Carbon capture and storage (CCS) plays a central role in the efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. If successful, it can contribute to bridging the gap between present fossil and future renewable energy forms. The greatest technological challenges in CCS are related to capturing and storage, but there are also important transport issues that must be resolved.  Transporting the CO2 in pipelines is believed to be the most viable alternative, and accurate simulations are essential for both the design and safe operation of such pipelines. Through the new single component functionality, OLGA is now ready to take on these simulation tasks.

Application examples:

• Determine pipe dimensions (steady state)
• Investigate flow instabilities if the pipeline or parts of it stands the risk of entering the two-phase region (transient)
• Procedures for start-up, shut down and blow down of the pipeline which might lead to very low temperatures and formation of solid CO2 (transient)
• Rupture scenarios: estimating emissions and monitoring pressures and temperatures (transient)

SPT Group has tested the new functionality in a pilot study for DNV and Gassco regarding the transport of CO2 from Kårstø/Mognstad to the Utsira/Johansen formations. The main focus in the study was on temperatures during blow down and full bore rupture scenarios, and OLGA provided results in accordance to the client-expectations.

Temperature and pressure during one of the blow down simulations of the Kårstø-Utsira pipeline. The simulations showed that the CO2 appears in gas, liquid and dense phase in different parts of the pipeline, and that solid CO2 is formed downstream the flare vent.