NITROGEN EQUIPMENT / CALCULATIONS - SUMMARY NOTES

The main reasons nitrogen is widely used in the oil industry are;

 It is a gas and thus is a means of energy storage

 It is inert as it is not contributing in the burning process and is not chemically reactive except
under
 some abnormal conditions.
 The first two features are valid for many different gases but the availability and easiness of
obtaining it from its raw source make nitrogen is the most economical to use.

Nitrogen is a major part of our atmosphere. The atmosphere consists of the following gases;

 Nitrogen is 78.03 %
 Oxygen is 20.93 %
 Argon is 0.93 %
 Others is 0.11 %

Nitrogen Applications

 Pressure Testing / Purging - Pipe line, vessels, tanks, refineries, gas well head, power stations....etc.
 ydrostatic Reduction / Well unloading - Density control, weak formation, Nitrogen lifting
 Energized Treatment fluids - Enlarged volumes, deep penetration, clean up, low pressure reservoirs
 Fluid Loss Control / Diversion - Viscosifier, two phases fluid, non damaging created flow
resistance
 Leak Detection - 1%Heluim mixed with nitrogen. Smaller molecules size which can be detected by
special detectors.
 Miscellaneous - Drying, annular velocity in clean out, separation plugs
T
Nitrogen Phase Diagram

 To understand the behaviour of the fluid when pressure and temperature are changed is best
explained by a consideration of the behaviour of the individual molecules.
 Three factors affect those behaviours. Pressure as a reflection of the number of molecules and their
motion (striking the boundaries), temperature as a reflection of the kinetic energy of the molecules,
and the molecular attraction and repulsion forces.
 TC is known as vapour-Pressure line. Pressure-Temperature points lying above that line indicate
conditions for which the substance is a liquid while those lying under it indicate the condition under
which the substance is a gas.
 The points falling exactly on the line indicate both liquid and gas coexist.

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 The Critical point is the point indicating the critical pressure and temperature. Those critical
parameters above which liquid and gas can not coexist. What exists in that area is called fluid as it
is not a gas or a liquid identified phase (sometimes also called “dense gas”).
 The Triple point represents the pressure and temperature at which solid, liquid, and gas coexist.
 The Melting point line is representing the solid and liquid phases coexistence.
 The Sublimation pressure line is dividing the gas and solid regions.

To understand the phase diagram let us carry out this experiment. This is for one single substance and
not a mixture. Consider a cylinder full of liquid in which the temperature is controlled constant below
the critical temperature and the volume is varied by mercury injection (or removal) at certain pressure
above vapour pressure P1.

 Removing mercury will decrease the pressure until it is equal to the vapor pressure where some of
the molecules starts to free from the liquid as vapor.
 With continuous removal of the mercury, volume will increase and more liquid will turn into vapor
but the pressure will remain at the same Pv .
 When all liquid forms vapor, pressure will start to decrease again with the removal of mercury till it
reaches P2.
 If the previous process were carried out at temperature above the critical temperature the removal of
mercury will result in continuous decrease of pressure. Since the vapor line is not crossed no phase
change will occur.

A similar experiment where pressure is controlled constant below the critical pressure is t be carried
out. Liquid temperature in this case is below vapor pressure temperature T1.

 By adding heat to the system and maintain the pressure constant by removal of mercury
temperature will increase till it reaches Tv. A gas phase will form and gas and liquid coexist.
Injection of heat has caused the kinetic energy of the molecules to increase so that the molecules
with the highest energy can escape the attractive forces and form gas phase.
 More addition of heat at that temperature will cause vaporization of the liquid rather than an
increase in temperature.
 When all liquid evaporates, addition of heat will increase temperature again to T2.
 If the previous process were carried out at pressure above the critical pressure the addition of heat
will result in continuous increase in temperature. Since the vapor line is not crossed no phase
change will occur.

The behaviour of the mixture of two components is not as simple as the pure single component system.
Instead of the line representing the vapor pressure curve there is a broad region in which two phases
coexist. That region is bounded by the bubble point line and from the other side by the dew point line.

