Oil & Gas
Across upstream, midstream and downstream operations, oil and gas systems are subject to multiphase flow behaviour, pressure surges, pulsation-induced vibration and structural fatigue. Each of these mechanisms can reduce equipment life, interrupt production and place systems outside their design codes.
Dynaflow provides specialised engineering services to address these mechanisms directly: CFD and multiphase flow analysis, surge and waterhammer studies, pulsation studies to API 618 and API 674, vibration analysis and fatigue assessment.
As independent consultants we work with owners, operators, EPC contractors and suppliers, and report results against the applicable code.
ANALYSIS DISCIPLINES
OIL & GAS SOLUTIONS
Upstream Services
Extraction systems carry multiphase flow through production piping, separators and offshore equipment, where slugging, hydrate formation and erosion decide how steadily a well can be produced. Dynaflow simulates that flow and the machinery attached to it, then specifies the geometry, equipment sizing and operating limits that keep production stable.
Offshore and FPSO
SYSTEMS
Production piping and separators, topsides compression and gas lift, risers and flexibles, flare and blowdown, seawater lift and firewater.
CHALLENGES WE SOLVE
HOW WE HELP
- Slugging and unstable production
- Fatigue at small bore connections on a moving hull
- Erosion and hydrate formation in production lines
- Transient multiphase simulation and flow assurance studies
- Pulsation and mechanical response studies to API 618
- Fatigue assessment with support modifications specified for offshore installation
OIL & GAS SOLUTIONS
Midstream Services
Transport and storage systems move large volumes through long lines and fast-acting valves, so a single pump trip or valve closure can load the whole system at once. Dynaflow calculates those transients and specifies the surge protection, valve behaviour and support arrangement that hold the line inside its design pressure.
LNG
SYSTEMS
Liquefaction and regasification trains, boil-off gas compression, cryogenic transfer and loading lines.
CHALLENGES WE SOLVE
HOW WE HELP
- Thermal movement and support loads on cooldown
- Surge during transfer and ship loading
- Pulsation and vibration on boil-off gas compression
- Pipe stress analysis for cryogenic movement and nozzle loads
- Surge analysis with surge vessels sized and valve closure profiles specified
- Pulsation studies to API 618 with damper sizing
Tank terminals and storage
SYSTEMS
Tank farms, jetty, truck and rail loading, transfer pipelines, firewater ring mains.
CHALLENGES WE SOLVE
HOW WE HELP
- Surge from valve closure and pump trip on long transfer lines
- Tank settlement and nozzle loads on connected piping
- Firewater delivery not meeting required pressure and flow at the nozzles
- Surge analysis with surge vessels sized, valve closure timing and check valve selection specified
- Stress analysis of tank and jetty piping including settlement
- Hydraulic analysis of ring mains, deluge and foam systems
OIL & GAS SOLUTIONS
Downstream Services
Refining and processing units combine high temperatures, two-phase flow and reciprocating machinery. Dynaflow analyses the pulsation, vibration and thermal loading this produces and specifies the damper sizing, orifice selection and support changes that bring the piping back inside code, whether at design stage or after a failure.
Refining
SYSTEMS
FCC flue gas and catalyst lines, furnace coils, two-phase and slug flow piping, GRE cooling water, tank storage.
CHALLENGES WE SOLVE
HOW WE HELP
- Creep range behaviour in high temperature ducting and coils
- Vibration and fatigue on compression and two-phase lines
- Revamps that move the operating case away from the original basis
- Creep and support load assessment for ducting and coils
- Vibration measurement, modal analysis and dynamic stress calculation
- Stress analysis and GRE cooling water conversion design, drawn from eighteen documented refinery cases
Onshore gas processing
SYSTEMS
Treatment and amine circuits, reciprocating compression and export, pressure reducing and relief systems, cooling water.
CHALLENGES WE SOLVE
HOW WE HELP
- Pulsation and shaking forces on reciprocating compression
- Acoustic energy downstream of high energy pressure reduction
- Surge on cooling water and export lines after a pump trip
- Pulsation studies to API 618 with damper and orifice sizing
- Acoustically induced vibration (AIV) screening and detailed assessment at branch and small bore connections
- Surge analysis with surge vessels sized and pump trip operating limits set