FINGER TYPE SLUG

CATCHER SIZING &

CONTROL REQUIREMENT

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 CONTENTS
◼ Introduction
◼ Types of Slug Catcher
◼ Slug Catcher Design
◼ Calculation
◼ Control Philosophy
◼ Blowdown
◼ Safety

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 INTRODUCTION

◼ A multi-phase flow pipeline - for transporting the gas & liquid phases simultaneously.
◼ Slug catcher – situated at the end of the pipeline to separate the phases and to
provide temporary storage for the liquid received.
◼ Slug flow regime – frequently encountered for pipe sizes and flowrates used in
process and transmission pipeline.
◼ What is the SLUG?
Slug is an accumulation of liquid or gas formed in a pipeline as the flowing fluid
pressure decrease. Slugs also form in multiphase pipeline.

◼ Types of slugging:

• Terrain slugging
- Caused by the elevations in the pipeline, which follows the ground elevation
or the sea bed.
- Liquid can accumulate at a low point of the pipeline until sufficient pressure
builds up behind it. Once the liquid is pushed out of the low point, it can form
a slug.

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 INTRODUCTION (Cont’d)
• Hydrodynamic slugging
- Caused by gas flowing at a fast rate over a slower flowing liquid phase. The
gas will form waves on the liquid surface, which may grow to bridge the
whole cross-section of the line.
- This creates a blockage on the gas flow, which travels as a slug through the
line.

• Riser-based slugging
- Also known as severe slugging, is associated with the pipeline risers often
found in offshore oil production facilities.
- Liquids accumulate at the bottom of the riser until sufficient pressure is
generated behind it to push the liquids over the top of the riser, overcoming
the static head.
- Behind this slug of liquid follows a slug of gas, until sufficient liquids have
accumulated at the bottom to form a new liquid slug.

• Pigging slugs
- Caused by pigging operations in the pipeline. The pig is designed to push all
or most of the liquids contents of the pipeline to the outlet. This intentionally
creates a liquid slug.
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 TYPES OF SLUG CATCHER
◼ Vessel Type
➢ Essentially a conventional vessel.
➢ Preferred in the case of limited plot sizes
e.g. offshore platforms.
➢ Simple in design and maintenance.

◼ Multiple-pipe Type
➢ Consists of several long pieces of pipe
‘fingers’, which together form the buffer
volume.
➢ Advantage - pipe segments are simpler
to design for high pressures, which are
often encountered in pipeline systems,
than a large vessel.
➢ Disadvantage - its footprint can become
excessively large.

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 SLUG CATCHER DESIGN
◼ Design of multiple-pipe slug catchers is based on PTS 31.40.10.12 July 1998 and DEP
31.40.10.12 January 2009 – DESIGN OF MULTIPLE-PIPE SLUG CATCHERS.

◼ Slug catcher geometry and components:

➢ Inlet Section
- End of the pipeline, Splitters, Inlet Header, Constrictors, Downcomers.

➢ Bottle Section
- Primary Bottles, Secondary Bottles.

➢ Gas Outlet Section

- Gas Risers, Gas Outlet Header.

➢ Liquid Outlet Section

- Liquid Outlet Header.

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Fig. 1: Typical Multiple-pipe Slug Catcher

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 Inlet Section

◼ The inlet section’s functions are to distribute the incoming mixture over the bottles,
and to begin the gas/liquid separation by promoting the occurrence of stratified two -
phase flow.

◼ Splitter → Inlet of a multiple-pipe slug catcher in which the fluid stream is split
up for even distribution over the inlet header.

◼ Inlet Header → Part of a multiple-pipe slug catcher in which the fluid is evenly
distributed before entering the downcomers and in which fluid flow conditions are
further improved for separation.

◼ Constrictors → Reduce the maldistribution over the downcomers (and hence over the
bottles).

◼ Downcomers → Vertical or steeply sloping pipes of a multiple-pipe slug catcher

between the inlet header and the primary bottles.

