Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1

Overview.................................................................................................................... 1

Design and Analysis .................................................................................................. 1

The Essentials ............................................................................................................... 2

Pipeline and equipment ............................................................................................. 2

Control systems ......................................................................................................... 2

Thermal simulation..................................................................................................... 3

Some natural gas specifics ........................................................................................ 3 Equation of state................................................................................................... 3 Composition tracking ............................................................................................ 3 Compressor maps ................................................................................................ 4

Some liquid specifics ................................................................................................. 4 Equations of state................................................................................................. 4 Batch tracking....................................................................................................... 4 Slack flow conditions ............................................................................................ 5 More thermal capability ........................................................................................ 5 Drag reducing agents ........................................................................................... 5

The Application Development Language .................................................................... 6

Introduction ................................................................................................................ 6

User-defined applications .......................................................................................... 6

PLC control logic simulation....................................................................................... 6

Alarm definitions ........................................................................................................ 7

Timetables and schedules ......................................................................................... 8

Running a Simulation ................................................................................................... 9

Introduction ................................................................................................................ 9

Time plots .................................................................................................................. 9

Distance plots ............................................................................................................ 9

Show Windows ........................................................................................................ 10

Reports .................................................................................................................... 10

Why Choose Advantica? ............................................................................................ 11

The SPS family ........................................................................................................ 11

Solution support ....................................................................................................... 11 Comprehensive documentation .......................................................................... 11

Technical support ............................................................................................... 12 Installation training.............................................................................................. 12 Standard software training.................................................................................. 12 Users group meetings ........................................................................................ 12 Software updates................................................................................................ 12

About Advantica....................................................................................................... 13 Mission statement............................................................................................... 13 Advantica............................................................................................................ 13 Contact information ............................................................................................ 13

All brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Copyright © 2003 Advantica, Inc. (USA only), Advantica Ltd. (Outside USA). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Advantica. Advantica believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. All information is subject to change without prior notice and is subject to applicable technical documentation. Advantica is not responsible for inadvertent errors.

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Introduction Overview The Stoner Pipeline Simulator (SPS)/Simulator is an advanced transient hydraulic simulation application that simulates dynamic flow of natural gas or (batched) liquids through a pipeline network. SPS/Simulator can simulate any existing or proposed pipeline configuration and can predict the outcome of various control strategies both for normal operating scenarios and for abnormal conditions such as pipe rupture, equipment failure or other upset conditions. SPS/Simulator calculates equipment performance and pipeline variables such as flow, pressure, density and temperature throughout the pipeline network. Equipment and pipeline parameters are displayed interactively on your screen as the simulation progresses, either in tabular reports or graphically, over time or distance. Following the simulation, your results are available for printing and/or plotting.

SPS/Simulator is the "hydraulic engine" of a complete solution family. The SPS family includes a broad spectrum of interoperable simulation solutions from the planning desktop through operator training and qualification, and into online systems including leak detection and predictive simulation. Using new technologies and innovative architectures, the SPS family can be deployed to meet the needs of engineering and operations and to help improve your bottom line through real-time decision support.

Design and Analysis The SPS/Simulator has been used by most of the internationally recognized Engineering and Construction companies for pipeline design and analysis. Of course, SPS/Simulator is also in daily use in the engineering and planning divisions of operating companies around the world, some of which have adopted SPS as a "standard" for pipeline analysis.

SPS/Simulator can be used to solve almost any design or operational challenge involving the transient behavior of fluids, control systems and fluid handling devices for natural gas, dense phase gas or liquid hydrocarbon pipeline transportation systems. With SPS/Simulator you can:

• Analyze start-up and shutdown procedures • Analyze operational stability • Analyze pump/compressor operating schedules • Study economics of various designs and operational strategies • Analyze surge conditions and design relief systems • Design cascade control systems • Study survival time for gas delivery systems • Analyze system response to potential upset conditions and evaluate corrective strategies • Study the effects of batching, side stream delivery or supply blending • Study temperature rise in re-circulation systems, cooling or heating of products due to a transient

interchange of heat with the pipeline surroundings • Study thermal effects in gases, especially non ideal gases, such as Joule-Thompson cooling, decompression

cooling and inter-stage cooling required with polytropic compressors • Design minimum flow bypass controls to prevent surge conditions in polytropic compressors • Study the effects of pipe rupture, blow down cooling in gas pipelines to assess pipe steel brittleness, effect

of pipe wrap and thermal environment in pipe burial on blow down rate

SPS has been used for analysis of pipelines around the globe.

