Browsing by Author "Onwugbuchulem, Chibunma Vivian"

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    Evaluation of flow assurance in onshore production facilities in the Niger Delta
    (SCIENCEDOMAIN International, 2016) Igwilo, Kevin Chinwuba; Onwugbuchulem, Chibunma Vivian; Ohia, Nnaemeka Princewill
    Flow assurance is the efficient and successful flow of fluids in pipes. Some of the flow assurance challenges that can be encountered include hydrate formation, sand production, wax precipitation, scale deposits and emulsion problems. In onshore production facilities in the Niger Delta, wax deposition is the major challenge to efficient fluid flow. Consequently, it has been the focus of research to profer effective predictive and preventive solutions to a problem that has been tackled with curative methods for decades. This paper investigated paraffinic wax deposition using laboratory tests and field simulation with PipeSim; a pipeline simulator. The tests gave wax content results of 3.73% and 4.77% for samples A and B. The Simulation gave results of 3.71% and 4.78% for samples A and B, producing a good match when compared against the test results with a difference of less than ه0.05%. This paper therefore recommends the use of PipeSim simulation package for wax deposition determination and prediction especially in the absence of laboratory data in addition to properly scheduled pigging and solvent injections to check wax deposition in facilities handling waxy crude oil.
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    Evaluation of the fluid loss properties of pleurotus and its commercial availability
    (U. P., 2016) Igwilo, Kevin Chinwuba; Ohia, Nnaemeka Princewill; Onwugbuchulem, Chibunma Vivian
    This technical paper evaluates the drilling fluids formulated with the proposed biomaterial fluid loss additive, Pleurotus and the existing Poly-pac lo-vis . The laboratory measurements were carried out as per the API specifications. The drilling properties such as fluid loss and cake thickness were measured at room temperature, 120oF, 150 oF and 180 oF. The field polymer muds that are currently in use namely; Poly-pac lo-vis was used as control to the new proposed product. The filtrates of both the proposed biomaterial product and the existing Poly-pac lo-vis were then measured using the filter press. The cake thickness was also examined and measured. The results of proposed fluid loss additive when compared with the existing one shows that the filtrates obtained from low solids mud were 8.9ml, 9.9ml, 10.4ml, 11ml compared with 7ml, 8.2ml, 8.8ml, 9.5ml results measured from the Poly-pac lo-vis. That of the weighted muds are 8ml, 9ml, 9.8ml, 10.8ml and 5ml, 6ml, 6.9ml, 7.5ml for both the proposed additive and the existing one respectively. Both the proposed and the existing muds gave good results in both filtrate and filter cake measurements. Although the existing Poly-pac lo-vis is slightly better than the proposed Pleurotus in terms of filtrate but both gave good filtered cake thickness. The proposed material is not commercially available to be used in preparing drilling fluids but is environmentally friendly.