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The next year could spell trouble for operators producing oil in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The Permian Basin currently has more crude than it can handle, and production there continues to grow at a steady rate month-over-month after surpassing 3 million B/D earlier this year, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. Pipeline takeaway capacity isnโt sufficient and wonโt be until the second half of 2019. There arenโt nearly enough trucks or truck drivers to make up the difference, and any meaningful expansion of crude-by-rail transport is restricted by infrastructure and business-related constraints. Both options are already competing with movement of equipment and supplies such as sand and water, demand of which has also grownโalong with their costsโto support the continued production growth. Many operators in the basin struggled to generate positive cash flow even before the bottlenecks became an issue. Now, the price of the crude theyโre producing is trading at a big discount vs. spot prices in Houston, near the Gulf Coast refining and export center; and Cushing, Oklahoma, the crude trading hub from which the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) price is derived. The spread between Midland crude and WTI grew to double digits in May, spiking from roughly $1 a couple months earlier. If WTI prices were closer to where they were a year ago, the impact of the spread immediately โwould have been significant for almost every operator,โ noted R.T. Dukes, Wood Mackenzie US Lower 48 upstream research director. Fortunately for Permian operators, WTI prices have been much higher than the range of prices for which they budgeted coming into the year, minimizing the impact of the spread thus far. But WTI prices arenโt guaranteed to remain that high, and differentials could growโjust look at the Western Canada Select heavy crude price, which has traded at up to a $30/bbl discount to WTI this year due in large part to transportation constraints. The spread forced operators such as Cenovus, Husky Energy, and Canadian Natural Resources to slow their oil sands production during the first quarter. Permian operators are similarly being forced to examine whether continued growth over the next year is sustainable or even worthwhile. Their exposure to Midland spot prices varies, ranging anywhere from less than 5% to 50โ60% of Permian production, said John Coleman, Wood Mackenzie senior analyst, North American crude oil markets. Most operators are in the 20โ30% range, meaning there already has been a modest hit to cash flow, he said. Consultancy Rystad Energy believes the Midland vs. Cushing spread will โstay very much depressedโ into mid-2019 and โwonโt be surprisedโ if it moves into the low $20s/bbl, said Artem Abramov, Rystad vice president, shale analysis. โEverything points to the situation getting worse and worse going forward.โ
- North America > United States > Texas (1.00)
- North America > United States > Oklahoma > Payne County > Cushing (0.46)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Government > Regional Government > North America Government > United States Government (0.86)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Yeso Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Yates Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Wolfcamp Formation (0.99)
- (24 more...)
The next year could spell trouble for operators producing oil in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The Permian Basin currently has more crude than it can handle, and production there continues to grow at a steady rate month-over-month after surpassing 3 million B/D earlier this year, according to data from US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Pipeline takeaway capacity isn't sufficient and won't be until the second half of 2019. There aren't nearly enough trucks or truck drivers to make up the difference, and any meaningful expansion of crude-by-rail transport is restricted by infrastructure and business-related constraints. Both options are already competing with movement of equipment and supplies such as sand and water, demand of which has also grown--along with their costs--to support the continued production growth. Many operators in the basin struggled to generate positive cash flow even before the bottlenecks became an issue.
- Transportation > Ground > Road (1.00)
- Transportation > Ground > Rail (1.00)
- Transportation > Freight & Logistics Services (1.00)
- (3 more...)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Yeso Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Yates Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Wolfcamp Formation (0.99)
- (24 more...)
ABSTRACT CP is an effective method for protecting coating defects on buried pipelines if sufficient current reaches the pipeline surface. In the presence of nearby foundations shielding effects may occur by the construction constraint. A case is discussed of a 57 km long 30 inch 3L-PE coated high pressure natural pipeline section requiring a few milliAmps of CP current that is provided by a single voltage controlled rectifier. The current density is in the range of 0.09 ยตA/m only. Halfway the trajectory a new 420 m long motorway bridge structure is built above the pipeline. In total 498 concrete reinforced foundation piles are aligned along the pipeline causing a potential risk of shielding the low cathodic current at that particular location. In addition the pipeline is connected to the bridge structure by an anchoring system for stabilization purposes during settlement of the bridge structure after construction. The anchor positions are susceptible locations where significant coating damage may occur on the short or longer term. The degree of shielding effect was validated with FEM based modeling. The protection level of the pipeline and the DCVG sensitivity was computed for various scenarios. Modeling illustrated the CP current path around the pipeline and the foundation piles. The contribution of the rebar structure of the piles was accounted for as well. INTRODUCTION The Desfa pipeline network consists of different sections that are isolated by insulating flanges operated by its own CP system. The pipeline section under study has a total length of 57 km between chainage 279 and 336,7km. The motorway bridge structure starts at chainage 290,835 km. The bridge structure is circa 430 m long and is constructed in two stages because the pipe makes a turn along its routing. In order to protect the pipe from mechanical load and settlement a special corridor of foundation piles is foreseen along the pipe route. Figure 1 shows the bridge structure under construction. A first corridor on the left hand side of the bend in the pipe was already built at time of the study. The second corridor on the right hand side of the bend is in the design stage. The motorway crosses the pipe at two locations in respectively the first and second corridor.
