CFD-based prognosis of hydrate dissociation operation inside X-mas tree with slickline intervention

Resumo

This study evaluates the use of a retrievable heating tool, deployed via slickline, for dissociating hydrate plugs within a subsea well Christmas Tree (WCT). The focus was on a specific hydrate plug located within the WCT bore, analyzed through multi-phase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations enhanced by adaptive mesh refinement techniques. Findings indicate that a power setting of approximately 3.1 kW is optimal, effectively balancing operational efficiency with safety. This power level maintains temperatures just below the critical threshold of 120°C and achieves complete hydrate dissociation in around three hours. The investigation underscores the importance of precise power calibration and management of its associated uncertainties to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of hydrate dissociation operations.