Overpressuring

Suppose a tank is designed to be filled at a rate of x mMrr. Many tanks, particularly those built some years ago, are provided with a vent big enough to pass v m /hr of air but not x m /hr of liquid. If the tank is overfilled, the delivery pump pressure will almost certainly be large enough to cause the tank to fail. 

If the tank vent is not large enough to pass the liquid inlet rate, then the tank should be fitted with a hinged manhole cover or similar overflow device. Proprietary devices are available. 

An 80 m3 tank fiberglass-reinforced plastic acid tank was blown apart at the base as the result of overpressure. The vent had been slip-plated so the tank could be entered for inspection. The steel slip-plate was covered with a corrosion-resistant sheet of polytetrafluoroethylene. Afterward, when the slip-plate was removed, the sheet was left behind. This did not matter at the time, as the tank was also vented through an oveiflow line, 

After three months of operation, an explosion occurred in a 400 m3 tank, which fortunately was fitted with explosion relief. Three weeks later another explosion blew the roof off another tank, and the Australian Department of Mines ordered the closure of the plant. 

Start Shut High Remove air and get above UEL quickly 

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Relief systems are expensive and introduce considerable environmental problems. Sometimes it is possibly to dispense with relief valves and all that comes after them by using stronger vessels, strong enough to withstand the highest pressures that can be reached. For example, if the vessel can withstand the pump delivery pressure, then a relief valve for overpressurization by the pump may not be needed. However, there may still be a need for a small relief device to guard against overpressurization in the event of a fire. It may be possible to avoid the need for a relief valve on a distillation column... 

An intermediate casing is usually set above the reservoir in order to protect the water bearing, hydrostatically pressured zones from influx of possibly overpressured hydrocarbons and to guarantee the integrity of the well bore above the objective zone. In mature fields where production has been ongoing for many years, the reservoir may show depletion pressures considerably lower than the hydrostatically pressured zones above. Casing and cementing operations are covered in section 3.6. 

In the event of a sudden loss of mud In an Interval containing overpressures the mud column in the annulus will drop, thereby reducing the hydrostatic head acting on the formation to the point where formation pressure exceeds mud pressure. Formation fluids (oil, gas or water) can now enter the borehole and travel upwards. In the process the gas will expand considerably but will maintain its initial pressure. The last line of defence leff is the blowout preventer. However, although the BOP will prevent fluid or gas escape to the surface, closing in the well may lead to two potentially disastrous situations ... 

Considerable effort will be made to predict the onset of overpressures ahead of the drill bit. The most reliable indioations are gas readings, porosity - depth trends, rate of penetration and shale density measurements. 

Growth faulted deltaic areas are highly prospective since they comprise of thick sections of good quality reservoir sands. Deltas usually overlay organic rich marine clays which can source the structures on maturation. Examples are the Niger, Baram or Mississippi Deltas. Clays, deposited within deltaic sequences may restrict the water expulsion during the rapid sedimentation / compaction. This can lead to the generation of overpressures. 

Compaction reduces porosity and permeability. As mentioned earlier during the introduction of growth faults. If the expulsion of pore water is prevented, overpressures may develop. 

Normal pressure regimes follow a hydrostatic fluid gradient from surface, and are approximately linear. Abnormal pressure regimes include overpressured and underpressured fluid pressures, and represent a discontinuity in the normal pressure gradient. Drilling through abnormal pressure regimes requires special care. 

In abnormally pressured reservoirs, the continuous pressure-depth relationship is interrupted by a sealing layer, below which the pressure changes. If the pressure below the seal is higher than the normal (or hydrostatic) pressure the reservoir is termed overpressured. Extrapolation of the fluid gradient in the overpressured reservoir back to the surface datum would show a pressure greater than one atmosphere. The actual value by which the extrapolated pressure exceeds one atmosphere defines the level of overpressure in the reservoir. Similarly, an underpressured reservoir shows an pressure less than one atmosphere when extrapolated back to the surface datum. 

The hazard posed can be limited by maintaining a zone free of people and property around a storage area of explosive material. The minimum radius of the zone depends on the type and quantity of explosive, the extent and type of barrica ding, and the magnitude of loss that would be encountered if an explosive incident occurred. The maximum distance to which hazardous explosive effects propagate depends on the blast overpressure created, which as a first approximation is a function of the cube root of the explosive weight, W. This is termed the quantity distance and is defined as... 

An explosion model is used to predict the overpressure resulting from the explosion of a given mass of material. The overpressure is the pressure wave emanating from a explosion. The pressure wave creates most of the damage. The overpressure is calculated using a TNT equivalency technique. The result is dependent on the mass of material and the distance away from the explosion. Suitable correlations are available (2). A detailed discussion of source and consequence models may be found in References 2, 8, and 9. 

The autoclave is not the only component of an LDPE plant which may be exposed to a decomposition. Local hot spots in a secondary compressor may initiate a decomposition reaction consequendy it is necessary to protect these units from serious overpressure by pressure relieving devices and to release the products of the decomposition reactions safely. The problem of the aerial decomposition referred to eadier has been largely overcome by rapidly quenching the decomposition products as they enter the vent stack. 

The most overlooked hazard and contaminant is water (99). Water reacts with isocyanates at room temperature to yield both ureas and large quantities of carbon dioxide. The presence of water or moisture can produce a sufficient amount of CO2 to overpressurize and mpture containers. As Httle as 30 mL of water can result in 40 L of carbon dioxide which could result in pressures of up to 300 kPa (40 psi). For these reasons, the use of dry nitrogen atmospheres is recommended during handling. If a plant air system must be used, purification equipment, such as oil traps and drying beds, should be installed between the source and the isocyanate vessel. 

Also, the presence of strong bases, even in trace amounts, can promote the formation of isocyanurates or carbodiimides. In the event of gross contamination, the exothermic reaction can sharply increase the temperature of the material. Normally, the trimerization reaction occurs first and furnishes heat for the carbodiimide reaction. The carbodiimide reaction Hberates carbon dioxide and forms a hard soHd. The Hberation of carbon dioxide in a sealed vessel could result in overpressurization and mpture. 

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