◼ Sloping the downcomers promotes segregation of gas and liquid, and an angle of 45°
has been found to be the best.

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Fig. 2(a): Inlet Section

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Fig. 2(b): Inlet Section Details

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 Bottle Section

◼ Entrance section is from bottle inlet to gas risers meant for gas/liquid separation.
◼ Part of bottle downstream of gas risers meant for liquid storage.
◼ Bottle should slope downward to remain incoming liquid slug in stratified flow and to
avoid bottle become choked, causing flooding.
◼ Recommended slope which robust against choking is 2.5%.

◼ There are 2 bottle slope approaches:

➢ Single slope
- whole bottle slope at 2.5% result in inlet header being greatly elevated.
- hence requires expensive supporting steelwork.

➢ Dual slope
- compromise and attractive solution.
- entrance section & initial part of storage section slope at 2.5%.
- remainder of storage section slope at 1%.

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Fig. 3(a) : Bottle Section Details

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Fig. 3(b) : Bottle Section Details

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 Bottle Section

◼ Primary bottle → for separation of the fluid and storage of the liquids, sloping down
from the lower end of the downcomer to the liquid outlet header.

◼ Secondary bottle → for storage of the liquids only, sloping up from the liquid outlet
header, and ending at the gas risers.

◼ Choice of primary and secondary bottles:

➢ It is important first to determine the number of primary bottles needed.

➢ If this number of primary bottles results in a bottle length exceeds the available plot
length, then secondary bottles to make up the storage volume can be considered.

➢ However, secondary bottles take up as much plot width as primary bottles yet add
nothing to gas processing capacity.

➢ Secondary bottles very difficult to later convert them to primary bottles.

➢ Therefore, it is usually better to just install primary bottles.

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Fig. 3(c) : Bottle Section

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 Gas Outlet Section
◼ The gas risers are intended to allow the gas to leave the primary bottles without
excessive entrainment of liquid droplets.

◼ Gas Riser → Vertical pipe on top of a bottle, through which gas exits.

◼ Gas Outlet Header → Part of a multiple-pipe slug catcher on top of and connecting all
risers for collection of the out going gas streams.

◼ The riser height should be at least 5 times its diameter or 5 m, whichever is less, to
allow liquid entrained in the riser gas stream to settle.

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 Liquid Outlet Section
◼ Liquid outlet headers commonly designed with the same diameter as the bottles.

◼ However, model studies shown a reduction in diameter (down to 75% of the bottle
diameter) did not affect the slug catcher performance.

◼ It should not be reduced further due to the risk of blockage of the liquid outlet
header by sludge or dirt (always present in the lower part of the slug catcher).

◼ To prevent gas carry-under during liquid drainage of the slug catcher, the liquid
header is located below the lower end of the bottles.

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 Calculation

MULTIPLE-PIPE
SLUG CATCHER SIZING(typical)
--

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 Basis
✓ Based on PTS 31.40.10.12 July 1998 and DEP 31.40.10.12 Jan 2009
- DESIGN OF MULTIPLE-PIPE SLUG CATCHERS
✓ Design capacity of each slug catcher is 750 MMSCFD gas and 40,000 bpd produced
condensate (2 x 100%). (assumed)
✓ Slug Volume, Vol int = 1600 m3 (Determined from Dynamic Simulation)
✓ Available Plot Plan => Length : 240 m , Width : 27 m
✓ Fluid properties is taken from Heat and Material Balance;
✓ No. of downcomers per inlet manifold should be limited to eight (8).
✓ A downcomer angle of 45o with the horizontal plane is optimal for the development of
stratified flow.
✓ Ddowncomer < 2/3 Dbottle
✓ Slope => Dual Slope approach => 2.5% slope (Separation Section)
=> 1% slope (Storage Section)
✓ A riser should have a minimum height of at least 5 times of riser diameter or 5m,
whichever is less.
✓ Liquid outlet headers are typically of the same diameter as the bottles. Reduction to
75% of the bottle diameter does not affect performance.
✓ Minimum spacing between each bottle is used as 1.5 bottle diameters (1.5Dbottle).