If we consider the constant temperature expansion illustrated earlier. At P1 the mixture is 100% liquid.
Pressure is decreased and the liquid will expand till the pressure reaches a point at which a few
molecules are able to leave the liquid and form the first bubble of gas phase. This is called the bubble
point pressure. With further expansion (mercury removal) pressure continues to decrease and more gas
phase will form and liquid will decrease. Finally, only a minute quantity of liquid remains at which

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point the pressure is known as the dew point pressure. Further reduction of pressure simply causes an
expansion of the gas.

Nitrogen Production

Understanding the foregoing behaviour, air can be liquefied and different components separated in
order to produce Nitrogen.

 Air is liquefied by compression and cooling processes.

 Decreasing the pressure will free some vapor which is rich in nitrogen, the same happens when heat
is added.
 The remaining unboiled liquid is rich in oxygen
 With repeating boiling and condensing processes all gases contained in the air are separated.

The details of the production process are shown below;

 Air is compressed (after passing through a filter) to 90 psi to force it through the system.
 Cooled in the precooler to 278 k (41 F)
 Passing through a heat exchanger, the air is cooled down to the dew point 103k ( - 274 F)
 The air is then passed through a high pressure column where nitrogen is primarily separated leaving
behind an oxygen rich liquid. Cooling the vapor will condense the liquid nitrogen separately.
 The process is repeated in a lower pressure column where the final products have a high purity level
 The gas expansion is used in two ways; first to drive a turbine which drives the compressors and
secondly in the cooling process as.
 Argon is separated in the same way.

Temperature Conversions - Important

 o
K = o C + 273
 o
R = o F + 460

The Standard Cubic Foot

As the effect of pressure and temperature changes on gas volume are very significant, a reference unit
was needed. The unit is specified to a certain volume under certain conditions of pressure and
temperature. The oilfield refers to a standard volume under standard conditions. SCF / SCM are used
in our industry.

Equation of State

PV = nRT
PV = ZnRT

The above equations describe the relation between P, V, and T for ideal and real gases. The
Compressibility (or Deviation) factor, Z gives an indication of the deviation of the real gas behaviour
from the ideal gas. From the equation, you can see that when T is constant PV= Constant (ideal gas).

Nitrogen Volume Factor

This is a term used to reflect the number of SCF of Nitrogen that will occupy one barrel volume at a
given condition of pressure and temperature. It can be obtained from pre-calculated tables in the
Nitrogen manual/Handbook when pressure and temperature values are available.

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For conditions out of the tables range, it is obtained from the following formula;

198.6xP
NVF =
ZxT

Where, P = Pressure (psi)

Z = Compressibility Factor
T = Absolute temperature (Rankine = oF + 460)

Nitrogen Calculations

Nitrogen calculations invariably involve the following;

 To find the required amount of liquid N2 to perform the assigned tasks. (P test, Displacement,
Flowback, Bullhead etc.)
 To find the WH pressure or Downhole pressure, whichever is unknown.
 To find the change in buoyancy

In performing these calculations, you must be aware of the following;

 Same displaced volume, different condition, different amount of liquid N 2 required.

 The condition of the displaced vessel must be defined.
 Select the N2 volume factor to fit the defined conditions.

Nitrogen Calculation Procedure**

 Find total volume of vessel (bbl)

 If it is a well find the WHP or BHP which ever is unknown (psi)
 Find average pressure (psi)
 If it is a well, find the BHT using the temperature gradient (oF)
 Calculate average Temperature (oF)
 From Pav and Tav, find the Nitrogen Volume Factor (scf/bbl) using tables/handbook
 Find total requirement of N2 gas (scf) by multiplying NVF by the total volume in bbl.
 Add 10,000 scf for cooldown.
 Add 10% for other losses.
 Convert to liquid N2 (gal) by dividing by 93.12.

** SEE EXAMPLES IN THE PRESENTATION

Nitrogen WHP vs BHP

N2 is a compressible fluid, and thus the hydrostatic gradient is variable depending on how many
molecules of N2 are squeezed into the vessel. In order to displace the well, the N2 pressure at the bottom
must be equal to the BH or DH pressure of the well (or annular hydrostatic). The DH pressure defines
the WH pressure, meaning only this specific WH pressure will create this specific BH pressure.

