Design of Compressor Suction Scrubbers Or Dont wreck the expensive compressor with cheap scrubbers or with inadequate engineering

TEKNA-Conference Norway, 26-27 September 2012

Hans Nooijen, GSNL-PTD/TRD Principal Technologist Distillation

Paul Clinton, GSNL-PTU/EKUW Principal Concept Engineer

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DEFINITIONS AND CAUTIONARY NOTE

Resources: Our use of the term resources in this announcement includes quantities of oil and gas not yet classified as Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States ("SEC") proved oil and gas reserves or SEC proven mining reserves. Resources are consistent with the Society of Petroleum Engineers 2P and 2C definitions.

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this announcement "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. "Subsidiaries", "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this announcement refer to companies in which Shell either directly or indirectly has control, by having either a majority of the voting rights or the right to exercise a controlling influence. The companies in which Shell has significant influence but not control are referred to as "associated companies" or "associates" and companies in which Shell has joint control are referred to as "jointly controlled entities". In this announcement, associates and jointly controlled entities are also referred to as "equity-accounted investments". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect (for example, through our 23 per cent. shareholding in Woodside Petroleum Ltd.) ownership interest held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This announcement contains forward looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell and the Shell Group. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell and the Shell Group to market risks and statements expressing managements expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "goals", "intend", "may", "objectives", "outlook", "plan", "probably", "project", "risks", "seek", "should", "target", "will" and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and the Shell Group and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions. All forward looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell's 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2011 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov ). These factors also should be considered by the reader. Each forward looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, 22 February 2012. Neither Shell nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Shell Group undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward looking statements contained in this announcement.

Shell may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the SEC strictly prohibits Shell from including in its filings with the SEC. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in Shell's Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov. You can also obtain these forms from the SEC by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.

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CONTENTS

1. What is the problem? 2. Its an old problem and its an ongoing problem 3. Why do we get it wrong?

4. Examples of getting it wrong.

5. How should we get it right?

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WHATS THE PROBLEM?

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WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

Inadequate separation upstream of compressors results in:
Liquids entering the compressor Dissolved and entrained solids entering the compressor

Effect on the compressor:

Erosion Deposition of solids

Eventual consequences:
Reduction of compression efficiency = loss of performance Rotor imbalance - more unscheduled maintenance Possible catastrophic failure
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ITS:
An old problem

A current problem
An ongoing problem

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COMPRESSOR FOULING - ITS AN OLD PROBLEM

27 May 1984
Case 1 Lift Gas Compressors Performance Check K-614

The second stage discharge pressure is higher than expected. The high pressure trip has been reached and the machine keeps tripping. The problem has been getting worse and it is suspected that carry-over is fouling the machine up. This would have its greatest effect in the third stage where the clearances are smaller.

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CASE 1 IN 2006

The liquid being drained from the casing drain resembled heavy crude rather than condensate.

GS.06.50099 Case 1 Visit Report : COMPRI & Smart Fields Scouting Study
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CASE 2

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CASE 3

Salt deposits

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CASE 4 - FOULED DIFFUSER

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CASE 5 - 1ST STAGE COMPRESSOR INLET EYE

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CASE 6 COMPRESSOR - EROSION

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CASE 7 CATASTROPHIC FAILURE

When machine was opened, these pools of liquid were found in it.

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CASE 7 - PIECE BROKEN OFF IMPELLER

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CASE 7 - BROKEN SEAL

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WHY DO WE GET IT WRONG?

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WHY DO WE GET IT WRONG?

Ignorance - not thinking about our design and not understanding

what is happening in our own process

Not following established good practice Delegating design responsibility Lack of attention to detail No close supervision of contractors Package unit & vendor guarantee mentality Concept of Industry standard Attempt to save money

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HOW DOES A COMPRESSOR SUCTION SCRUBBER WORK?

