mect 4276 - senior design project ii, team hydraloop final report

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MECT 4276 – SENIOR DESIGN PROJECT II TEAM HYDRALOOP

Samoco Oil Tools is a burgeoning oil tool manufacturer based in Houston, Texas.

The company is interested in the research and development of oil tools with an

emphasis on tools used in cementing operations. In order to limit their

manufacturing overhead cost and reduce lead time for their products, students

were presented with the opportunity to design a flow loop, a testing apparatus

used to simulate flow through various test elements. The flow loop for Samoco

Oil Tools will simulate flow of drilling mud containing two percent (2%) sand at

a pressure of 200 pounds-force per square inch through their cementing float

equipment per specifications outlined in API RP 10F. Originally, the flow loop

was to be a fully automated high pressure system that would allow for back

pressure testing of cementing float equipment. However, due to the downturn of

oil prices, the flow loop has been redesigned to accommodate only low pressure

and is no longer automated to reduce the costs of construction; High pressure

testing will now be completed using an autoclave. Team HydraLoop has

performed verification of the low pressure system via hoop stress calculations

and is currently constructing the flow loop.

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Introduction

Dear Reader:

Enclosed is the project report compiled by Team HydraLoop for the College of Technology

Mechanical Engineering Technology Capstone Course, Senior Design Project II.

The team, comprised of members Raj Parmer, Edwin Jackson, Nathan Longwell, and Jared

Smith, began the year with scarcely an idea for a design project. After running through two (2)

previous ideas (One for a hubless wheel design using electromagnetic propulsion and another for

the development of an Analog-to-Digital Converter for pressure testing), the senior design

professor, Dr. Medhat El Nahas, arranged for the students to meet with the Chief Operating

Officer of Samoco Oil Tools, Dr. Mike Al Oudat to discuss what would become our design

project: The verification, fabrication, and validation of a flow loop for the testing of cementing

float equipment being developed by Samoco Oil Tools for the oil well drilling industry.

What follows is an account of the project including components, calculations, and steps in

fabrication as well as an analysis of our progress, all with brief commentary concerning our

learning experience at each step. We hope you enjoy following our adventure. Happy Reading!

Sincerely,

Team HydraLoop

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Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

What Is A Flow Loop? .................................................................................................................................................................. 7

What Is Cementing Float Equipment? .............................................................................................................................. 8

Project Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9

Initial Design................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Final Design .................................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Verification ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Components ................................................................................................................................................................................. 15

Piping .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

Mud Tank ................................................................................................................................................................................... 16

Pumps ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Valves ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 20

Flanges ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Flow Meter ............................................................................................................................................................................... 22

Project Management .............................................................................................................................................................. 23

Cost Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Risk Matrix ............................................................................................................................................................................... 24

Work Breakdown Structure............................................................................................................................................ 25

Gantt Chart .............................................................................................................................................................................. 26

Future Work ............................................................................................................................................................................. 27

References ................................................................................................................................................................................... 29

Special Thanks .......................................................................................................................................................................... 30

Team HydraLoop ......................................................................................................................................................................... 31

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What Is A Flow Loop?

To understand the scope of the project undertaken by Team HydraLoop, one must first have a

working definition of a flow loop. As provided by the Schlumberger Oilfield Glossary:

A [flow loop is a] laboratory instrument for investigating the characteristics of fluid flow in

pipes and for studying the response of production logging instruments to this flow. The fluids are

circulated continuously in a loop, passing through one main measurement section that can be

placed at different deviations from vertical through horizontal. Fluid properties, holdups and

velocities can all be varied. Flow loops are essential for the study of multiphase flow and the

development of new production logging measurements.

That is, a flow loop is a device used to simulate the flow of a multiphase fluid (a fluid comprised

of a combination of solid particulates, liquid, and gas) through various production equipment.

The equipment to be tested is mounted in a dedicated measurements section that is often capable

of being rotated from vertical elevation through the horizontal to assess flow characteristics

through the equipment in varying orientations. The flow loop being constructed by Team

HydraLoop is intended to test the flow of drilling mud through cementing float equipment.

