PIPESIM* production system analysis software

Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1

Which Version Should I Install?

PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

Copyright 2015 Schlumberger. All rights reserved.

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Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 4
New Features .......................................................................................................... 5
Choosing a Version .................................................................................................. 6
PIPESIM 2012.3 vs. PIPESIM 2015.1 Feature Parity Tables .......................................... 7

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PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

Introduction
PIPESIM 2015 is the third release of the 3rd Generation User Interface for PIPESIM. The PIPESIM Engine was
first released in 1984 and relied on Keyword input files created with a text editor. The first generation 16-bit
Graphical User interface (GUI) was introduced in 1993. This was subsequently replaced with the second
generation 32-bit GUI, introduced in 2001 with annual updates. The third generation GUI, introduced with
PIPESIM 2013, is 64-bit and is based on the latest software technology from Microsoft.
When you install PIPESIM, you will be presented with 3 PIPESIM versions to choose from:

PIPESIM 2012.3 (32-bit)

PIPESIM 2012.3 Engine (64-bit)
PIPESIM 2015.1 (64-bit)

It is important to note that the PIPESIM engine remains a separate executable. This allows the PIPESIM
engine to also run on the Linux operating system and be embedded in other applications such as Petrel Well
Deliverability. The 64-bit engine is intended to be used only for running PIPESIM inside Avocet IAM and
wish to use this option.
The PIPESIM engine executable is the same for the 2012.3/2015.1 versions of PIPESIM and therefore should
give consistent results when checking models converted from 2012.3 to 2015.1.
PIPESIM 2012.3 will be the last major release of the second-generation user interface.

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New Features
PIPESIM 2012.3 (32-bit)
New features include:

Rod Pump Simulation: Ability to specify stroke length, frequency and plunger diameter
Improvements to pigging calculations including reporting of transit and dumping times
Improvements to network license performance
Improvement to MPI distribution used for parallel processing
Various bug fixes

PIPESIM 2015.1 (64-bit)

PIPESIM 2015.1 builds on the next-generation user interface introduced with PIPESIM 2014. The
development focus has targeted functionality currently available with PIPESIM 2012, with notable
enhancements to functionality. Additionally, several new features have been included:

Gas Lift Design

Gas Lift Diagnostics
Data Matching with improvements including import of LAS files from Production Logs
OneSubsea Multiphase Booster
Perforation Design (phase one of SPAN replacement)
Advanced (Newton) Network Solver as alternative to existing method
Improvements to pigging calculations including reporting of transit and dumping times
Improvements to network license performance
Improvement to MPI distribution used for parallel processing
Various minor enhancements, bug fixes & documentation improvements

A more complete list of new features and fixes is included in the release notes.

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PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

Choosing a Version
While all versions may be installed and can coexist without conflict and can be run using the same license, it
is important to be aware of certain features that only available in one of these versions or are implemented
differently.
Once a file has been created in PIPESIM 2015, it cannot be read by PIPESIM 2014 or earlier versions.
PIPESIM 2013-2015 model files have the extension .pips. PIPESIM 2012.3 and previous versions have .bps
(single-branch) and .bpn (network model) extensions.
PIPESIM 2015.1 will read PIPESIM 2012.3 (and earlier) files and files created by previous versions of PIPESIM
but will remove the data for features that are not currently supported, which are detailed in the Feature
Parity tables at the end of this guide.
For users requiring the following key areas of functionality, it is recommended to use PIPESIM 2012.3, rather
than upgrading to PIPESIM 2015.1:

OpenLink
Integration with the following applications (Avocet, Avocet IAM, Avocet WFM, HYSYS, UniSim)
Rod Pump Design and Diagnostics (note, PIPESIM 2015 supports Rod Pump simulation, but not
design and diagnostics)
Well Optimizer (Gas Lift and ESP Optimization)
Network models using folders (sub flowsheets)
Wax Deposition
Localization (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Russian Language settings in the GUI).

