Description of Sample Projects
Services
Heavy Oil Characterization
HYSYS extensions
HYSYS Training
Hydrate Calculation
Process Simulation
Benzene Emissions
HYSYS extensions
HYSYS Training
Hydrate Calculation
Process Simulation
Benzene Emissions
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Plant Capacity Review using HYSYS and other rating tools
Process Ecology has completed many plant capacity reviews; typically the
objective is to evaluate the ability of a plant to handle additional or a
different quality of gas/condensate. Additionally the economics of different
plant operating strategies are often reviewed (e.g., which impact liquid
recovery).
First a HYSYS model is developed based on available drawings (PFDs,
P&IDs) and key equipment including separators, columns, heat
exchangers, compressors are rigorously rated based on additional
information such as equipment specification sheets. Some tools are
available within the HYSYS environment while external applications are
typically used to achieve better accuracy for rating specific equipment.
Process Ecology creates a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) spreadsheet
linking variables from HYSYS into Excel. Many case studies can be
executed, and the KPI seamlessly updated directly from HYSYS. Areas
within the plant which are potential bottlenecks are highlighted in the KPI
and recommendations regarding the capacity of the plant as well as
debottlenecking strategies are provided.
Evaluation of technology alternatives to control hydrate formation along
a natural gas pipeline
The client requested a detailed simulation study to determine the
likelihood of hydrate formation both in the pipeline and in the wellhead;
the Process Ecology Hydrate application was used to determine the
requirements for either line heaters or methanol injection for those
locations that showed potential for hydrate formation. Start-up conditions
for wells were a particular concern as temperature gradients could be
quite large; temperature at startup was lower than the minimum design
temperature of pipes and could also result in brittle failure.
Strategies for hydrate inhibition such as line heating, methanol injection,
and water removal were proposed and reviewed.
Development of an Operations Surveillance System that relies on a
dynamic simulation model of the assets to calculate instant well
productions and compare model results with measured values in real
time
The main objective of the Operations Surveillance System (OSS) was to
provide an on-line dynamic simulation model of the asset in order to
calculate instant well productions and compare model results with
measured values in real time. A model-based pipeline surveillance
system is a crucial tool for assisting operators in understanding the
asset's behaviour and in making better operational decisions. The OSS
leads to more accurate estimates for well production rates, and more
importantly, such values become available in nearly-real-time, with the
associated extra benefits of helping detect operational issues (e.g. well
production issues, pipeline integrity) that may not be visible with just
measured information. In today’s heavily regulated environmental
compliance requirements, having a tool like OSS providing extra
information (in addition to the measured one) has proven beneficial in
order to prevent incidents.
Development of a custom software module (Aspen HYSYSTM
extension) for the calculation of a 4-phase flash to detect the presence
of a third liquid phase in a process simulation model:
In some circumstances encountered in oil and gas separations, mercury
and water will form separate phases that are essentially pure. If a
hydrocarbon stream contains both mercury and water, it is possible that
both a free water phase and a free elemental mercury phase will form.
This development is intended to supplement the standard HYSYS flash
calculation by providing the capability of searching for an additional liquid
phase that is essentially a pure component (e.g., mercury). The standard
HYSYS flash is only capable of checking for a vapor phase and two liquid
phases. The dominant components in the second liquid phase and the
method of identifying the second liquid phase are defined for the HYSYS
flash within the Basis environment.
Development of a novel software module (HYSYS extension) for the
analysis of gas hydrate formation, the impact of inhibitors and
electrolytes, and energy consumption associated with glycol
regeneration
Hydrate formation in natural gas processing systems is a well-known
design and operating consideration that must be handled properly in
order to avoid costly production losses or serious safety hazards. A series
of methodologies and tools are available for engineers to predict whether
hydrate formation should be a concern in their particular situations.
Charts and equations published by recognized institutions, such as the
GPSA handbook, provide widely accepted estimations for this purpose.
As computing power has become more accessible however, more
rigorous and accurate calculations are also available to engineers that, in
some cases, will show significant differences in the predicted formation
conditions. The fact is that all these various methods have their own
strengths and weaknesses and, depending on the specifics of the
problem at hand, some methods will perform better than others.
In order to address this dilemma, engineers usually rely on the common
practice of applying all the available tools they can access and then
making a judgement depending on the results produced by these various
tools. Recognizing that there is no single solution that works for all cases
Process Ecology Inc has produced a novel tool that implements the most
widely used methods in the industry, together with the most recent
rigorous methods for hydrate formation calculations in such a way that it
is easy to compare the results from all of them in a single software.
