Introduction
iFluids Engineering and Consultancy WLL was awarded to perform SIMOPS studies EPIC for various facilities of Qatar Gas, including:
- SIMOPS-Epic for Utilization of Produced Water from Storage Tanks at Degassing Stations for PWI
- SIMOPS For Engineering, Procurement, Installation, and Commissioning (Epic) Of New Effluent Water Treatment Plant for NGL AT Mesaieed
What is SIMOPS?
In the Oil and Gas industries, where multiple operations take place simultaneously, SIMOPS (simultaneous operations) plays a crucial role in managing concurrent tasks to optimize efficiency while ensuring safety. Key aspects of SIMOPS include meticulous planning, risk assessment, and communication to prevent potential conflicts or hazards arising from the simultaneous execution of diverse operations. Effective SIMOPS implementation requires a comprehensive understanding of each activity’s requirements, potential interference, and emergency response protocols. Organizations must employ robust management systems and technological tools to facilitate real-time monitoring and communication, thereby minimizing risks and enhancing overall operational effectiveness.
Case study 1: SIMOPS EPIC for Produced Water Utilization at Degassing Stations for PWI
Qatar Energy is the state-owned entity responsible for oil and gas production, processing, and exportation in Qatar. The oil and gas-producing fields, both onshore and offshore, are situated in Dukhan on the western coast of Qatar and the eastern coast, respectively. Dukhan Field contains oil, gas, and water injection wells. He is split up into six production and operating zones: Gas Recycling Plant-Arab D, Khatiyah, Dukhan Township, Fahahil, Jaleha, and Diyab. Khatiyah Main Degassing Station (KMDS), Fahahil Main Degassing Station (FMDS), and Jaleha Degassing Station (JDS) are major crude oil processing and crude oil storage plants in the Dukhan area.
Stabilized crude oil from KMDS, FMDS, and JDS separators is dewatered, settled, and stored in crude oil storage tanks (COST) before pumping out to Mesaieed through a pipeline via Um Bab. At present, produced water from the COST at KM, FM, and Jaleha degassing stations is dumped into wells connected to the Umm-Er Dhuma aquifer. Qatar Energy intends to recover produced water from these COSTs to avoid dumping it into the wells, thus protecting the groundwater environment. Recovered produced water from COST will be collected in an underground tank, and then sent to a new Produced Water Secondary Treatment (PWST) unit, where it is proposed to be used as injection water thereafter.
KMDS is a facility for processing well fluids from Arab C, Arab D, and Uwainat oil reservoirs. FMDS is located at the center of the Dukhan Fields and is served by its two stations, Fahahil North and Fahahil South. The Fahahil Main degassing station is a facility for processing well fluids from Arab C and Arab D fields located in the Fahahil Main area, along with partially degassed crude from Fahahil South and Fahahil North.
JDS is located approximately 35 km from Dukhan and about 10 km from the Umm Bab cement works. Jaleha (JAL) Degassing Station receives well fluids for production wells in the Arab C and Arab D reservoirs. Some of the well fluids are being piped in via the Diyab manifold.
The well fluids undergo four stages of separation and separate into three phases:
- Degassed crude oil
- Rick-associated gas (RAG)
- Produced Water
The degassed crude oil is stabilized and stored in COST’s before being pumped to Umm Bab Booster Station for onward transport to Mesaieed. At this COST crude is dewatered, desalted, settled, and stored. The RAG is dehydrated and exported either for gas lift or to the FSP for further processing. Produced water from the separation process is passed through a water treatment unit (hydrocyclone and degasser), and after that, it is sent to the PWI system using PW transfer pumps. There is an alternate route available to dispose of the PW into disposal or dump wells in the unlikely event of the PWI system’s unavailability. A new PWST is envisaged under the DPFU project. The project scope involves only the modification being proposed for the collection of PW drained from the COSTs into a new PW collection tank and, in turn, routing it to the PW secondary treatment section for degassing so that it can be utilized for PW injection instead of the current practice of routing it to disposal wells into an aquifer.
The objective of this project is to install and commission a collection system for produced water from COSTs, including a PWCT, PWC pump, and collection header. PWCT water shall be transferred to the new PWST inlet through an existing tie-in valve near degassing vessels. An alternate disposal system for the existing degassing vessel will also be available.