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What Is Cementing Float Equipment?

Cementing float equipment is any equipment used during the cementing operation of oil well

drilling. The primary purpose of cementing float equipment is to prevent cement that has been

pumped into the casing annulus from U-tubing into the casing string. In addition to this function,

cementing float equipment also assists in guiding the casing string down the wellbore and

relieves strain on the casing string by providing buoyancy. Cementing float equipment generally

comes in three (3) varieties, as described by information provided on the Halliburton floating

equipment product web page:

Basic floating equipment includes the float collar and either the guide shoe or float shoe:

The guide shoe runs on the first joint of casing to be run into the hole to help maneuver

the casing past annular irregularities. The guide shoe includes side ports and an open

end to enable fluid circulation for mud conditioning, hole cleaning, and cement

placement.

The float shoe contains a backpressure valve that prevents fluids from entering the casing

while the pipe is lowered into the hole and prevents cement from flowing back into the

casing after placement, while enabling circulation down through the casing.

Float collars are placed one to three joints above the guide shoe or float shoe. They

provide a seat for the cement plugs, the bottom plug pumped ahead of the cement and the

top plug behind the full volume of slurry. Once seated, the top plug shuts off fluid flow

and prevents over-displacement of the cement. The space between the float shoe and the

float collar provides a containment area to entrap the likely-contaminated fluids from the

wiping action of the top cementing plug, securing the contaminated fluid away from the

shoe where a strong cement bond is of primary importance. Float collars include a

backpressure valve and serve basically the same function as the float shoe.

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Project Scope

Samoco Oil Tools is an oil tool manufacturer based in Houston, Texas that intends to perform

research and development on tools for oil well drilling operations with a primary focus on

cementing float equipment. In order for their tools to be cleared for use in the field, each tool

must be tested using a flow loop to validate that it meets design specifications outlined by the

American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice 10F, Performance Testing of

Cementing Float Equipment.

The standard outlines the procedure for the flow testing as well as the specifications for the fluid

to be used during testing. In addition to the testing of flow, the standard also outlines

requirements for backpressure testing. In short, cementing float equipment must be tested using

drilling mud solution with two percent (2%) sand content at pressure up to 5,000 pounds-force

per square inch and temperature up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Samoco Oil Tools Chief Operating Officer Dr. Mike Al Oudat presented Team HydraLoop with

the opportunity to assist in the verification, fabrication, and validation of a flow loop to be hosted

at their facility and used to test their cementing float equipment. The flow loop was to be state of

the art and capable of attaining the maximum pressure of 5,000 pounds-force per square inch

required during backpressure testing as outlined in the API standard. It would accomplish this

by being comprised of a low pressure piping section for flow testing and a high pressure piping

section for the backpressure testing.

However, due to the downturn in the price of oil, the company had to reduce their budget for this

project to reflect the reality of the industry. To this end, Team HydraLoop was directed to

redesign the flow loop to eliminate all high pressure components while allowing for those

components to be added at a later date via retrofitting after such time as the price of oil has

rebounded. The flow loop would now only support pressures between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds-

force per square inch at temperatures between 120 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Initial Design

The initial flow loop design required two (2) piping sections, one (1) for low pressure flow

testing and another for high pressure backpressure testing. To accomplish this, the system

required a high pressure piping section to be mounted on a panel that would feed drilling mud

via high pressure flex lines through high pressure valves mounted on either side of the

measurements section. The flow loop also required the installation of two (2) pumps, one (1) for

low pressure flow and the other for high pressure flow. Furthermore, the entire system was to

incorporate automated, pneumatically actuated valves to be controlled by operators from a

control room to ensure their safety during the high pressure testing. This all needed to be

changed once oil prices fell during the summer and the budget was constrained. The initial

design can be seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Initial Flow Loop Design