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 Properties

General Data: Unit Data value

Gas rate (mass flow) kg/hr 817308.56

Liquid rate (mass flow) kg/hr 200994.94

Total rate (mass flow) kg/hr 1018303.50

Gas rate (vol. flow) m3/s 3.62

Liquid rate (vol. flow) m3/s 0.08

Total rate (vol. flow) m3/s 3.70

Gas density, ρg kg/m3 62.71

Liquid density, ρl kg/m3 700.45

Mix density kg/m3 76.45

Gas viscosity cP 0.0134

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 Sequence of Calculation
1. Determine Vol int and Vol buff and hence Vol sc (total liquid volume).
2. Select bottle diameter (D bottle)
3. Select number of primary bottles (n pb)
4. Calculate the entrance length and confirm that the bottle diameter is adequate.
5. Calculate the required storage length, L, of the bottle for storing the volume
(Vol sc )
6. Determine total length and width of slug catcher. If secondary bottles are to be
used, L can be determined according to the available length of the plot for the slug
catcher.
7. Create sketch of the slug catcher showing its configuration and major dimensions.
8. A repeat volume calculation should be performed after all dimensions, including
spacing between bottles, have been finalised.
9. Make alternative designs using different bottle diameters etc.

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 Calculation 1
◼ Determine total volume of Slug Catcher, V sc (Total Liquid Volume)

❖ Volume Intercept, Vint

Vint = 1600 m3

❖ Volume Buffer, Vbuff

Time for control = 10 minutes (assumed)
Liquid flow rate = 0.07971 m3
s
Vbuff = 0.07971 m3 x 60 s x 10 min
s 1 min
= 47.83 m3

❖ Vsc = Vint + Vbuff

= (1600 + 47.83) m3
= 1647.83 m3

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 Calculation 2
◼ Determine entrance length (from end of downcomer until to 2 nd gas riser)

❑ Bottle diameter (D bottle) = 900mm = 0.9m (assumed)

- Internal diameter (ID bottle) = 914.4 – (2 x 31.8) = 850.8mm = 0.8508 m

❑ No. of Primary Bottle, npb = 8 bottles (assumed)

❖ Gas rate per bottle = 3.62 m3/s = 0.4525 m3/s

8 bottles

❖ Area per bottle = π IDbottle2 = 3.142 x (0.8508)2 = 0.569 m2

4 4

❖ Gas velocity per bottle = Gas rate per bottle / Area per bottle
= 0.4525 m3/s = 0.795 ~ 0.8 m/s
0.569 m2

❖ Refer Fig. 5 to determine L/D value for gas velocity of 0.8 m/s. When gas density is
62.71 kg/m3, using interpolation L/D = 3.1.
Since minimum L/D = 5, avoid to use L/D = 3.1 & then select 5.

❖ Separation length, L (from end of downcomer until to first gas riser),

L = 5 (Dbottle) = 5 x 0.9 = 4.5 m

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 Calculation 2 (Cont’d)
❖ Distance between gas risers.
Separation length = 4.5 m,
Dr1 = 0.9 m, D r2 = 0.6 m (determined from gas riser section – Refer Calculation 4)

❖ Use ratio method to get the distance between gas riser.

Ar1 => 4.5 m, Ar2 => (X) m
π(Dr1)2 => 4.5 , π(Dr2)2 => X
4 4
Then, X = 4.5 (0.6)2 = 2.0 m
(0.9)2

❖ Therefore, the entrance length is 6.5 m (4.5 + 2.0).

