Maximus
Well Tubing, Pipeline and Riser Profiles

Pipeline Profile
Essential to the modelling of multiphase flow along well tubings, pipelines and risers is supplying a representative topographical profile (i.e. elevation versus distance). To aid the definition of the profile, Maximus has a built-in profile generator where the User supplies a minimum set of elevation and distance points and the profile generator fits a smooth path through these points. Other simulators simply connect the points with straight lines which can give completely the wrong answer.

Consider a gently undulating pipeline with amplitude 1m and wavelength 200m. The profile for this pipeline is more likely to approximate to a sinusoid than a saw-tooth. The following figure shows a simple Maximus model of a pipeline followed by screen-shot of its profile schematic. The plot shows how the User entered data (blue squares) are approximated by a smooth curve (red line). This is much closer to the behaviour of the real pipeline which clearly will not exhibit sharp bends.

When Maximus performs its pipeline integration, it uses the trajectory of the smooth curve to describe the pipeline’s local inclination. This is likely to give a much more representative description of the multiphase flow along the pipeline (see Hydrodynamic Slugs).

Simple Maximus Model of Pipeline Between Source and Sink

Simple Maximus Model of Pipeline Between Source and Sink

Well & Riser Profiles
The profile generator described above with reference to pipelines, is also available for describing well and riser trajectories and is very useful in defining, for example, steel catenary risers when only minimal data are available.