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The Essentials Pipeline and equipment To simulate pipeline operations, a model is constructed that describes the pipeline system, field equipment and the inter-connection of these elements. The model includes definitions of pipeline network elements such as pipes, station header pipes, compressors/pumps and a wide selection of different types of valves.

The field pipeline is represented in the model as a collection of interconnected pipes. Each individual pipe reach is defined with its length, diameter, roughness, elevation profile and so forth, as well as its connectivity to the other model components. Profiles of maximum allowable and lowest allowable operating pressures (MAOP/LAOP) may be specified along the pipeline and alarms generated based on violations of these limits during your simulation run.

The pipeline valves are defined from a selection of valve types including block, check, control and relief valves. Valve definitions include the Cv values for the open and closed positions, the stem travel time and optional curves of Cv against position for the opening and closing actions of the valves.

Industry-specific elements are available for compressor or pump modeling. In gas systems, you can select from a number of compressors, from simple horsepower versus flow definitions to detailed models of reciprocating and gas turbine driven centrifugal units and even variable guide vane compressor units. For liquid systems, detailed pump specifications may be entered that include associated valving, or valves may be defined separately in greater detail. You include performance curves for rotating equipment to whatever level of detail you require for your analysis.

Control systems For rapid modeling of pressure control valves and regulators, you can use our idealized regulator element. This is an easy way to apply control to your system's hydraulics. You can use this element to impose upstream pressure control, downstream pressure control or flow control. The software determines the dominating control from those you have defined and adjusts regulator performance accordingly.

To enhance the accuracy of the simulation, you can define detailed control systems for metering stations, compressor/pump stations and individual compressors or pumps. Since the operation of these control systems can introduce transients into the fluid (e.g., as controllers are "hunting" for their set point), high fidelity models of the control systems are often very important, particularly for training systems in which accuracy of simulation is an important criterion for user acceptance.

The adjacent diagram is an output from a running simulation of an oil pipeline. It is a time plot showing simulation variables (in this case two pressures) on the vertical axis against time on the horizontal axis. The step function of the discharge pressure set point changes from 970 psig to 750 psig. In the simulation, the PID controller senses this change and sends a signal to the actuator-controlled station discharge valve to close. As the valve closes, the discharge pressure drops, but the control system causes the pressure to undershoot the set point. The controller senses this and allows the valve to open slightly, until the target set point is attained. Only in a detailed controls model is this real-world effect faithfully replicated in the simulation.

Time Plot Showing a Set Point Change and the Control System Response

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In all members of the SPS family, the components that make up the control system can be selected from a number of devices, including sensors (pressure, volumetric flow, mass flow, density/specific gravity, cumulative flow, temperature, unit speed, etc.), hi/low select relays, switches, actuator/positioners and PID controllers. The definitions of PID controllers include the parameters associated with field devices, such as normalization constants, bias, gain and so forth. During a running simulation, the controller can be tuned by interactively adjusting these parameters.

Thermal simulation When building the model, you select the level of detail of thermal simulation. The simplest level of detail is the isothermal simulation where you can define the fluid temperature profile throughout the pipeline network. This temperature profile is held constant over the course of the simulation. If you need a greater level of thermal detail, you can select the "transient thermal" mode. In this mode, the radial conduction of heat is considered across up to four layers of different materials surrounding the pipeline. In this transient thermal simulation mode, each layer's resistance to heat flow and each layer's heat capacity are considered.

You might need this capability for simulating heated oil pipelines, or perhaps for studying line pack changes in a sub-sea natural gas pipeline. In environments where the ground temperature fluctuates dramatically as the seasons change, this effect can be incorporated into the simulation by defining the ground temperature as a function of time and imposing this on the temperature used by the simulation.