Download a trial version of the Process Ecology Hydrate Application for
HYSYS
Back to Services Main Page
Process Ecology has completed many plant capacity reviews; typically the
objective is to evaluate the ability of a plant to handle additional or a
different quality of gas/condensate. Additionally the economics of different
plant operating strategies are often reviewed (e.g., which impact liquid
recovery).
First a HYSYS model is developed based on available drawings (PFDs,
P&IDs) and key equipment including separators, columns, heat
exchangers, compressors are rigorously rated based on additional
information such as equipment specification sheets. Some tools are
available within the HYSYS environment while external applications are
typically used to achieve better accuracy for rating specific equipment.
Process Ecology creates a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) spreadsheet
linking variables from HYSYS into Excel. Many case studies can be
executed, and the KPI seamlessly updated directly from HYSYS. Areas
within the plant which are potential bottlenecks are highlighted in the KPI
and recommendations regarding the capacity of the plant as well as
debottlenecking strategies are provided.
Evaluation of technology alternatives to control hydrate formation along
a natural gas pipeline
The client requested a detailed simulation study to determine the
likelihood of hydrate formation both in the pipeline and in the wellhead;
the Process Ecology Hydrate application was used to determine the
requirements for either line heaters or methanol injection for those
locations that showed potential for hydrate formation. Start-up conditions
for wells were a particular concern as temperature gradients could be
quite large; temperature at startup was lower than the minimum design
temperature of pipes and could also result in brittle failure.
Strategies for hydrate inhibition such as line heating, methanol injection,
and water removal were proposed and reviewed.
Development of an Operations Surveillance System that relies on a
dynamic simulation model of the assets to calculate instant well
productions and compare model results with measured values in real
time
The main objective of the Operations Surveillance System (OSS) was to
provide an on-line dynamic simulation model of the asset in order to
calculate instant well productions and compare model results with
measured values in real time. A model-based pipeline surveillance
system is a crucial tool for assisting operators in understanding the
asset's behaviour and in making better operational decisions. The OSS
leads to more accurate estimates for well production rates, and more
importantly, such values become available in nearly-real-time, with the
associated extra benefits of helping detect operational issues (e.g. well
production issues, pipeline integrity) that may not be visible with just
measured information. In today’s heavily regulated environmental
compliance requirements, having a tool like OSS providing extra
information (in addition to the measured one) has proven beneficial in
order to prevent incidents.
Development of a custom software module (Aspen HYSYSTM
extension) for the calculation of a 4-phase flash to detect the presence
of a third liquid phase in a process simulation model:
In some circumstances encountered in oil and gas separations, mercury
and water will form separate phases that are essentially pure. If a
hydrocarbon stream contains both mercury and water, it is possible that
both a free water phase and a free elemental mercury phase will form.
This development is intended to supplement the standard HYSYS flash
calculation by providing the capability of searching for an additional liquid
phase that is essentially a pure component (e.g., mercury). The standard
HYSYS flash is only capable of checking for a vapor phase and two liquid
phases. The dominant components in the second liquid phase and the
method of identifying the second liquid phase are defined for the HYSYS
flash within the Basis environment.
Development of a novel software module (HYSYS extension) for the
analysis of gas hydrate formation, the impact of inhibitors and
electrolytes, and energy consumption associated with glycol
regeneration
Hydrate formation in natural gas processing systems is a well-known
design and operating consideration that must be handled properly in
order to avoid costly production losses or serious safety hazards. A series
of methodologies and tools are available for engineers to predict whether
hydrate formation should be a concern in their particular situations.
Charts and equations published by recognized institutions, such as the
GPSA handbook, provide widely accepted estimations for this purpose.
As computing power has become more accessible however, more
rigorous and accurate calculations are also available to engineers that, in
some cases, will show significant differences in the predicted formation
conditions. The fact is that all these various methods have their own
strengths and weaknesses and, depending on the specifics of the
problem at hand, some methods will perform better than others.
In order to address this dilemma, engineers usually rely on the common
practice of applying all the available tools they can access and then
making a judgement depending on the results produced by these various
tools. Recognizing that there is no single solution that works for all cases
Process Ecology Inc has produced a novel tool that implements the most
widely used methods in the industry, together with the most recent
rigorous methods for hydrate formation calculations in such a way that it
is easy to compare the results from all of them in a single software.
Download a trial version of the Process Ecology Hydrate Application for
HYSYS
Back to Services Main Page