Vessel
Provides larger flow area to

Outlet nozzle & pipe

Avoids channeling of flow in the

reduce flow velocity For gas dominated two phase flow, vertical vessel makes best use of available area If high proportion of liquid, need pre-separation Control volume for separated liquid

demister

Demisting internals
Remove liquids by various means
Merge small droplets into bigger

droplets Catch the droplets (cyclones, flow direction change, etc Return removed liquid to bottom of vessel

Inlet device Inlet nozzle & pipe

Avoids severe maldistribution of Makes coarse gas/liquid

two phase flow across pipe area Provides non slugging flow regime If mist flow be careful - if very small droplet size, difficult to Copyright of Shell Global Solutions International B.V. separate

separation Distributes gas flow across vessel area Avoids re-entrainment of droplets

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UNDERSTANDING BEGINS AT THE PFS

What is wrong with thisare only Production separators PFS? (what is missing?) like slug bulk separators, just catchers.

Suction scrubber was missing

A clue: Now the second stage is shown

wells Flowlines manifold (5 - 10 km long)

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Production separator

compressor

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UNDERSTANDING CONTINUES TO PEFS

What instruction to avoid slug formation! Instructions is missing from these PEFSs?

Slope, do not pocket Slope, do not pocket

To compressor

Slope, do not pocket

From separator

To second compression train, see PEFS xyz

PEFS Production separator Copyright of Shell Global Solutions International B.V.

PEFS Compression
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RUNNING PIPING TO COMPRESSORS - PLAN VIEW

Distance can be > 100 m

Compression train

Well flowlines Piping dept dont know about slugs and the capabilities of your separators. If you dont instruct otherwise they will run the pipes in the most convenient way: At grade Underground
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Compression train
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RUNNING PIPING TO COMPRESSORS - ELEVATION VIEW

Suction scrubbers are not slugcatchers. When a slug hits the suction scrubber, a significant proportion will leave in the gas and enter the compressor.

Production separator

This gas pipe is now similar to a two phase cross country pipeline. And it also has slugs: Terrain induced Flow rate induced A half full 100m long 30 inch pipe holds 7 m3 of liquid! Shell Global Solutions International B.V. Copyright of

Worst case is starting another compressor. The equilibrium hold up changes and a huge slug can be generated. High carryover to compressor LZHH may be reached on running machines - which will trip. 10/2/2012

Suction scrubber
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I CAN SOLVE THAT WITH A DRAIN POT!

LZHH

By the time you have engineered the drain pot, how high must the pipe be elevated? Definitely higher than it used to be!

Range for control LZLL Clearance for access

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IF YOU CANNOT ELIMINATE SLUGS, ONLY PROPER SOLUTION IS A SLUGCATCHER

To suction scrubber

Long pipe

slugcatcher

The slugcatcher will eliminate slugs. Liquid removal by dip tube or occasional blowdown are desperate measures for constructed plant. They should not be engineered into a new design.
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Underground slugcatchers are nice for the hydraulics, but very difficult for maintenance and safety. (dont do it) Dont forget that the compressor will still require a suction scrubber.
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SUCTION SCRUBBER INLET & OUTLET PIPING

Inlet nozzle straight length requirement.

Slope, do not pocket
Note 1

Outlet nozzle v2 requirement usually needs larger pipe size. Note 2 Outlet nozzle straight length requirement.

Inlet nozzle v2 requirement usually needs larger pipe size.

Note 1. No bends in horizontal plane, valves or swages allowed within 10 pipe diameters of inlet nozzle Note 2. No bends in horizontal plane, valves or swages allowed within 2 pipe diameters of outlet nozzle
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DEVIATION FROM SEPARATOR DEP

Vendor Special
Exciting new technology Smaller vessel Cheaper! CFD based design Great list of installed units

DEP Separator
Established technology Based on many actual

field tests across Shell Group

(but have you spoken to them?)

Deviation Control
Not applying the DEP requires approval to deviate from Shell practice. You are not authorized to make this decision.

Why Gamble?
Taking a gamble on a cheaper scrubber is just not worth the risk of compressor damage.
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EXAMPLES OF GETTING IT WRONG

Please remember that all these examples were engineered by engineers - it wasnt an accident.