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Final Design

Samoco Oil Tools would now only be conducting flow testing for their cementing float

equipment using the flow loop; backpressure testing would now be accomplished using a

separate autoclave. In order to decrease the cost of the project, Team HydraLoop was directed to

redesign the flow loop. All high pressure components were to be eliminated and all valves were

to be manually actuated. The six (6) high pressure 1” NPT Full Port Ball Valves were eliminated

along with the high pressure pump. All other flow loop components remained with only the

method of actuation being changed for the valves. Further, because the flow loop would not be

operating at high pressure, it no longer needed to be housed adjacent a control room at the

Samoco Oil Tools facility. It would instead be housed directly adjacent the bay doors to allow

easy delivery of drilling mud when ordered; the flow loop could be easily moved to the location

adjacent the control room at a later date via the use of a fork lift.

Figure 2: Redesigned Piping System

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Verification

For verification of the piping system at low pressure, Team HydraLoop performed a hoop stress

calculation to determine whether or not the piping system would fail. The success or failure of a

pipe is determined by comparing the hoop stress to the maximum principal stress as it coincides

with the yield stress of the material. Should the hoop stress exceed the maximum principal

stress, the pipe would fail. It was found via finite element analysis that the maximum principal

stress would not exceed the hoop stress for the piping system.

Figure 3: Hoop Stress Calculations for Piping

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Figure 4: Maximum Principal Stresses on Pipe using Finite Element Analysis

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Components

Piping

To assemble the piping system, components were first laid out according to the drawings. Once

the layout of these parts was verified, Team HydraLoop began applying tack welds to join the

flanges with their respective piping section. The angled section of the piping system seen at the

far right of the figure below was not joined to the other piping until after construction of the mud

tank, frame, and piping stands were complete as it was critical the free end of the angled section

aligned with the free end of the lower horizontal section at the far left. This was done to ensure

proper installation of the measurements section at a later date. Furthermore, welding is to be

completed by a licensed professional welder to ensure there are no leaks in the piping system due

to poor welds.

Figure 5: Piping mounted on Piping Supports

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Mud Tank

The mud tank, which will be used to hold the drilling mud during operation of the flow loop,

proved difficult to fabricate due to the heaviness of the steel plates. Team HydraLoop had to

develop a method to ensure the end plates remained upright so that the horizontal guide plate

could be tack welded to them before the application of angle iron to ensure the three (3) pieces

remained stable while attaching the angled guide plates: This was done by placing each end plate

against the wall and holding it in place while it was tack welded. A forklift was used to raise the

side plates before they were finally tack welded into position; Clamps and a ratchet cable were

used to prevent the end plates from bowing out during attachment of the side plates. Once the

mud tank was completed, the skid supports were built around it.

Figure 6: Mud Tank with Skid Supports

Figure 7: Flow Loop Skid

Figure 8: Piping Support

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Figure 9: Completed Mud Tank

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Figure 10: Completed Flow Loop Skid with Piping Supports

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Pumps

The pumps will be used to circulate drilling mud from the mud tank throughout the flow loop

during operation. Because the pumps were the most expensive items in the system, it took quite

some time to receive approval for purchase. This in turn meant that testing of the flow loop

would not be completed before the end of the semester. As the flow loop will only be used for

low pressure applications until a later date, no high pressure pump was ordered. The low

pressure pump is an 8x6x14 Centrifugal Pump with a Soft Starter. The soft starter is a variable

frequency drive that gradually increases the speed of the shaft when the pump is engaged. This

extends the life of the pump by preventing hard starts and stops of the shaft that would lead to

mechanical failure of the shaft within a little as a few months of operation.

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Valves

The valves are manually actuated butterfly valves and ball valves with a pressure rating of 150

lbf. The valves primarily serve to direct the flow of the drilling mud. By opening and closing

particular sets of valves within the system, the drilling mud can be flowed in two (2) directions

with reference to the measurements section. This will allow Samoco to test for the flow through

their cementing float equipment in the forward direction to ensure cement could be flowed

through the equipment during cementing operations and in the reverse direction to ensure cement

does not U-tubing back into the casing string. Butterfly valves can be seen below; they are

colored blue.

