SPE APOGCE conference preview – Validation of a Novel Meg Sensor Employing a Pilot-scale Subsea Jumper

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Abstract

Online pipeline management systems provide real-time and look-ahead functionality for production networks. However, they are limited by a dearth of data to inform their predictions. This represents a barrier to a true, high-fidelity ‘digital twin’ where greater integration with new sensor technologies is needed to bound model predictions and improve their reliability. In this work, we present a novel MEG (Mono-ethylene glycol) sensing system from OneSubsea, the AquaWatcher v2.0, and validate it in our newly-constructed HyJump flowloop. The HyJump flowloop has a unique subsea jumper-like geometry, with three low points and two high points and is equipped with a MEG sensor – mounted on the second low point. The sensor features an open-ended microwave frequency probe mounted flush to the pipe wall which measures the apparent permittivity of the liquid phases in the vicinity of the probe tip. It can determine the MEG concentration or water salinity by processing the measured permittivity, and has further shown that it may be able to detect hydrate deposition. Experimental work was performed to test the performance of this novel equipment while enabling a more accurate calculation of the overall mass balance in the flowloop. An experimental campaign was conducted where, in each measurement, the jumper low points were loaded with aqueous solutions of MEG at mass fractions between 10 and 30 wt%. The entire loop was then pressurized with Perth city natural gas to 1200 psi. The pipe wall temperature was controlled with a cooling jacket in the range of 25.2 °F to 35.6 °F. These conditions simulate transient shut-down and restart operations with a high-risk of hydrate formation. Results illustrate that the MEG content readings measured by the sensor were consistently accurate within a 5% relative deviation with respect to the nominal values. Further, hydrate restrictions were assessed in their severity through differential pressure measurements, where it was observed that the measured MEG content oscillates significantly during hydrate sloughing-type events. The HyJump flowloop facility offers a unique testbed for new subsea sensors, enabling performance evaluations with internal fluids at subsea conditions. The deployment of these novel sensors in the field will both improve the performance of integrated pipeline management solutions and assist operators in optimizing MEG injection dosages to enable higher fidelity hydrate management in subsea pipelines.