A more complete list of feature parity is provided in the tables in the following section.

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PIPESIM 2012.3 vs. PIPESIM 2015.1 Feature Parity Tables

General

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Custom Units

Import Model from previous generation UI

Flowline Manager

Fluid Manager

Flow Correlation Branch Control

y (plus summary tables)

Heat transfer method Branch Control

y (plus summary tables)

Advanced Simulation Options

Global/Branch/Object

Global/Object

by field

by field & validation

pane

Context sensitive help (F1 key)

Local language support

License status indicator

Input pane

Message center

Demo videos

Separate Well/Network centric modeling

environments

keyword only

listed in UI with
templates

Profile Plots

System Plots

Configuration of multiple y-axis

Detailed spot reports including phase splits and flow

regime maps

Engine keyword support

Data entry Validation

Reporting
Configurable output variables

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PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

Branch/Node result tables

Row details for equipment results

Tabular view of profile results

Summary and Detailed engine output reports

Study concept (result archive)

User Flow correlations

y - registration via
config file

y - GUI plug-in manager

User Equipment module

y - registration via
config file

y - GUI plug-in manager

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Extensibility

Controllable though external application (eg.

Openlink, IAM etc.)

Fluid Modeling
Black Oil
Latest industry standard fluid property correlations

Single point matching

Multipoint matching

Fluid property plots

Emulsion options

Ability to override phase ratios at the source level

Gas phase contaminants

Fluid Templates

MFL files only

E300 Package

DBR package

retired (replaced by
E300)

Compositional
Multiflash Package
Multiflash CSMA EOS

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GERG package

REFPROP package

retired (replaced by
GERG)

Hydrate prediction (Multiflash)

Wax prediction (Multiflash)

Asphaltene prediction (Multiflash)

Matching for GOR

Emulsion options

limited

advanced

PT Flashing

Phase envelopes

Quality lines

Salinity Analysis (Multiflash)

MFL files

list view

tabular view

keyword support

keyword support

linked

imported

User defined BIP's

Steam
ASTEM97 steam tables
PVT files
PVT files (including ScaleChem support)

Flow Correlations

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

object-by-object

summary table

Moody

AGA

Settings
Local flow correlation; holdup/friction factor override
Menu for user defined flow correlation settings
Single Phase

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PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

Panhandle

Hazen Williams

Weymouth

Ansari (mechanistic)

Beggs & Brill

Hagedorn & Brown

Govier, Aziz & Fogarasi

Gray

Mukherjee & Brill

Orkiszewski

Gomez (Neotec)

Gregory (Neotec)

Govier, Aziz & Fogarasi (modified) Neotec

Beggs-Brill

Dukler, AGA & Flanigan

Mukherjee & Brill

Oliemans

Xiao (mechanistic)

Baker Jardine Revised

Lockhart-Martinelli

retired

Xiao modified (neotec)

Hughmark-Dukler (neotec)

Eaton Oliemans (neotec)

Vertical

Horizontal

Unified Mechanistic Models

TUFFP
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LEDA 1.2,1.4

OLGA-S 6.2, 7.2, 7.3

OLGA-S 5.0, 5.3

n (64-bit limitation)

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Surface Equipment
Source

Sink

Report Tool (auxiliary)

Choke

Injector

Adder/Multiplier

Engine Keyword tool

Generic Equipment

Separator

Heat Exchanger

Expander

Pump (generic)

Pump (User defined curves)

Compressor (generic)

Compressor (Centrifugal curves)

Compressor (Reciprocating curves)

no - requires database
link

yes

Multiphase Booster (Generic)

Multiphase Booster (Twin-screw)

Multiphase Booster (Helico-axial (Framo))

Pump/Compressor curves saved with model?