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Fig. 5 Droplet separation Length in primary bottles

4
3

0.8

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 Table of Result 1 (Calc. 1 & 2)
Bottle Section: Unit Trial 1

Bottle Diameter, Dbottle m 0.9

No. of Primary Bottles, npb - 8

Entrance Length: - -

Gas rate per bottle m3/s 0.4525

Area per bottle m2 0.569

Gas velocity per bottle m/s 0.80

L/D (Refer Fig. 5) - 3.1

Chosen L/D - 5.0

Separation Length m 4.5

Distance between gas risers m 2.0

Entrance length m 6.5

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 Calculation 3
◼ Determine required storage length, L

Dual Slope Approach

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 Calculation 3 (Cont’d)
◼ Dual Slope Approach
θ1 = 1.43o (2.5%), θ2 = 0.57o (1.0%), IDbottle = 0.8508 m

Length of steeper slope, L1 = Dbottle = 0.9 / tan 1.43o

tan θ1
= 36.05 m

Volume partly filled, V A = 8 x [(π/8) x IDbottle3 /tan θ1]

(at steeper slope) = 8 x [(π/8) x (0.8508)3 /tan 1.43o ]
= 77.41 m 3

Storage volume (8 fingers) = [8 x (π IDbottle2 /4) x (L2)]

= 8 x [(π(0.8508)2 /4) x (L2)]
= 4.5482(L2) m 3

Collection header volume = Liquid outlet volume (V LO) + Header volume (VH)
= [8 x (π(0.8508)2 /4) x (4.5)] + [(π(0.8508)2 /4) x (18.5)]
= 31.0 m 3

Total Storage volume = volume partly filled + storage volume + collection header volume
= 77.41 + 4.5482(L2) + 31.0
1647.83 = 77.41 + 4.5482(L2) + 31.0
L2 = 1539.42
4.5482
= 338.5 m

Actual Storage Length, L = [Cos 0.57 o x 334.4] + 36.05

= 374.5 m

Since the required storage length (374.5 m) is greater than available plot length (240 m),
consider to add secondary bottles. 28
◼
Calculation 3 (Cont’d)
Assumed No. of Secondary Bottles, nsb = 8 bottles

Volume partly filled, V A = (8 + 8) x [(π/8) x IDbottle3 /tan θ]

= (8 + 8) x [(π/8) x (0.8508) 3 /tan 1.43o ]
= 154.82 m 3
Storage volume = (8 + 8) x [(π IDbottle2 /4) x (L2)]
= (8 + 8) x [(π(0.8508)2 /4) x (L2)
= 9.0964(L2) m3
Slug Catcher Width = [(1.5 x Dbottle) x (npb + nsb - 1)] + [Dbottle x (npb + nsb)] + [2 x Dbottle]
= [(1.5 x 0.9) x (8 + 8 – 1)] + [0.9 x (8 + 8)] + [2 x 0.9]
= 20.25 + 14.4 + 1.8 = 36.45 m
Collection header volume = Liquid outlet volume (V LO) + Header volume (VH)
= [(8+8) x (π(0.8508)2 /4) x (4.50)] + [(π(0.8508)2 /4) x (36.45)]
= 40.93 + 20.72 = 61.65 m3
Total Storage volume = volume partly filled + storage volume + collection header volume
= 154.82 + 9.0964(L2) + 61.65
1647.83 = 154.82 + 9.0964(L2) + 61.65
L2 = 1431.36
9.0964
= 157.35 m
Actual Storage Length, L = [Cos 0.57o x 157.35] + 36.05
= 193.4 m

◼ Addition of secondary bottles to this slug catcher sizing is unacceptable since plot plan available
is 240 m (L) x 27 m (W). Use bigger diameter of bottle to fulfill the plot plan available and make
alternative designs using different bottle diameter. 29
 Table of Result 2 (Calc. 3)
Dual Slope: Unit Trial 1

Separation Section Slope ° 1.43

Storage Section Slope ° 0.57

Length of the steeper sloped m 34.0

Volume partly filled part of the bottle m3 77.41

Preliminary Storage Length (2nd

m 338.5
slope)

