Flareline Construction (SOP)

A Complete Guide To Flare line Construction

Introduction

Accurate flare line construction has regulations stipulated for the oil and gas well site that include guidelines regarding safe separation distance from main pipes. A proper flare line installation will be the minimizing of environmental hazard, prevention of pressure build-up and keeping the operational integrity. Here is a detailed guide covering the construction process, considerations, and best practices for setting up flare lines.

Constructing Flare lines

a) Installing the Flare line Manifold

✔Placing the service company flare line manifold in the proper locations is the first step in the flare line construction.

✔Pit manholes: Install the flare line manifold on the east of the intersection of the flare line access berms.

✔West Pit: Fill in as directed above with the flare line manifold on the west side of flare line access berm junction point

✔However, if an East pit is constructed, the South pit flare lines should be positioned on the East side of the South pit access berm.

✔When a West pit has been constructed the flare lines to the South pit are to be laid on the Westside of the South pit access berm.

✔Detailed placement/ orientation is provided in Inset A attached hereto.

b) Connecting Crossovers and Placing Flare lines

✔Attach service company flare line manifold with proper crossovers.

✔Start the flare lines straight from the service company flare line manifold.

✔Flare line should be construction starting in the manifold not from flare pit.

✔At the pit end, with pup-joints, adjust the flareline towards the length.

✔See Inset A for details on how to connect.

c) Flare line Specifications

These flarelines must then be installed from each pit:

✔Two (2) 4½” STC/LTC threaded flarelines for gas.

✔One (1) 3½” PH-6 threaded flareline for condensate.

✔One (1) 2-3/8” EUE threaded) blowdown line.

Service Vehicle Access Lanes

a) The South Pit Access Lane

✔Nice place to live, you cannot get a service vehicle into the back of there.

✔If the secondary pit is located to the east, lay flarelines in a narrow corridor down the eastern side of the berm.

✔If it is the secondary pit west, flarelines must be laid outside on the western side of the access berm.

Placement of lines:

✔The two 4½” lines should be placed on the outermost segment of the berm.

✔The next inside should be the 3½” liquid flareline.

✔The one closest to the center should be a blowdown line.

b) As the Lateral Pit Access Lane; East or West

✔Flare lines are to run in a narrow corridor down the southern slope of the berm.

Placement of lines:

✔Install the two 4½” lines at its southernmost position.

✔The 3½” liquid flareline is to be south of the gas lines.

✔The northernmost line is the blowdown line.

✔Key Construction Things to Think About

a) Pressure Testing Prior to Anchoring

✔Flare line anchors must be left unset until the lines are pressure tested.

b) Direction of Collars

✔Lines must be laid with collars facing toward the wellhead for strength and easy erection.

c) Connection Specifications

✔The missing pieces should be compensated for with WECO 1502 thread-half crossovers on the 4½” and 3½” lines.

✔WECO 602 crossovers, for example, might be called out in some instances.

d) Cleaning & Lubrication before Instillation

✔Remove all plastics, pins and collars and clean thoroughly before making up the lines.

✔High-Temperature Thread Lubricant: API Modified

✔Flare line Junction Point Optimization

✔The point at which all 4½” flare lines come together should be streamlined:

✔Tie-in equipment should be skid-mounted as a flareline manifold system.

This setup includes:

✔Completeness, dead-ended from: block tees, valves and flanged spacer spools, permanently bolted together.

✔A fictitious skid for quick loading and unloading.

✔Benefits of a Skid-Mounted Flare line Manifold

✔Flanged Tie-In: Removes the necessity for chicksons and hammer union set ups

✔Flare line meeting at 90° (Optimal Line Convergence): This ensures all the flarelines that intersect meet at 90° angle.

• Efficient Assembly: Easier and faster make-up and break-out of 4½” flarelines

Standardizing Service Company Equipment

✔If service companies are to be delivering flareline manifold systems, all should be delivering the same type of manifold.

✔In standardization, flareline construction will be accomplished before the well-site operation goes to the next location.

Conclusion

Underneath it all, flareline construction is an intricate circuit that guarantees the secure and efficient disposal of gas and condensate at petroleum and natural gas well sites. Necessary to minimize operational risks is the proper placement and alignment and connections of flarelines Best practices, like a skid-mounted flareline manifold, pressure testing prior to anchoring, and a standard setup, can help companies improve their efficiency and safety.

Much streamlined, less labor intensive with very less downtime and overall higher productivity in the field if compliance to these Guidelines are ensured. Therefore, this article serves as a great source of knowledge for all professionals looking for a one-stop exploration of everything related to flareline construction best practices guide.