ABSTRACT Work was performed to assess corrosion damage on a pipeline suspension bridge transporting liquid products. Corrosion had been previously detected and characterized using in-line inspection methods. The inspection results were graded and it was noted that several regions had corrosion levels that were of concern. The pipeline company requested that an evaluation be performed on the pipeline bridge that had been constructed during the 1950s. Evaluation involved construction of a detailed finite element model of the suspension bridge including details on the carrier pipe, an additional support pipe, primary catenary cable, and other supporting cables and wires. The analysis included variations in pipe wall thickness in relation to data collected from the in-line inspection tool run. Loading included gravity, internal pressure, and wind loads. Analysis stress results were then compared to design limit based on the rules of ASME B31.4. The final evaluation revealed that a very specific band of conditions (namely pressure and wind speed) were required to ensure the continued safe operation of the line. Recognizing the need to maintain the required operating pressure, coupled with the inability to control wind speed, led the pipeline company to make repairs to regions of the pipeline where stresses exceeded the code limits. This project was a clear demonstration of how inspection, analysis, and repair methods can work together to ensure the safe operation of pipelines. INTRODUCTION This paper provides details on the methods used to assess corrosion in a pipeline bridge. In this study a finite element analysis was done to determine the state of stress for an 8-inch nominal diameter pipe bridge subject to gravity, wind, internal pressure and tension loads from suspender cables used for support. Finite element models incorporating corrosion of the pipeline were modeled using local thin areas (LTAรข??s). This was achieved by defining a thinner section property for selected elements in the model based on actual inspection data provided by in-line inspection efforts. Also, a uniformly corroded pipeline was modeled to determine the minimum required wall thickness that would have adequate structural integrity and be in compliance with ASME B31.4. In addition, removal of suspender cables was simulated until stresses reached unacceptable levels according to B31.4. MODELING METHODOLOGY Engineering drawings of the bridge and its components as compiled by the operator were used to construct the finite element models. However, modifications not affecting the results of the study were made in instances where data was incomplete, missing, conflicting or deemed inconsequential. These modifications included not modeling the South and North towers as these structural components of the bridge were considered to be rigid in comparison to the stiffness of the pipeline that was the primary focus of the study. Consequently, the South and North ends of the catenary cable were fixed at the appropriate locations in space. Similarly, the supports for the wind cables were also fixed at the appropriate location in space. A more detailed description of the boundary conditions is provided in a following section.
- Well Completion > Well Integrity > Subsurface corrosion (tubing, casing, completion equipment, conductor) (1.00)
- Facilities Design, Construction and Operation > Pipelines, Flowlines and Risers > Materials and corrosion (1.00)
- Data Science & Engineering Analytics > Information Management and Systems (1.00)
Abstract Approximately fifty new submarine pipelines are currently being added to the eighty existing pipelines within the Cantarell Field. When all pipelines are complete, there will be approximately two hundred new pipeline crossings. The existing pipelines, many of which are exposed on the seabed, must continue to service during new pipeline crossing installations. As the new pipelines are required to be buried with 1m cover, the preferred crossing method required lowering the existing pipeline into the seabed. This paper reviews the design approach, crossing types selected and construction methods for safely crossing types selected and constructions methods for safely crossing the existing operating pipelines. With limited as-built information available, on site survey conservative assumptions and reverse engineering were required. Introduction Pemex is undertaking a major upgrade and expansion of the Cantarell oil field in the Gulf of Mexico in order to curtail gas flaring, increase crude oil production and exports, and to improve the reliability of existing facilities. The bulk of Cantarell pipeline construction work was completed between 1977 and 1982. Some additional pipelines were constructed later, including a gas list distribution system which was completed in 1987. Altogether, the existing subsea pipelines connecting the Cantarell facilities number more than 80. Since Pemex Exploration and Production (PEP) awarded Bechtel a contract for field development planning and overall program management in late 1996, contracts have been awarded for the engineering, procurement and construction of over 50 new submarine pipelines. When all pipelines are complete, there will be approximately 200 new pipeline crossings. This paper reviews the design approach and construction methods developed to safely cross existing operating pipelines with new pipelines, without interrupting oil and gas production, and minimizing the risk to PEP facilities and operating personnel. The integrity of the existing pipelines is maintained by keeping a safe limit on stress. With limites information available on the existing pipelines, onsite surveys, conservative assumptions and reverse engineering were required. Crossings Several crossing types were identified and have been installed in the current pipeline work:Lowered crossing Bridge crossing Layover crossing Combination crossing Future crossing The crossing type that is highlighted in this paper is the "lowered crossing", because it involved the intentional relocation of existing, operating, pressurized subsea oil and gas pipelines, some in service over twenty years. This method is preferred by PEP as it adheres to its requirement that all new pipelines in Cantarell have 1 meter cover. A conservative design criteria and method of crossing analysis to minimize risk was established as damage to an operating pipeline could not be tolerated. Lowered Crossing. As the seabed in the Cantarell field is generally composed of sandy clay materials that can be jetted for pipe burial, the goal was to specify both 1m cover and 1m separation between pipelines at all crossings accessible to a barge-towed jet sled.
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Midstream (1.00)
- Government > Regional Government > North America Government > Mexico Government (0.88)