Total Storage Volume m3 1647.83

Required Length (2nd slope) m 338.5

Required Storage Length to achieve

m 372.5
Vsc

Fit With Plot Length (Y/N) - N

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Table of Result 2 (Calc. 3) (Cont’d)
Require Secondary Bottle (Y/N) - YES

Secondary Bottle Nos. - 8

Slug Catcher Width m 36.5

Volume in Collection Header (VLO +VH) m3 61.7

Preliminary Storage Length (2nd

m 157.4
slope)

Total Storage Volume m3 1647.83

Required Length (2nd slope) m 157.3

Required Storage Length to achieve

m 191.4
Vsc

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Table of Result 3 (Calc. 1 & 2) (Trial 2)
Bottle Section: Unit Trial 2

Bottle Diameter, Dbottle m 1.2

No. of Primary Bottles, npb - 8

Entrance Length: - -

Gas rate per bottle m3/s 0.4525

Area per bottle m2 1.015

Gas velocity per bottle m/s 0.45

L/D (Refer Fig. 5) - 2.0

Chosen L/D - 5.0

Separation Length m 6.0

Distance between gas risers m 2.7

Entrance length m 8.7

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Table of Result 3 (Calc. 3) (Trial 2)
Dual Slope: Unit Trial 2

Separation Section Slope ° 1.43

Storage Section Slope ° 0.57

Length of the steeper sloped m 45.5

Volume partly filled part of the bottle m3 184.57

Preliminary Storage Length (2nd

m 172.7
slope)

Total Storage Volume m3 1647.83

Required Length (2nd slope) m 172.7

Required Storage Length to achieve

m 218.1
Vsc

Fit With Plot Length (Y/N) - Y

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 Calculation 4
◼ Gas Riser Section
◼ Determine Gas Riser Diameter
λ = 0.2 m/s, ρL = 700.45 kg/m3, ρg = 62.71 kg/m 3, Qpipeline = 3.70 m 3/s.

Superficial gas velocity, v sg = λ √(ρL – ρg)/ρg

= 0.2 √(700.45 – 62.71) / 62.71
= 0.64 m/s

➢ No. of riser per bottle = 1 No.

vsg = 1.2Qpipeline
npb(Ar)
0.64 = 1.2 (3.70)
8 (Ar)
Ar = 0.8672 m2 =>> π Dr2 = 0.8672
4
Dr = √[0.8672(4)/ π] = 1.05079 m
Select Dr = 1.10 m (44 inches)

1.10 m (44”) of gas riser diameter is so huge if compared to acceptable max D (36”) to
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stub in the pipe diameter of 1.20 m (48”). Therefore, try to use 2 no of gas risers.
 Calculation 4 (Cont’d)
➢ No. of riser per bottle = 2 Nos,

vsg= 1.2Qpipeline
npb(Ar1 + Ar2)
0.64 = 1.2 (3.70)
8 (Ar1 + Ar2)
Ar1 + Ar2 = 0.8672 m2
π(Dr12 + Dr22) = 0.8672
4
Dr12 + Dr22 = 1.1042

If Dr1 > Dr2, assume Dr1 = 0.9 m (36”) :

(0.9)2 + Dr22 = 1.1042

Dr2 = √ 0.2942
= 0.5424 ~ 0.6 m (24”)

◼ Determine Gas Riser Height, H r

Hr = 5 (Dr), use Dr = Dr1 = 0.9 m

Thus, H r = 5 (0.9)
= 4.5 m
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 Liquid Level Diagram

Height
Gap Height Gap Volume Gap Time
Above
Require Calculat Requir Calculat Require Calculat
(BOP) Check
d ed ed ed d ed

(mm) (mm) (mm) (m3) (m3) (min) (min)