To find the WH pressure, the charts in the N 2 handbook should be used. As stated earlier, this WHP is
needed for finding Pav in order to calculate the NVF.

Change of Buoyancy Calculation**

When the CT is filled with water, the increment of applied surface pressure will be equal to the
increment of the bottom-hole pressure since water is an incompressible fluid. If the CT is filled with N 2
which is a compressible fluid, adding 2000 psi (for instance) at surface will not correspond to a 2000
psi increase in bottomhole pressure. This is because some of the pressure will be absorbed by
compressing more Nitrogen molecules into the same volume thus compressing the fluid.

If I have an N2 column with 5000 psi at surface, this corresponds to a bottom hole pressure of 6000 psi
(assuming a 7000 ft well with thermal gradient of 1.1 F/100 ft). This means that (6000 - 5000) psi =

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1000 psi on the bottom is due to the weight of the N 2 column. This pressure can be converted to
calculate the actual weight of N2 in the string, by multiplying the pressure by the cross sectional area of
the CT.

Thus if I change the fluid in my CT, or change the WH pressure, I can calculate the change in
buoyancy, as the change in weight of the string contents.

** SEE EXAMPLES IN THE PRESENTATION

Nitrogen Storage

There are different types and sizes of Nitrogen storage tanks normally insulated by a combination of
lagging material and a vacuum. Dowell uses the low-pressure type for safety. The tank is a two-layer
tank with a minimum of three safety devices. The three safety devices are;

 Tank relief valve : 45 psi

 Road Relief Valve : 15 psi
 Burst Disk : 60-75 psi

Nitrogen Pump Units

There are three types of pump units -

 Ambient unit - most popular with Dowell

 Fired Unit - unsafe, and no longer used in Dowell
 Pressure Swing Adsorption Unit (PSA)

The Ambient & Fired Units pump liquid Nitrogen and then by adding heat to the liquid at high pressure
(in heat exchangers), convert the liquid into gas. The main source of difference is the heat source. The
PSA on the other hand extracts Nitrogen from the air directly.

Open flame with a possibility of a hydrocarbon existence in the surrounding environment is a serious
fire hazard. Also, if fuel injection rate is higher than needed it may result in exchange piping failure.
The Water brake system is designed to increase ambient unit rate capability without taking that risk.

The Ambient Unit has the following features;

 A centrifugal booster pump pressurizes the liquid in order to help overcome line losses and to
provide the additional head required for an efficient unit operation.
 Vent valve to speed up cooldown of the booster pump.
 Return to tank line valve for circulation back to tank especially during cool down.
 A high-pressure triplex pump pressurizes the LN 2 to the required pressure and passes it through a
high pressure vaporizer where the liquid is converted to a gas.
 The required heat energy comes from engine coolant, engine exhaust, and other sources depending
on the design of the unit. (Hydraulic fluid heat exchanger, water brake, etc.)
 High quality stainless steel piping and fittings for both high and low pressure systems.
 Gas temperature control by pass valve to adjust discharged gas temperature.
 Proper cool down should be done prior operating pumps. Failure to do so will result in parts
damage as all component are cooled and lubricated by liquid nitrogen.

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Nitrogen Equipment Standard Operating Procedure

Start Up

Perform STEM 1 on the Nitrogen Unit, Check unit safety Devices, and review SLP standard 11 then
proceed as follows:
1. Start nitrogen unit with engine speed at 1000 RPM with the engine throttle control. Allow engine
to warm up to 160 F or normal temperature for conditions.
2. Remove Dust Caps from unit and tank piping.
3. Set tank gauge valves to monitor tank status.

