Lecture 5-Production Operations Facilities_Sep 2024

Introduction to Oil & Gas and Sustainable Development

The course under the guidance of Dr. Hisham Ben Mahmud at Universiti Teknologi Petronas aims to cover essential topics surrounding oil and gas production operations and the concept of sustainable development. With an emphasis on surface facilities and subsea hardware, the curriculum is designed to educate students on critical components in the petroleum sector.

Lecturer Profile

  • Name: Dr. Hisham Khaled Ben Mahmud

  • Position: Associate Professor

  • Department: Petroleum Engineering

  • Research Interests: Well and reservoir management, flow assurance, CO2 capture, utilization, and storage, and hydrogen storage.

Lecture Overview

Key Topics

The lecture encompasses:

  1. Introduction to Subsea Hardware

  2. Major Surface Production Facilities

  3. Wellhead Components

  4. Produced Water Treatment Processes and Storage Facilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lecture, students will be capable of:

  • Identifying major surface production facilities.

  • Explaining the functions of wellhead and X-mas tree components.

  • Describing oil and gas separation processes and equipment.

  • Clarifying the purpose of artificial lifts in well management.

  • Describing the produced water treatment processes and the types of storage facilities.

Surface Production Facilities

Common Components

The primary equipment in surface processing involves:

  • Wellhead and manifold

  • Separators

  • Condensate stabilization unit

  • Acid gas treater

  • Well testing equipment

  • Lease automatic custody transfer (LACT)

  • Oil and water treaters

  • Pumps and compressors


  • Gas dehydratorThese facilities help in processing fluids harvested from wells, directing them through flow lines to processing locations.

Manifold Usage

Manifolds are crucial when commingling the production of multiple wells, allowing for the combined flow into a single production or test line.

Wellheads

Components

The gathering system initiates at the wellhead and includes important features:

  • Casing Head: Supports the surface casing.

  • Tubing Head: Supports production tubing.

  • Christmas Tree: Controls well fluid during production.

  • Choke Valve: Regulates flow from the well with either fixed or adjustable types available for various pressures.

Christmas Tree Configurations

The Christmas tree includes:

  1. Lower Master Valve

  2. Upper Master Valve

  3. Wing Valves

  4. Swab Valve

  5. Tree-top Adapter


  6. Pressure GaugesThese components allow control and monitoring of the well's production process.

Surface Facilities Process Design

Design Considerations

Important factors include:

  • Physical Properties: Vapor pressure, density, and molecular weight influence equipment design.

  • Phase Behavior: Understanding how fluids behave under varying conditions is vital.

  • Fluid Flow Properties: Viscosity affects how fluids are transported.

Separation Systems

Principles of Oil and Gas Separation

Oil processing involves the separation of gas and liquid due to differing processing needs. Key types include:

  • Two-phase gas and liquid separation

  • Three-phase separation (gas, liquid, and water)

Separators can be categorized based on design and functional roles.

Multistage Separation

Gas and liquid separation occurs through several stages, improving recovery efficiency, especially for liquids in production processes.

Water Treatment

Treatment Objectives

Water produced from wells must often undergo treatment before disposal or injection, addressing two primary needs:

  1. Disposal: Must be environmentally friendly.

  2. Injection: Needs to be treated before reintegration into the wellbore during enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Treatment Processes

Produced water often contains suspended oils, dissolved gases, and solids, which must be effectively removed to meet quality standards and regulations.

Production Support Facilities

Artificial Lift Systems

Artificial lift is used when natural reservoir energy drops. Different methods include:

  • Sucker Rod Pumps

  • Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP)

  • Gas Lifts

  • Plunger Lifts These technologies enhance oil recovery and extend well longevity.

Equipment Needs for Artificial Lifts

  1. Consideration of operating depths, fluid volumes, and temperature handling.

  2. Understanding production characteristics like gas-to-oil ratios is essential for selecting suitable lift technologies.

Storage Considerations

Goals and Factors

Storage facilities must ensure:

  • Minimal operations downtime

  • Prevention of volumetric loss or quality degradation


  • Adequate pollution controlThe selection process involves both economic and safety considerations.

Storage Types

Different tank types include:

  • Floating Roof Tanks: Efficient for high vapor pressures.

  • Fixed Roof Tanks: Cost-effective for lower pressures.

  • Spherical Tanks: Ideal for high-pressure liquefied gases.

  • Horizontal Tanks: Used for liquids with lower vapor pressures.

Engineering Roles in Production

Fields of Engineering

  1. Chemical Engineers: Focus on process design and safety systems.

  2. Civil Engineers: Responsible for infrastructure development.

  3. Electrical Engineers: Handle power systems on drilling rigs.

  4. Mechanical Engineers: Design and oversee production efficiency.

  5. Petroleum Engineers: Manage recovery processes and optimize production strategies.

In summary, the lecture provides a comprehensive overview of oil and gas production operations focusing on equipment and processes essential for efficient resource management and environmental sustainability.