Slug-flow behavior clarified in large-diameter pipeline study

The longest steady-state slugs in large-diameter pipeline multiphase flow appear near the slug stratified transition and are an order of magnitude longer than expected from observations based on small-bore pipelines. This is one finding of a study as part of ongoing work at the industrial-scale test facility of the BHRA, The Fluid Engineering Centre, UK. The study also revealed that developing slug growth can be sporadic as high hold-up waves and slower moving slugs are consumed. The study was based on two main sources for field-measured slug characteristics: Prudhoe Bay pipelines and tests carried out by BP on its Magnus platform.