This technical paper presents the approach adopted by Kuwait Oil Company to establish an integrated Crude Oil Export Pipeline simulation model in South & East Kuwait area to achieve increase in overall asset-wide production and to improve future Pipeline & Facilities Design.
The simulation used As-Built pipeline data along with field data to achieve the objectives of the study.
The study had the following objectives:
• Identify additional capacity/ deficiency within the system.
• Perform Hydraulic Calculations (Pressure losses, Temperature Changes & Estimation of Pumping requirements from Gathering Centers).
• Determination of operating constraints/bottlenecks due to non-availability of any critical pipe segments.
• Optimization of Network.
Accuracy of the pipeline model was verified by comparing simulation results of the existing pipelines & Manifolds with the operating data to confirm that model results duplicated field measurements. The model developed in this study has the characteristics and the ability to predict the flows and pressures under wide range of conditions — including various operational modes and constraints.
The model accurately predicted the capacities and also raised few flags which were solved within short time and subsequently the network was optimized. Hydraulics study revealed that no additional capacity or looping were required. Model was studied for reliability of supply under wide range of conditions subject to potential bottlenecks and constraints which were identified in the study.
