Product Flow Model
Overview
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Flow Component Hierarchy
• Model – Collection of networks.
– Network – Collection of connected units.
• Unit – Black box with ports.
– Port – Allows flow in or out.
» Node – Allows ports to connect.
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Product Flow Model
• Defines the flow behavior of something (normally
larger installations).
• Collection of networks.
– The model is represented by one network.
– The other networks represent smaller things within
the model.
• External ports.
– Allows models to connect.
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Product Flow Network
• Represents the internal behavior of the model or
a unit in another network.
• Collection of connected units.
• Ports expose internal nodes.
Network
Unit
Port
Node
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Product Flow Unit
• A black box with ports but internal network
allows drill-down for more details.
• A unit can represent:
– A complex thing like a platform or separator.
– A simple thing like a valve or choke.
• Contextual knowledge (i.e., what does this unit
represent).
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Product Flow Port
• Expected direction (inlet or outlet).
• Connects to one Node
– Represent a one-to-one connection.
• Expected Product Flow (for validation).
– For example, oil production or gas injection.
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Node
• All ports that are connected to the same
node are connected to each other.
Unit
asserts a
connection
Port
Node
• For an actual flow diagram the graphics may
ignore the node.
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Flow Assumptions
• Steady state fluid flow across nodes and ports.
That is, pressure is constant across internally
and externally connected ports and nodes.
• Conservation of mass across a node or port.
• Pressure can vary internally between ports on a
unit.
• Connections between models should be one-toone so that mass balance concerns are internal
to each model.
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Internal Network of a Unit
• Corresponding ports have the same name (i.e., they
are logically the same port).
• There is no pressure change across ports or nodes.
Thus, there is no pressure change between ports A2
and C1.
B1
A
A2
B
B2
B3
B Internal Network
B1
C1
C
B2
B3
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Direction
• The direction is the intended direction of flow.
• A change in pressure across a unit can change
the actual flow direction at a port.
• In the Product Volume Report:
– A positive volume represents an intended direction
(i.e., a flow out of an outlet port or into an inlet port).
– A negative volume represents an unintended
direction (i.e., a flow into an outlet port and out of an
inlet port).
B3
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Expected Product Flow
• Pairs of product kind and flow kind where:
– Product = oil, gas, condensate, aqueous, oleic,
vapor, water, carbon dioxide gas, etc.
– Flow = production, injection, consume, import,
export, gas lift, overboard, etc.
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Properties
• The Product Flow Model only defines
connectivity (i.e., how things could flow).
• The Product Volume Report can define:
–
–
–
–
–
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A period of time (e.g., day, month, YTD, etc).
A type of flow (e.g., production, injection, etc).
A type of product (e.g., oil, aqueous, gas, etc).
A volume and other fluid properties at a port.
A pressure difference across a unit.
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Summary
• Flow behavior defined by Network, Unit, Port
and Node (connection).
• Unit can represent anything (big or small).
• Steady state fluid flow across ports/nodes
• Conservation of mass across ports/nodes.
• Properties are assigned by the Product Volume
Report.
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