Flowline/Riser

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PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

Flowline Simple/Detailed

Riser Simple/Detailed

Flowline burial schematic

Global Environmental Data (Ambient Temp,

MetOcean, Soil)

Pipeline database

step-function

step-function &
interpolate

Ambient temperature interpolation method

Single Branch Operations

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Pressure/Temperature Profile

Nodal Analysis

liquid loading only

multiple

System Analysis (up to 10 sensitivity variables)

VFP table generation

Automated Data Matching (U-factor, Friction-factor,

holdup-factor)

Flow Correlation Comparison

Artificial Lift Performance

doable via System Anyl.

Gas Lift Rate vs. Casing-head pressure

Optimal Horizontal Well length

Wax Deposition

Nodal Analysis plot annotations

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Well Modeling - General

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Well Editor
Interactive Wellbore schematic

Injector/Producer definition

Flow path definition (tubing/annulus)

user specified

automatic

Flow down annulus

keyword only

GUI support

Tubing/Casing catalogs

Engine Keyword tool for downhole objects

Multilayer with crossflow for both

Production/Injection wells

Remedial coiled tubing

Flow control valves to model intelligent completions

Downhole chokes

Downhole separation

Tubing or Annulus Flow

Coning tables

Use of zones to consolidate reservoir properties

Ramey transient wellbore heat transfer model

3D Deviation surveys

Gas lift Injection Point (no valve modeling)

Gas lift valve database

Gas Lift Design

Gas Lift Diagnostics

ESP Performance Modeling

ESP Database

Artificial Lift

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PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

ESP Design

PCP simulation

PCP database

Rod Pump Design

Rod Pump Diagnostics (Dynocard analysis)

Rod pump simulation

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Well Modeling Inflow Performance

Vertical Inflow Performance Models
IPR Plot in completion editor

some

all

Multipoint/Isochronal well test matching

Productivity Index (gas,oil)

Forcheimer (gas)

Backpressure Eq. (gas)

Tight Gas Hydraulic fracture (type curve approach)

Jones (gas/oil)

Vogel (oil)

Fetkovich (oil)

Schematic diagrams to assist data entry

Relative permeability

Transient

Mechanical and rate dependent skin

Partial penetration

Gravel pack

Open hole

Darcy Model completion types (Vertical Completions)

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Open hole gravel pack

Perforated

Frac Pack

Distributed or Single Point

Skin calculations

Joshi steady-state (oil/gas)

Babu & Odeh Pseudo-steady state (oil/gas)

Schematic diagrams to assist data entry

Horizontal

Network Modeling

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Network Editor
Network Diagram (Object
Pallete/Insert/Connect/Copy/Paste)

Onscreen results including flow direction

Folders (grouping)

Profile direction & flipping controls

Print (including plotter scale)

Equipment visibility on network diagram

GIS map to build networks & capture elevation

Network diagram synch'ed with network result viewer

Global Wells Offline

Completion-level boundary condition definition

Ability to sync boundary conditions with model

properties

Use of zones to control boundary conditions for

Network Simulation

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PIPESIM Versions 2012.3 and 2015.1 Release Notes

multiple completions
Parallel network solver

Can handle multiple nested loops/ parallel lines

Flowrate constraints on branch level

Treat wells as sources (Wellstream Outlet concept)

Override phase ratios

Restart (uses previous solution to initialize)

Gas Lift Optimization

ESP Optimization

Choke Optimization

Network Optimization

Flow Assurance

PIPESIM 2012.3

PIPESIM 2015.1

Erosion
API 14E

Salama (accounts for sand)

Slug growth, length & frequency calculations

Pig generated slug

Severe riser slugging indicator

Phase diagram displaying solids curves and flow profile

Hydrate sub-cooling calculations along profile and

branch maximums

CO2 Corrosion
deWaard (1995)
Slug Calculations

Solids

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wax sub-cooling calculations along profile and branch

maximums

BP model

Shell model

Schlumberger DBR model (requires additional DBR

solids license)

y (limited
compositional)

y (same for BO & comp)

Wax Deposition

Emulsions
Various emulsion models incl. user supplied emulsion
tables
Liquid Loading
Generalized Turner liquid loading model

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