A Joint Industry-University Research Project
Authors: Eaton Ben A. , Brown K.E. 
Published: December 2007

Introduction

For many years the oil industry in the United States has aided higher education through scholarships, graduate fellowship and research grants. The oil industry has also been a leader in providing summer employment for college student. During the last year many oil companies and related service companies joined forces with the Petroleum Engineering Dept. of The U. of Texas in a research project concerning simultaneous two-phase flow in horizontal and inclined pipelines. The project was of such magnitude that it is highly improbable that one company or institution would have attempted it alone. However, through the combined efforts of these organizations in lending equipment, facilities and financial aid, the project was initiated with a minimum expense to each party involved. The oil industry is to be commended for taking another step forward in the aid to higher education. This project has been designed to support two PhD and four MS candidates. However, in addition to helping these men complete their higher education, a wealth of practical two-phase flow information will be made available to the industry.

Evolution of the Field Research Project

In 1962, K. E. Brown of the Petroleum Engineering Dept of The U. of Texas, issued to the oil industry a proposal of a cooperative research program on multiphase flow in pipelines. The objectives were to study experimentally the pressure losses and flow patterns occurring in two-phase flow. The experiments were to be conducted in the field on a large scale using both horizontal and inclined pipelines. The results of the experiments were to be studied and a suitable correlation developed.

Field Site

Union Oil Co. of California agreed to grant the use of their facilities at The Tigre Lagoon field near Delcambre, La., for the tests. This site was chosen because of the large gas supply available. Union Oil Co. had 1,800 ft of 2-in. and 4-in. pipelines laid on blocks and leveled. Supply and return lines were constructed also. This was the first step prior to the arrangement for all equipment.

Auxiliary Equipment

A great deal of the auxiliary equipment that was needed was consigned to the University by several companies. This equipment will be discussed in sequence as it is connected around the test loop, starting with the liquid storage tank which was loaned by Union Oil Co. The tank served as a storage facility for the closed system. The liquids were pumped around the loop by means of a skid-mounted pumping unit. Any reciprocating piston pump such as this has a certain amount of pressure pulsation that could not be tolerated. A pulsation dampener with a G/L interceptor was installed near the pump, and eliminated the problem. The liquid pressure upstream of the variable choke was held constant at 1,000 psi by an automatic bypass. When the pump pressure built up to 1,000 psi the valve in the center would open, allowing excess liquid to pass back to storage. Therefore, it was a simple matter to set the liquid flow rate by adjusting the choke while observing the rate indicator of the liquid meter. Liquid hold-up, or the percentage of a unit volume of pipe occupied by liquid for a given set of two-phase conditions, was measured by trapping a 70-ft section of the stream as it was flowing. This was done at two points in each line with automatic full-opening valves. This was an instantaneous process controlled with one electrical switch in the central control house.

JPT

P. 170ˆ