Some natural gas specifics

Equation of state You define the fluid properties to be used in your simulation by selecting the equation of state (EOS). You can choose from four equations of state:

• The Gas EOS is used when you have a single fluid in your simulation. It is a Peng-Robinson equation of state based upon the law of corresponding states.

• The CNGA (California Natural Gas Association) EOS works well for the range of pressures and temperatures typical for gas transmission systems.

• The BWRS EOS allows the tracking of individual gas components. It is based upon the Starling modification to the Benedict-Webb-Rubin formulation.

• The AGA-8 EOS (also known as SGERG) allows tracking of non-hydraulic properties, such as gas ownership or price. As gas streams mix in the simulation, these properties are mixed on a volumetric basis.

Composition tracking In simulations involving different gas compositions, the composition of the gas is tracked throughout the network. As fluid streams meet (such as at "Y" junctions), the fluid properties are mixed in the simulation. The concentration of individual components at specific model locations can be ascertained.

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Compressor maps In addition to the interactive monitoring capabilities described later, you can monitor the performance of individual centrifugal compressor units with the compressor map display. As part of the input data, the head, flow and efficiency curves would be specified for various speeds of the unit. SPS curve-fits this data for the simulation, and the compressor map display shows the results graphically. You can switch a display of the original coordinate data you entered on and off (this is very useful as a data verification tool).

As the simulation progresses, you monitor the current operating point (COP) of the unit. As operating conditions vary, the display leaves a snake trail of where the unit has been operating over the past hour.

Some liquid specifics

Equations of state There are three liquid equations of state from which you can choose:

• The Isothermal Liquid EOS is used when you have a single fluid in your simulation and when temperature effects are not important.

• The Thermal EOS by Regression permits you to enter tables (typically from laboratory data) of density and viscosity as a function of pressure and temperature, so you can perform single fluid simulations that account for temperature effects.

• The Slightly Compressible Liquid EOS is our most commonly used EOS. Here, you can define the properties of any number of fluids to be used in your simulation. These definitions can include fluids that exhibit non-Newtonian Bingham plastic flow, in which you define the limiting shear stress that the plastic can support at zero shear rate as an affine function of pressure and temperature.

Batch tracking In multi-fluid simulations, batches of different fluids are tracked through the modeled network. As fluid streams meet (such as at "Y" junctions), the fluid properties are blended in the simulation. The concentration of individual fluid components, the density of the fluid, and so forth can be determined at your selected locations by using a "sensor" device. Batch interface arrival times are maintained with each pipe definition, as is the fluid name of the approaching batch. You can generate warnings to signal the proximity of a batch interface to locations of your choice.

Compressor Performance Map

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Batch movement can be viewed interactively as the simulation progresses. You can use the distance plot menu to display (or hide) a dynamic batch bar. You assign each fluid a name and a color for display, and these are used on any batch bar displayed beneath a distance plot. As the simulation progresses, you can watch the batches move along the pipeline.

The batch bar located beneath the distance plot in the diagram above shows five different crude oils in this pipeline reach. Batches can be assigned political labels (in the diagram above they're simply batch numbers) and the batch tracking function can be controlled to treat political interfaces in the same manner as a fluid interface.

Slack flow conditions Slack flow occurs when the pressure in the pipeline is at the fluid vapor pressure, which naturally varies with the local fluid temperature. This condition generally exists under low flow where the pipeline undergoes a severe elevation change, such as at the peak of a hill or mountain. In the slack section, the vapor is static at the bubble point of the liquid, and liquid drains down the side of the pipe in channel flow at constant pressure. The fraction of pipe filled with liquid depends on the flow rate, the density and the viscosity of the liquid, and the gel strength if the liquid is non-ideal.

The distance plot above shows the slack flow condition at about milepost 110, indicating that the vapor cavity is occupying about 30% of the pipe volume (the right-hand vertical axis is showing the "Filled Fraction"). As the simulation progresses, you can watch for the formation and collapse of slack sections, as shown above.