High High Level -

6635 - 2853 - 1614.2 - 337.5 -
LZA(HH)
High Level Alarm -
3782 180 2832 - 10.0 - 2.1 -
LA(H)
Normal Liquid Level
950 170 350 9.6 9.7 2.0 2.0 OK
(NLL)
Low Level Alarm -
600 100 350 9.6 9.7 2.0 2.0 OK
LA(L)
Low low level - LZA(LL) 250 250 250 - - - - -
Bottom of Pipe
0 - - - - - - -
(BOP)

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Liquid Level Diagram (Cont’d)

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Slug Catcher Sketch

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 CONTROL PHILOSOPHY
◼ Determined by the overall plant concept and overall plant control philosophy
◼ When processing a sphere generated slug, the primary liquid control is thus flow control, with the
objective of bringing the level down to the normal level.
◼ During normal operation (in the period in between the planned event of receiving the design liquid
slug), the level in the slug catcher can be raised.
◼ The liquid can then be kept on flow control (with set point of the average flow) and the level can be
allowed to fluctuate.
◼ This keeps the downstream liquid processing unit at steady conditions.

Selection of Level Instruments

◼ The differential pressure (dP) type of instrument is well proven and generally suited to the
harsh conditions in a slug catcher.
◼ Figure below shows a dP instrument hook-up used successfully on some slug catchers.

◼ The gas side impulse line is mounted on the bottle and allows continuous liquid drainage.
◼ The header tapping for the liquid / high pressure impulse line is located 45° from the header 39
lowest point, where sludge build up is less likely to affect the tapping.
 CONTROL PHILOSOPHY (Cont’d)
SOGT Slug Catcher Control Philosophy

◼ The level transmitters (LICA) on the Slug Catcher liquid outlet manifold will be fed to the FIC as
a cascade set point to control the FCV.

◼ The flow control will be chosen over the level control since the response from the level control
will be sluggish due to large volume in the Finger Slug Catcher. The output from the level
controllers will be used as cascade set points to the flow controllers.

◼ Liquid level in the Slug Catcher will be controlled by the Slug Catcher level controller and also
by liquid level in the Condensate Surge Drum.

◼ In the event of a large liquid slug, level will be allowed to build in the Slug Catcher to avoid
overload of the condensate stabilisation system. Therefore, in the event of high operating level
in the Surge Drum, a high level signal from the Surge Drum will override the level control of the
Slug Catcher.

◼ The output from the Condensate Surge Drum will be inversed and sent to a low selector which
will compare the signal from the flow control and Condensate Surge Drum Level Control
(Inverse). During normal operation, the output from the flow controller will be selected which
will modulate the FCV.

◼ High level in the Condensate Surge Drum will reduce the output from the Condensate Surge
Drum Level Control (Inverse) so as to enable it to be selected by the Low Selector which will
close the Slug Catcher Flow Control Valve, FCV.

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 SAFETY
◼ Design Considerations:-

✓ Location of slug catcher within a facility

◼ Location of slug catcher within a facility in terms of jet fire related threats that the slugcatcher may
pose to the adjacent facilities and vice versa. Jet fire impingement on adjacent facilities should
either not be able to occur or not occur for long enough to lead to rupture.

✓ Overpressure protection
◼ Overpressure protection (including consideration of process unit interfaces and incoming pipeline
packing expectations), isolation, and blowdown rate.

✓ Active and Passive fire protection

◼ Consideration could be given to remotely operated, manually activated, water monitors. Passive fire
protection could be considered, but only where jet fire impingement could credibly occur.

✓ Segregated catchment and fire safe drainage systems

◼ To prevent escaping liquids being able to form pool fires under the slugcatcher (assuming that
released fluids are capable of forming flammable pools – this should be determined as part of the
hazard assessment).

✓ Burial of slug catcher

◼ Attractive way to reduce risk of leaks, fire and escalation, burial makes inspection of the
slugcatcher difficult and hence they shall not be buried unless approved by the Principal.

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