that the electrical power required for maintaining wax-free flow depends strongly on the employed strategy. The complex thermo-hydraulic flow was modeled using a commercial Dynamic Multiphase Flow Simulator with wax deposition option and thermal insulation as an input parameter. In conclusion, the paper ranks the strategies according to their computed energy efficiency, thus providing quantitative benchmarks for preliminary wax control assessment.