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CASE 1 IN 2006

The root cause failure report for K 0611 highlighted (utilizing thermo-graphic photos) that the liquid suction header for the inlet scrubber was half filled with liquids (low section of the header). This is the suction header to inlet scrubber V-0610.
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CASE 8

Long underground lines from flow station

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CASE 1 K-614 SCRUBBER - VESSEL DATA SHEET

What basis is there for believing that this proprietary separator will work?

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CASE 1 K-614 SCRUBBER - IT GETS EVEN WORSE

Dresser stated that they were unable to comply with 24 manway requirements. Customer (x) agreed for vessels with no internals.

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PROPRIETARY SEPARATOR CASE 9

Outlet 12 Flow evenly distributed across vane pack?

Channelling through vane pack? Re-entrainment of droplets?

Vessel ID = 750 mm

Inlet 12
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CASE 9 PROPRIETARY SEPARATOR - EVALUATION

In September 2003 severe rotor damage of the Export compressor K-83502 occurred. Liquid carryover from the suction scrubber vessel V-83502 was identified as a possible cause of failure. To quantify the level of liquid carryover and to determine the separation efficiency of the scrubber V-83502, a dedicated isokinetic sampling campaign was carried out by Shell Global Solution (SGSi-OGRD) over the period 10 to 12 October 2004. The vendor guarantee specification for liquid in the off gas from this scrubber is < 13 litres/MMsm3 (0.1 US gal/MMsft3). This translates to an actual liquid concentration of < 10 ppmw in the scrubber off gas. Conclusions The measurements from the isokinetic sampling showed an average liquidingas concentration of 0.19wt% with a separator liquid removal efficiency of 68%. The vendor guarantee separator performance of 0.1 Usgal/MMsft3 (or 13 liters/MMsm3) carryover in the gas, which equates to a separation efficiency of 99.8%, is by far not being achieved.
Copyright of Shell Global Solutions Ref OG.04.50720 International B.V.
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CASE 10 - INCORRECT INLET PIPING TO SUCTION SCRUBBER

Case 10 Pre-start-up audit, July 2005

Bend in horizontal plane violating 10D straight length requirement.

V-1410 Propane compressor suction scrubber

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HOW SHOULD WE GET IT RIGHT?

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HOW SHOULD WE GET IT RIGHT?

Understand the problem and how to avoid it. Follow established good practice:
Use

the Separator DEP slugs and keep them from re-forming configuration correct

Eliminate Pipework

Dont delegate design responsibility:

Put

high level philosophical requirements in BOD & BDP

Ensure that our requirements are fulfilled:

Project

spec contractor to correctly express our philosophical requirements in the EPC bid document contractor to purchase accordingly contractor to construct accordingly
10/2/2012

EPC EPC

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RELATIONSHIPS & EXPERTISE

There is no reason for the expertise not to be at the Principals

end. That expertise should be you!

relationship relationship Principal Design (asset owner) contractor relationship

relationship

Vendor

Fabricator

Technical advisor

Who is making the decisions? Who is truly providing the guarantee? Where is the expertise? Who really knows how the equipment will perform?

Is the process engineering expertise in the project at the Principals end or the other end?

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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SURGE FACTORS For the production separator upstream of the compressor suction scrubber
DEP 31.22.05.11-Gen. September 2002 In E&P Offshore service Separator handling natural-flowing production from: a) its own platform b) another platform or well jacket in shallow water c) another platform or well in deep water Separator handling gas lifted production from: a) its own platform b) another platform or well jacket In E&P Onshore service Separator handling natural flowing production, or gas plant inlet separator in: a) flat or low rolling country b) hilly country Separator handling gas lifted production in: a) flat or low rolling country b) hilly country In Refineries and Chemical plants: The design margin ranges typically from
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1.2 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5

1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.15 to 1.25

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CORROSION EROSION

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THRUST BEARING (BOTTOM) & SEAL

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RECIPROCATING COMPRESSOR OUTBOARD DISCHARGE VALVE

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