Figure 11: Butterfly Valves

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Flanges

All flanges were 150 lbf rated ASME B16.5 Weld Neck Flanges of nominal pipe sizes ranging

from two inches (2”) to eight inches (8”). To ensure the flanges would be welding well to their

respective piping sections, the pipes were beveled after cutting via drop saw. This would also

ensure a low likelihood of leakage at the welds during operation.

Figure 12: Flanges

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Flow Meter

One (1) electromagnetic flowmeter was installed to measure the flow rate of the drilling mud

during operation of the flow loop. An electromagnetic flow meter was selected as drilling mud

contains particulates like sand and is the best at accurately measuring the flow rate of multiphase

fluids. The flow meter will be placed just after the pipe length leading from the mud tank outlet,

measuring fluid flow entering the flow loop.

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Project Management

Cost Analysis

Below is the cost analysis of the project as of the end of the Fall 2015 Semester. Several

thousand dollars were saved by purchasing manual valves from an industrial wholesaler,

Industrial Surplus Incorporated, and by eliminating all high pressure components.

Table 1: Cost Analysis

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Risk Matrix

The two (2) most critical risks to completing this project were safety and logistics. Even with

proper personal protection equipment (PPE), crushing injuries remained a danger as many

components of the system were heavy, such as the steel plate for the mud tank and the C-

channels and I-beams for the flow loop skid. As such, care was taken when lifting and moving

these components via fork lift.

Logistics presented an issue as ordering the parts via Samoco, or their sister company PISC, took

some time as several quotes were required before a purchase order could be issued to obtain

them. Further compounding this issue were lead times with suppliers which often delayed the

start of work until parts arrived on site.

1. Safety

2. Logistics

3. Group Attendance

4. Proper Quality Assurance & Control Procedures

5. Failure to meet standards

Consequences

Likelihood Negligible Minor Moderate Major Catostrophic

Very High 1

High

Medium 3 2

Low 4,5

Very Low

Table 2: Risk Matrix

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Work Breakdown Structure

The work breakdown structure shows the major components of the project as well as their

progress. Due to the delay in the delivery of the pumps to Samoco’s facility, testing could not be

completed.

Figure 13: Work Breakdown Structure

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Gantt Chart

Below is the Gantt Chart for the project used primarily to plan and track our progress. Upon

examination, one can see Team HydraLoop came incredibly close to 100% completion. The

only issues preventing completion were the lack of a completed piping system and the lack of a

pump to test the flow loop. This was due to the lack of a licensed professional welder being

made available to complete welding of the piping system and the delay in the issuing of a

purchase order for the pump.

Figure 14: Gantt Chart

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Future Work

In order for the flow loop to enter production, Samoco will have to have a licensed professional

welder complete the welding operations and finally, install the low pressure pump before testing

the system for leaks. In addition, some of the piping elements may have to be re-ordered as

some minor errors were made with a section of pipe that would be connected to the mud tank by

a welder who later left the company. Once complete, Samoco will be one (1) of only three (3)

facilities in the Houston area with an operational flow loop.

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References

Schumberger Oilfield Glossary Entry - flow loop

Halliburton Floating Equipment Overview Product Page

http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/en/Terms/f/flow_loop.aspx

http://www.halliburton.com/en-US/ps/cementing/casing-equipment/floating-equipment/default.page?node-id=hfqela4z

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Special Thanks

Dr. Mike Al Oudat – Chief Operating Officer, Samoco Oil Tools

MJ Hallail – President and Chief Executive Officer, Procurement & Integrated Services

Company (PISC) International and Samoco Oil Tools

Miguel Ramirez – Engineering Manager, Samoco Oil Tools

Robert Dunn – Samoco Oil Tools

Alex Balsamo – Procurement & Integrated Services Company (PISC) International

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Team HydraLoop

Team HydraLoop Pictured

From Left to Right: Raj Parmer, Jared Smith, Nathan Longwell, and Edwin Jackson

mect 4276 - senior design project ii, team hydraloop final report

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