Method and apparatus for eliminating severe slugging in a riser of a pipeline includes measuring pipeline pressure and operating a valve

摘要

In a method of opposing or preventing the occurrence of severe slugging in a riser (6) of a multiphase fluid conveying pipeline (2), a separator vessel (10) is connected to an upper end of the riser (6) to receive liquid from the pipeline and separate the gas and liquid phases, the separator is provided with a gas outlet pipe (12) including a valve (14) to regulate the gas flow velocity along the pipeline in the vicinity of the lower end of the riser, the pressure in the pipeline is observed at the lower end of the riser and the extent of opening of the valve is varied to vary pipeline gas velocity and prevent severe slugging. Preferably, the extent of valve opening is controlled in response to the pressure measurement and the separator vessel (10) also includes a liquid outlet pipe (16) including a second valve (18), the extent of opening of the second valve being varied in response to the liquid level in the separator.