STUDIES

STUDIES

4ME target safe client production rates have to be increased beyond an anticipated level. Or maybe client flow characteristics of a well have shifted in an unexpected way. Other issues such as separation systems or scrubbers not functioning optimally due to changes in pressure, load, or water content add additional complexity over the long term. In these cases, and more, the need for debottlenecking studies becomes apparent.

Debottlenecking is essentially the process of identifying and removing barriers that cause reductions in efficiency or some other operational challenge.  Those inefficiencies can manifest in production output and energy usage, requiring careful examination of existing systems and how they can be modified efficiently and in a cost-effective way. Space limitations, budget, and shutdown lengths must all be considered when trying to debottleneck a problem. Solutions may include placing skidded modules inline, modifying part of an existing section, or replacing a section entirely.

In the past, debottlenecking studies have largely looked at operational problems as something that can be isolated and resolved. However, the advent of modeling and simulation software as well as new, broader approaches to debottlenecking have expanded it to the point of “considering whole plant operation from a process and energy point of view as opposed to addressing each bottleneck.