More thermal capability The general capability to simulate conductive heat transfer between various layers is described above. However, for very detailed thermal modeling, you can account for the local internal convection film coefficient. This coefficient governs the heat transfer between the flowing fluid and the pipe wall, and is a function of the local flow regime within the pipe (laminar, transitional or fully turbulent). This capability can be very important when you are simulating thermal effects through pipeline start-up and shut-in scenarios, particularly when you are simulating non-Newtonian crude oils.

Drag reducing agents You can define the performance of your drag reducing agent (flow improvers) by defining a curve of drag reduction as a function of flow improver concentration for each of your modeled fluids so the actual effects of fluid flow will vary with the mainline batch. The flow improver is broken down as it passes through pumps and regulators.

Distance Plot Showing Batch Bars Beneath the Line Profile

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The Application Development Language Introduction All members of the SPS family, including SPS/Simulator, incorporate our powerful Application Development Language (ADL). Using the ADL, you can define new variables, functions and complete simulation applications that are maintained within the simulation environment. This capability is available without any changes to the underlying simulation software. In addition, you can:

• Simulate the control logic commonly programmed into PLCs • Set up timed schedules of events • Define alarm conditions • Invoke operating system commands to trigger external application programs in parallel with the hydraulic

simulation

The ADL provides unparalleled flexibility in the pipeline simulation industry to customize simulation applications without the need for any new software. Through the powerful capabilities of the ADL, we are able to maintain one suite of general-purpose simulation software for off-line analysis, pipeline operator training, on-line state estimation, predictive analysis and leak detection for both natural gas and liquid pipeline simulation. This software is maintained with very strict quality controls. The general purpose SPS software allows you to simulate your specific pipeline, while the ADL allows you to create your own specific applications, all without the need for software modification or expert help from Advantica. Furthermore, as your business environment changes, you can adapt these applications without needing custom software enhancements.

User-defined applications The most important data available from a simulation is typically pipeline pressures, flows, unit status and so forth. However, this hydraulic and equipment data is not the limit of the information that can be maintained in the simulation environment. Using the ADL, you can define associated variables and equations that combine any of the implicit variables associated with each of the model devices, and any explicitly defined associated variables. This enables you to create your own application environment. Some examples:

• In one case, a client used the ADL to create custom model devices to simulate the behavior of natural gas liquid extraction plants. In this example, gas shrinkage is calculated (and the resultant lower volumes re-injected back into the network) and the liquid production volumes are combined with present-day prices from a third-party application.

• In another case, the ADL is used to simulate the sequencing of variable speed pumps at a pump station with multiple units. Logic is implemented to start the first unit on variable speed control. Whenever a second pump is started, the first pump is automatically changed to operate at a fixed 100% of rated speed, and the second unit starts on variable speed control. This is extended to the starting of additional pumps at the station. Similar logic is implemented for stopping units in the reverse order of their startup.

PLC control logic simulation The actual operations necessary to start a pump or compressor unit might include:

• Open suction valve • Close discharge valve • Wait for valve statuses to indicate fully open/closed • Start the unit • Open discharge valve

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Clearly, it would not be convenient for you to issue all these commands each time a unit should be started or stopped. To simplify such operations while retaining the benefits of the more detailed model definition, a model construct, known as a sequence definition, is created. This instructs the simulation to execute a series of operations in response to a single command, similar to the sequence of operations that might be executed in the real world by logic programmed into PLCs. In the previous example, there would likely be additional logic present to ensure that the unit was not locked out from operation, so your sequence definition might look something like:

DEFINE.SEQUENCE START_UNIT IF unit is NOT locked out AND unit status is NOT RUNNING AND unit status is NOT STARTING THEN OPEN suction valve CLOSE discharge valve WAIT FOR suction valve status OPEN WAIT FOR discharge valve CLOSED START unit OPEN discharge valve WAIT FOR discharge valve OPEN

The execution of a control sequence can be triggered interactively or by the transgression of an operational constraint. When a control sequence request is received, the control logic simulation module triggers the sequence definition, which issues commands to the model devices and monitors their ensuing state in parallel to other events occurring in the simulation.

In addition to these sequence definitions, conditional simulation control commands can be set up to replicate the automatic monitoring and control functions commonly programmed into PLCs, such as a high discharge pressure trip.

