Transient simulation of vapor-liquid eruption and overpressure in the drainage terminal of an inclined pipeline during pigging process after water pressure test

Abstract

Pigging technology is widely used in the oil and gas industry. During the course of pigging, after a water pressure test, the instability of the pig caused by terrain fluctuation can affect the stable operation of the pipeline and even cause burst accidents. This paper describes the four stages of pig movement in an inclined pipeline, with vapor-liquid eruption occuring in the last stage. A hydraulic transient model of the pigging operation after a water pressure test is established based on mass conservation and motion equations, the dynamic equation of the pig, and the vapor-liquid eruption model. The model can simulate the status of fluid flow in the pipeline, track the movement of the pig, and predict the pressure pulses. The simulation results are consistent with the data of two burst accidents, which verifies the correctness of the established model and the reliability of the calculated results. It can therefore provide a reliable and effective theoretical basis for developing a pigging plan on site.

Keywords

• dynamic simulation
• pigging operation
• pressure pulses
• vapor-liquid eruption