We are excited to announce the release of ALFAsim 2024.3, featuring new, innovative plugins for flow assurance. This version includes plugins for corrosion, inorganic scaling, and wax deposition, all designed to enhance simulation accuracy and management of flow assurance risks. 

The Flow Assurance plugins and the Risk/Cost Assessment feature empower ALFAsim 2024.3 users to address flow assurance challenges significantly improving both operational efficiency and financial outcomes.

The Corrosion Plugin, integrated with the Reaktoro geochemical simulator, calculates pH to determine corrosion rates. The inorganic scaling plugin also uses Reaktoro to obtain chemical equilibrium inputs, allowing the calculation of scaling growth velocity and wall deposition. Additionally, the Wax Plugin can consider non-Newtonian viscosity models to more accurately calculate thickness, formation, deposition, and removal.

A standout feature of ALFAsim 2024.3 is the Risk/Cost Assessment module built within the Uncertainty Quantification framework. This feature helps evaluate and manage flow assurance risks and their financial impact. By integrating with Sensitivity Analysis, History Matching, and Uncertainty Analysis, the Risk/Cost Assessment provides valuable insights into risk probabilities and severity, supporting more informed decision-making.

Major highlights of ALFAsim version 2024.3

Inorganic Scaling Plugin

• Couples with Reaktoro to calculate chemical equilibrium based on thermohydraulic and water composition.
• Calculates mass transfer coefficients based on mixture properties.
• Solves diffusion of CaCO3 in radial direction.
• Calculates scaling growth velocity.
• Calculates deposited layer thickness.

Interface of the inorganic scaling plugin and the inputs required for its configuration.

Results of the scaling growth velocity in a generic case model along the pipeline.

Wax Plugin

• Considers wax formation, deposition, and removal (nucleation and growth kernels of wax crystals, agglomeration and breakage models, wall deposition, shear removal).
• Takes into account the effect of solid wax particles on flow through effective viscosity models.
• Can model viscosity as a non-Newtonian fluid of the Bingham plastic type.

Interface of the wax plugin and the inputs required for its configuration.

Results of the wax density, wax thickness, absolute pressure and mixture temperature in a generic case model along the pipeline.

Corrosion Plugin

• Couples with Reaktoro to calculate ionic interactions.
• For plugin configuration, three standard compositions of low, medium, and high salinity are available.

Interface of the corrosion plugin and the inputs required for its configuration.

Results of the corrosion rate in a generic case model using different models along the wellbore and flowline+riser.

Risk/Cost Assessment

• Users define the Impact Scale, Probability Levels, Risk Levels, Events, and Costs.
• Risk analysis incorporates the uncertainties, where risks are weighted based on severity levels.

Impact and risk graphs resulting from a generic model analysis.

Improvements

• Simulation status: Failed simulations are now identified in the status bar by the red color.
• Fluid thermal convection model: New convection term in radial thermal models are available, Homan, 1981 and Fuzong Zhou, 2013.

We are committed to providing the best possible experience for our users, and your feedback is fundamental in helping us achieve that goal. If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvements, contact our experts today.