WHENEVER unit discharge pressure > high limit AND unit status is RUNNING THEN STOP unit

As the simulation progresses, this condition is continually monitored. When the condition is detected, the defined action is invoked automatically (in this case the unit is stopped).

Alarm definitions It would not be possible for you to monitor all potential abnormal conditions during an entire simulation. For example, you might be focused on the operation of a specific station while an MAOP transgression is occurring downstream of a different station. To facilitate automatic warnings, you can define alarm conditionals to signal such events. The simulation software continuously monitors these alarm conditionals in the same way as the control conditionals.

For any specific condition, you can define an alarm message to signal its onset, a repeat message to be generated periodically while the condition persists and a termination message to be generated when the condition subsides.

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Timetables and schedules Periodic actions can also be defined. You might want to reset cumulative volumes at a specific time of the simulation day, schedule a set point change or define batch schedules, capture your simulation state for later use or simply generate a report. The ADL provides tools to schedule any action automatically, based on the simulation time or the value of a variable in the simulation environment.

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Running a Simulation Introduction SPS/Simulator and the other family members offer a number of native display capabilities. You can view graphical trends of simulation variables over time (time plots) or along your pipeline (distance plots). You can monitor and control individual simulation devices using our built-in Show screens or multiple devices using our tabular reports. You create your own reports, time plots and distance plots through a simple, fill-in-the-blank menu system. These definitions can be saved by name and later recalled simply by requesting the name. Up to eight variables may be traced simultaneously on a single time or distance plot, with each variable being assigned its own color, line type and axis. You can also specify the plot titles and adjust all axis annotations to suit your personal preferences.

Time plots On a time plot, you can select any implicit variable associated with any device for display, and additionally any explicit associated variables you have defined in the ADL. By default, the time plot will trace the variable's history from the start of the simulation, but you also may define a sliding time window showing, for example, the last two hours of data.

You can also specify how you want the horizontal (time) axis annotated, selecting from clock time or units of days, hours, minutes or seconds.

Distance plots You select the variables traced on each distance plot from a selection of more than 40 standard variables, including pressure, head, flow, density, elevation, MAOP, velocity, gas composition, DRA concentration and more. Distance plots also take the definition of the start and end nodes for positioning along the horizontal axis. The shortest path between these nodes is automatically selected, but if you have parallel lines, for example, you can explicitly define the pipeline path from the start node to the end node.

Time Plot of Pressure Fluctuations with a Diurnal System Load on a Gas Network

Distance Plot Showing Line Profiles of Pressure, Flow and Elevation on a Batched Crude Line

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Show Windows

Show windows display attributes of a specific modeling construct or device. You can access Show windows by selecting a specific device from a variety of possible sources, such as the toolbar or from a report. Each attribute has an associated icon that indicates if the variable can be interactively updated or traced on a time plot. Information regarding each of the variables associated with the device displays in resizable columns.

Simple mouse clicks allow you to set variables and access the time plot function. For simplicity, you can shorten the displayed list to the most common features. In addition, you can freeze the current values while the simulation progresses. Several control buttons provide powerful facilities for browsing through your model by device type and connectivity.

Reports SPS reports are built by selecting from pull-down lists and filling in the blanks in dialog box panels. After defining a report, it can be accessed through the menu.

Each device in the report has an associated icon. Other columns display the variables you chose. The report can be frozen or set to update dynamically as the simulation progresses simply by toggling the auto-refresh selector. The width of individual columns can be resized by dragging the column separator in the column header. The report can be sorted by selecting up to three sort criteria. Double-click on a variable to change variables or request a Quick-Plot of the variable against time. Double-click on the device name, and a Show window for that device appears. You can copy the report into the Clipboard for use in a spreadsheet or word processing program.

A Show Window

A Report Window

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Why Choose Advantica? The SPS family The SPS/Simulator powers an entire family of interoperable simulation solutions for the natural gas and liquid hydrocarbon pipeline industries:

• The SPS/Simulator supports engineers tasked with design and analysis of pipeline networks.

• Our solution for pipeline operator training systems is keyed on the SPS/Trainer.