Cooling Down Nitrogen tank and Pump unit

1. Open the vent valve to vent to the atmosphere. Close Road Valve. Ensure gas pressure bled to
zero.
2. Inspect seal on the tank discharge line connection and connect hoses to it using BRASS hammer.
Hold the other end by liquid tray and blow the hoses (with Existing Vaporised N 2 Gas in N2 tank
itself ) by quick opening and closing the N2 tank discharge valve.
3. Inspect seal on the pump unit suction line connection and connect this first series of hoses from the
discharge line of the N2 tank to it.
4. On the pump unit, ensure booster pump vent valve and by pass valve are opened to return line to
atmosphere. Inspect seal on the pump unit return line connection.
5. Connect second set hoses to the pump unit return line. Hold the other end by the liquid tray and
blow Vaporised N2 Gas twice.
6. Inspect seal on the N2 Tank return line connection (Return / Fill line through the TOP). Connect
this second set hoses from the pump unit return line to it.
7. Ensure the booster pump rotation is free, by hand. (Booster pump off )
8. Open tank return and discharge valve. Check booster pump rotation is free by hand for a couple of
minutes. (Now N2 gas is bleeding through Booster pump vent valve )
9. Close N2 Tank vent valve. Start building up the N2 Tank pressure by opening the Evaporizer valve.
When the pressure reaches 10-15 psi, close this valve. (If the tank level is lower than half, 20 - 25
psi pressure is required.)
10. When Liquid N2 starts flowing out of the booster pump vent valve, increase engine speed to 1800
RPM, switch on Booster Pump and close the booster pump vent valve.
11. When Booster pump is cooled down and primed, the hydraulic oil pressure should indicate 600 Psi
and Booster pump discharge pressure should be 30-40 psi. (If the above can not be achieved, do
not keep the pump running, this will damage the mechanical seal)
12. Now, Liquid N2 is circulated through by pass valve to the return line from the pump unit back to
the tank.
13. When Booster Pump discharge pressure is stable, slowly close the by pass valve to the return line.
This will feed all the liquid N2 to the Triplex pump.
14. Allow the Triplex pump to cool down. Ensure pump unit HP discharge valve is open to line bleed.
15. Operate Triplex pump for a few strokes.
16. Now the Unit is ready to pump.

Shut Down Procedure

Upon completion of the pumping operation, equipment shut down procedure will be as follows:

1. Stop HP Triplex pump and put engine to idle. Then turn off HP triplex pump and Booster pump.
2. Close hammer valve on discharge line and open bleed off line.
3. Close N2 Tank discharge valve. Open Tank vent valve.
4. Open Booster Pump vent valve and by pass valve. Close tank return valve.
5. When Pressure inside the tank drop to 15 psi, open road safety valve and close the vent valve.
6. Shut down Engine, perform STEM1.
7. Disconnect all hoses, and place the dust caps on all connections.

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Pressure Swing Adsorption Unit

 Filtered air is compressed, and coalescing filters remove water from it.
 A proprietary sieve in the adsorption beds removes oxygen and other impurities while nitrogen is
allowed to flow to the product filter.
 There are two adsorption tanks. When one reaches its oxygen capacity, flow is switched to the other
tank. The first tank is then regenerated by simply venting it and allowing the oxygen to adsorb
(pressure swing).
 Nitrogen flow from the product filter to the reservoir, ready for use.
 No heat, no flame, and no liquid nitrogen trucking.
 Suitable for refineries, remote locations,..etc.

N2 Safety

 Both N2 liquid and vapor are extremely cold. Contact with skin will result in serious cold burns.
Contact with metal will cause cracking.
 Nitrogen will displace air resulting in an oxygen deficient environment This could lead to
asphyxiation.
 Liquid volume expands almost 700 times when enough heat is added. Heat transfer is continuous. If
liquid N2 is trapped between two closed valves, there could be a very serious build-up of pressure.

As a result of the above, the following safety precautions should be observed;

1. Avoid contact with liquid Nitrogen or its vapour

- Use adequate protective equipment
- Suction connections and lines to be free of leaks
- Keep a running water supply

2. Good ventilation is a must

- Stay out of closed areas
- Do not rely on the absence of a visible plume or vapour cloud as evidence of normal O 2
content
- Use self-contained breathing apparatus when good ventilation is not possible

3. Avoid any liquid or cold vapour being trapped between two points
- Always open before you close
- Make sure an outlet is always open
- Anchor lines every 20 ft

4. Follow all safety procedures outlined in S&LP standards 5, 9 & 11.

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