Features
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Offshore Asset Integrity Management
Equipped with high-resolution 3D multibeam sonar, an autonomous underwater vehicle collects georeferenced and geotagged data that can be used in building models of structures and identifying structural anomalies. Online structural integrity monitoring detects member failures and reduces the risks of platform collapse between inspections.
Methane Flaring, Venting Draws Attention to Unconventional Plays
The debate continues as to the percentage of total gas production leaked during standard shale operations. While flaring remains an efficient, low-cost method of mitigating methane gas releases, many operators are looking at utilization as a way to cut down on the overall environmental footprint of their operations.
Peer-Reviewed Papers
Jim Collins
ConocoPhillips
Peer Review Editor
Welcome to the peer-reviewed section of the August 2012 Oil and Gas Facilities magazine. I hope you will find the articles included in this section informative and interesting; they have been reviewed by a group of engineers with experience in their respective topics, a process that adds value and importance to each paper.
Twelve Steps to Engineering Safe Onshore Oil and Gas Facilities
J.E. Johnstone and J.V. Curfew
This paperdeals with the key areas to consider when designing facilities to assure safe operation. Use and incorporation of all the safety engineering principles outlined in the paper should enable engineers and designers to build facilities that can be operated safely and to reduce the risk of major incidents. The paper also highlights the need for sufficient time to plan and design to adequately address these concerns.
Acrolein Provides Benefits and Solutions to Offshore Oilfield Production Problems
D.D. Horaska, C.M. San Juan, A.L. Dickinson, S.L. Lear, and A. Colquhoun
Describes the use of the chemical acrolein in an offshore environment. Acrolein provides a distinctive all-in-one chemical solution for resolving problems with hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, microbes, and biogenic iron sulfide. The most significant challenge posed by the use of acrolein is that, as a liquid product, it is classified as a toxic inhalation hazard. Measures such as supplying acrolein in specialized containers and transfer systems must be implemented to ensure safe operations.
Assessment of Deliverability of a Natural Gas Gathering and Production System: Development of an Integrated Reservoir–Surface Model
D.A. Alexis and L. Ayala
Discusses the integration of reservoir and pipeline modeling to capture the variations in reservoir-flow dynamics with changes in the surface-network operating conditions. This technique provides the ability to model existing systems and to evaluate situations that may occur in the future. A case study is also included to illustrate the benefits of the system analysis.
Thanks to the reviewers for their efforts with these papers, and thanks very much to our readers for your continued support and participation. I’m confident you’ll enjoy this issue.