• Real-time state estimation (real-time modeling) of pipeline networks, fed by live SCADA data, is the purpose of our SPS/Statefinder.

• SPS/Statefinder can be upgraded to SPS/Leakfinder to perform computational pipeline monitoring (leak detection).

• The SPS/Predictor performs look-ahead "what-if?" analysis of future pipeline operations.

Advantica has also developed non-simulation applications that interoperate with our simulation solutions: • Stoner OQ lets you manage your training and qualification program using SPS/Trainer as the vehicle for

the training and test sessions; • Schematic allows you to create operations-style screens for your training or on-line simulation installation; • Publisher brings together information from on-line simulation and other sources to render charts and

reports for posting throughout your enterprise.

Information on any of these solutions is available by contacting Advantica through the channels that follow.

Solution support As the world leader in the simulation of both natural gas and liquid hydrocarbon pipeline networks, Advantica is uniquely positioned to help you meet your pipeline simulation needs, from the engineer's desktop, through the control room, and outward throughout your enterprise. Not only do we deliver world-class simulation solutions, we also have a professional engineering staff to help you maintain your installed system.

As a licensee, you automatically receive one year of our Maintenance and Support (M&S) program. After the first year, subscription to the program is discretionary. Services included in the program include comprehensive documentation, technical support, professional training, user group meetings, and software updates and enhancements.

Comprehensive documentation You will receive a comprehensive set of Online Help and Technical Reference documents with SPS, along with the Getting Started with SPS booklet to help you install and launch the application. The Online Help gives you navigation or "how to" instructions, while the online Technical Reference provides explanations of the theory, methods, and equations used in SPS.

SPS/Simulator

SPS/Trainer

SPS/Predictor

SPS/StatefinderSPS/Leakfinder SPS/Simulator

SPS/Trainer

SPS/Predictor

SPS/StatefinderSPS/Leakfinder

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Technical support Licensed users of SPS benefit from Advantica's comprehensive support commitment. Our dedicated Client Services team provides support coverage during normal business hours from our office in Houston, TX. The team is comprised primarily of experienced technical professionals that fully understand the application needs and have an in-depth knowledge of SPS.

Installation training At a mutually agreeable time soon after the software is delivered, one of our client services engineers will deliver a training course to your engineers on the capabilities and usage of the software. Our instructor will consult with your designated contact to assure course content appropriateness. A fee may be associated with this training.

Standard software training Each year, as long as your M&S subscription is current, you will be entitled to send your engineers to one of our regularly scheduled SPS training courses. Most of these courses are held at our Houston office. A course schedule is maintained for viewing at www.advantica.biz.

Users group meetings TEAM (Together Envisioning Advancements in Modeling) meetings are annual user group conferences designed to help you obtain the most out of your Advantica product. The 2001 meeting venues were in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the US, Perth in Australia, and Dublin, Ireland in Europe. These forums provide a useful opportunity for you to:

• Meet with other users to share modeling ideas and experiences • Improve your modeling insights and skills • Meet with Advantica executives, software developers, and engineers • Receive updates on existing product enhancements and service activities • Provide us with input on future product enhancements and services

Software updates Software updates that correct known defects, and software enhancements that add new functions are provided as they are commercially released to all licensees that are current on their M&S subscription.

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About Advantica

Mission statement To provide advanced technical software and services for the energy and utility industries, and to provide unsurpassed customer service for our software.

Advantica • Is a premier provider of advanced technology and systems solutions for high performance energy and

utility companies worldwide. Advantica is the number one choice of energy and water delivery companies for network management solutions around the world.

• Has offices in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (USA); Houston, Texas (USA); Charlotte, North Carolina (USA); Grenoble, France; Sydney, Australia; and Loughborough, England. Technically qualified authorized representatives are also available to assist our customers in many parts of the world.

• Provides all the services necessary for our clients to successfully implement an advanced simulation system and use it in a productive, beneficial manner.

• Has over 550 key industry organizations licensed to use our products in over 49 countries around the world.

Contact information 5177 Richmond Ave., Suite 900 Houston, TX 77056 USA ℡ +1 713 626 1600

+1 713 622 7832 info.us@advantica.biz www.advantica.biz

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