The SIMOPS study initially identifies activities involved in the execution of the project and in the operation of the adjoining existing facilities. These activities are fitted to the SIMOPS matrix, and then an initial assessment exercise involving the SIMOPS team members (qualified representatives from various disciplines) is completed to identify those allowable, restricted, and prohibited combinations of activities using the activities matrix.
In essence, the study draws on the collective knowledge and experience of the multidisciplinary personnel who make up the SIMOPS study team. To guarantee that the study is carried out impartially and professionally, efforts have been made to recruit the essential construction and operational personnel to attend the SIMOPS workshop. Thereafter, the study identifies the current arrangements, procedures, and controls for the restricted activities. The review team then evaluates the problem and the adequacy of existing arrangements. Where necessary, the review team recommends actions to be completed before commencing the simultaneous operations. The restricted activities highlighted in the course of the workshop are documented in the worksheets.
Essentially, the SIMOPS process flow chart is given below and further explained as follows:
- Identify “hazardous activities” for each relevant operation and fit to the SIMOPS matrix
- Carry out a tabletop exercise to identify “permitted,” “restricted,” and “prohibited” activities.
- Each matrix cell was allocated R; Y; N; NA (for explanation, refer to Figure below).
- Based on the matrix, a list of restricted activities, along with risk ranking (using the Qatar Energy Matrix), control measures, and recommendations, was created.
- The following aspects are analyzed and recorded in the SIMOPS Matrix workshop:
- Identify all construction, tie-in, dismantling/demolition, pre-commissioning, commissioning, and start-up production operations activities that may potentially be concurrently undertaken at the same time.
- Identify if there is a potential hazard associated with the two activities occurring simultaneously.
- Describe the normal safeguards required by the safety management systems that are applicable before any particular operation can be performed, e.g., Permit to Work.
- Identify possible restrictions (if any), which, if in place over and above the existing safety management systems, may enable the two independent operations to occur concurrently.
- The proceedings of the SIMOPS shall be recorded in the SIMOPS Worksheet.
The study method is a combination of identification, analysis, and brainstorming based on the hazardous activities identified specific to this project. The intention of any SIMOPS is to identify and describe potential HSE hazards due to SIMOPS. The team may employ a generic qualitative system to assign a straightforward priority rating—high, medium, or low—to the risks connected to the hazards found throughout the study. Qatar Energy Risk Assessment Matrix.
The SIMOPS team determined the related risk by determining the event’s likelihood and severity using the Qatar Energy Risk Ranking Matrix. The severity is the worst-case consequence, assuming all safeguards fail, while the likelihood is the anticipated frequency of the consequence, taking into consideration the identified safeguards.
The SIMOPS study team consisted of a multi-disciplinary team from iFluids Engineering, Al Balagh Trading & Contracting, and Qatar Energy. The SIMOPS study for EPIC for Utilization of Produced Water from Storage Tanks at Degassing Stations for PWI assessed the hazards and impacts of the proposed project in terms of risk to health, safety, environment, asset damage, and the company’s reputation to further reduce the risk to a tolerable/acceptable level. The SIMOPS Team was highly qualified and experienced, had excellent representation from important disciplines, and, as a team, did a commendable job with a very high level of dedication, focus, and a very open approach. The study was able to capture and suitably record several very critical issues and existing safeguards based on the experience of similar modification jobs.
Case study 2: SIMOPS EPIC for New NGL Effluent Treatment Plant at Mesaieed
The Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Complex at Mesaieed Industrial City (MIC) generates process and surface run-off effluent wastewater. Currently, there are no wastewater treatment facilities at NGL plants.
As per the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) requirements, industries are prohibited from discharging their treated industrial and process wastewater from existing facilities to the marine coastal environment. Instead, the wastewater shall be further treated to meet the irrigation water quality standards mentioned in the “Consent to Operate” (CTO), and the treated water shall be reused for irrigation and landscaping of NGL facilities.
To meet the MME requirements, a new effluent water treatment plant, referred to hereafter as “NEWTP,” has been proposed to treat the effluents generated from NGL plants to meet irrigation water quality standards.
Another consultant finished the Front End Engineering Design (FEED), which included the following:
- Identification of the effluent sources.
- Provision of suitable collection and transfer systems in NGL areas.
- A new effluent treatment facility to treat the effluents to meet irrigation water quality.
