Recently, precise pipeline network modeling, simulation, and production planning have become critical factors for successful dispatching in the oil and gas transportation industry. Simulation technology has significantly progressed, demonstrating advancements in accuracy and reliability. Individual pipeline components are now simulated with different industrial software packages that provide satisfactory results. Challenges arise when a project requires simulating an entire network, especially when this network contains looping, interconnections, and circular routes. The most significant simulation challenge is determining flow direction and dynamically simulating flow reversing within pipeline segments. System complexity creates difficulties predicting the system’s reaction to a regime change. A single change in one of the inputs initiates changes throughout the whole system and can reverse flow in pipeline looping and interconnections. This paper introduces a proposed simulation method to be used in such situations to calculate system dynamics and to model transient behavior of reversing flow.
With the enhancement of computer processing power simulation has become easier to solve complex solutions. When trying to simulate a complex network that contains loops interconnections, and circular routes it is difficult to understand which way the flow is going. When flow reverses itself in a pipeline network the company loses time and energy to deliver a product. This paper discusses how flow can reverse itself in a network and the amount of travel time a fluid takes to get from one point to end consumption. When the algorithms for flow reversal and travel time are implemented, the paper will talk about a case study where it’s happening and discuss the results found when applied to a live transportation network.
