Desenvolvimento de um modelo simplificado para o cálculo do perfil de pressão em dutos flexíveis em catenária livre

Abstract

Flexible pipelines are used for transporting oil, injection fluids, gas, and other chemicals. In satellite production installations, these pipelines connect the oil wellhead to an exploration and production unit. Simulating the flow in these pipelines to obtain the pressure profile requires knowledge of flow conditions, such as fluid properties and operational and geometric variables. This work aims to develop a simplified method for calculating the pressure profile along flexible pipelines in satellite wells with a free-hanging catenary configuration and to create a graphical interface that implements this method. The objective is to provide a tool for simulating pressure behavior in multiphase flows, considering steady flows and accounting for water column pressure along with frictional pressure loss. The results obtained from implementing the simplified method were promising. The simulation performed with the developed graphical interface showed that the method is effective in predicting the pressure profile in flexible pipelines with multiphase flow. Validation of the results with data from commercial models used by sophisticated software demonstrated good accuracy, with errors less than 15% for vertical flow due to the water column and less than 0.1% for horizontal flow, confirming the adequacy of the simplified model. Thus, the developed method is promising for simulating pressure profiles in flexible pipelines with multiphase flow, providing a solid foundation for future improvements and applications in the offshore industry.