Hydrate-induced vibration in an offshore pipeline

Gas-hydrate plugging poses an operational challenge to offshore petroleum production and transportation. In this study, a computational-fluid-dynamics (CFD) model that uses ANSYS Fluent (ANSYS 2019) multiphase-flow-modeling techniques to simulate and analyze the effect of gas-hydrate flow in pipelines is proposed. For this purpose, the study attempted to integrate the ANSYS Fluent model with an existing commercial subsea-pipeline-visualization tool. To validate the simulation results, two case studies were conducted. The first study was about a pipeline whose dimensions are based on the specifications in existing literature (Balakin et al. 2010a). The second study was about a pipeline with more-complex geometry (M-shaped jumper with six elbows). The Eulerian/ Eulerian method was used to model the multiphase hydrate flow. The population-balance method (PBM) was then used to model hydrate agglomeration and its breakup mechanism in the flow. A parametric study of the stresses in the pipelines resulting from flowinduced vibration (FIV) was conducted to identify the regions that underwent the maximum stresses and deformations under various flow conditions. The tool can be used in the petroleum industry to identify the operational hazards in offshore structures and to take necessary safety measures to avoid any potential catastrophic events.