In order to prevent high TDS in effluent water, the project’s goal is to provide the NGL Complex with an effluent water treatment plant. This plant will include collection and transfer systems, the ability to reuse treated water for irrigation in order to meet MME requirements, consent to operate (CTO), and a KAHRAMAA water supply for the boiler blowdown quench.
The SIMOPS study initially identifies the project and existing facilities. The project-specific MOPO activities were initially formulated as per the scope of work defined in the technical documents in liaison with Medgulf Construction Company W.L.L. and further scrutinized to form the final MOPO matrix during the interactive session with all parties involved. These activities are included in the MOPO matrix and then reviewed, involving the workshop team members (qualified representatives from various disciplines) to identify which construction activities are allowed to be undertaken under the normal Permit to Work (PTW) system, identify any restrictions required to be in place while undertaking simultaneous activities, or identify activities that are prohibited from being undertaken simultaneously. The MOPO matrix is accordingly updated for each identified activity by highlighting the cells that connect two activities in the matrix format.
In essence, the study uses the collective knowledge and experience of the multidisciplinary personnel who make up the SIMOPS study team. Efforts have been made for necessary construction and operations personnel to participate in the SIMOPS to ensure that the study is conducted objectively and in a professional manner.
The SIMOPS Matrix workshop entails the analysis and documentation of the various aspects under consideration.
- Enumerate all construction, tie-in, and dismantling/demolition activities that have the potential to be executed simultaneously.
- Determine whether there exists a potential hazard associated with the concurrent execution of the two operations.
- The present task necessitates an elucidation of the standard precautions mandated by safety management systems prior to the execution of specific operations, such as the implementation of a Permit to Work.
- Determine potential limitations, if applicable, that could facilitate the simultaneous execution of the two distinct operations, in addition to the current safety management systems.
- The proceedings of the SIMOPS shall be recorded in the SIMOPS Excel Worksheet, an efficient and flexible tool that helps conduct a variety of PHA studies.
Construction Phase Activities Reviewed in MOPO Workshop
- General Construction Works
- Civil / Structural Activities
- Piping / Mechanical Activities
- Electrical Activities
- Instrumentation and Control
- Weather Restrictions
- HSE Critical Equipment Unavailability
- Operations Activities (in the vicinity of Construction / Demolition Activities)
Major SIMOPS that have been identified in the construction phase are as follows:
- Lifting Activities
- Hydrotests, leak tests, NDT / Radiography activities
- Shot blasting/bristle blasting activities
- Scaffolding construction activities
- Process Piping / Equipment Demolition
The SIMOPS workshop was based on the following assumptions and understandings:
- The review was based on project layout, schedule, and sequence as per the latest approved documents; no changes in design were proposed or envisaged during the review.
- Activities within brownfield facilities will be managed through the existing Qatar Energy Work Management System. Restrictions due to fire, explosion, and toxic scenarios from existing operations will apply as per the risk zone applicable to the work area.
- The MOPO of existing operations will be applicable over and above the project MOPO, existing operations MOPO was not reviewed in this workshop.
There are no restricted (R) activities recorded in the MOPO matrix. As a result, the SIMOPS worksheet was not further inspected, and no recommendations were provided. The SIMOPS study team consisted of a multi-disciplinary team from iFluids Engineering and Consultancy W.L.L., Medgulf Construction Company W.L.L., Technip Energies (MEPI), and Qatar Energy.
Conclusion
The SIMOPS study’s goal is to indicate any potential hazards or risks that might arise from carrying out the two construction projects concurrently inside the operational facility. These projects include the EPIC pre-commissioning and commissioning work for the New Effluent Water Treatment Plant at NGL, Mesaieed, Qatar Energy, and the Produced Water from Storage Tanks at Degassing Stations [KMDS, FMDS, and JDS] for PWI. The SIMOPS study for a project is performed to identify hazards associated with the execution of the two activities near each other, which could harm people, the environment, and assets. Contractors, subcontractors, and the company must, therefore, initiate steps to ensure that appropriate health, safety, and environmental interface arrangements are in place when simultaneous operations are envisaged. The disciplines represented in the SIMOPS study review included personnel from Process, Piping, Instrumentation & Control, Electrical, HSE, System & Control, Project, Operations & Maintenance, Mechanical, Civil & Str., and Commissioning Teams.
