Adkham Izbassar, Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering, Texas Tech University
Multiphase flow behavior in surface production flowlines significantly affects separator performance, flow assurance, and overall production stability. Among the intermittent flow regimes commonly encountered in oil and gas production systems, slug flow is particularly challenging because of large pressure oscillations, liquid holdup, and unstable operating conditions in surface facilities. Conventional slug flow diagnostics rely on indirect measurements such as pressure fluctuations, acoustic monitoring, and fiber-optic sensing, which often require interpretation. Transparent pipe sections offer an alternative approach by enabling direct visualization of the gas-liquid interface, improving the understanding of slug dynamics, and supporting improved prediction and analysis of slug flow. Transparent pipes have been widely used in laboratory-scale flow loops for multiphase flow studies. However, most visualization experiments are conducted in small-diameter, low-pressure systems, limiting their applicability to conditions representative to production surface facilities. The implementation of a transparent pipe section in moderate-pressure experimental systems could provide valuable diagnostic capabilities.