A Presentation

on
Interface Management:
Innovative Practices in Pipeline

By ,
Arun K. Mishra
Ch. Manager-Operations
Northern Grid Pipelines
HPCL, Bahadurgarh
 Northern Grid Pipelines
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited is operating a
network of cross country product pipelines known as the
Northern Grid Pipeline (MDPL, RBPL, RBhPL) spanning
total length of more than 1350 kms and spread through states
of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi.

 Mundra Delhi Pipeline – 1053 Kms

 Ramanmandi Bahadurgarh Pipeline – 243 kms
 Ramanmandi Bathinda Pipeline – 30 kms
 Bahadurgarh Tikrikalan Pipeline (under commissioning)- 12 kms
 Rewari Kanpur Pipeline (upcoming)- 428 kms
 Awa Salawas Pipeline (upcoming)- 92 kms
Northern Grid Pipelines (NGPL)
 (1048.6 KMS)BAHADURGARH

(975 KMS) REWARI 16”

Capacity : 5.0 MMTPA
Size : 18”/16”, 1054 km 18”
(789 KMS) JAIPUR

(671 KMS) AJMER

18”

18”
(541 KMS) AWA

18”
(326 KMS) PALANPUR

(197 KMS) SANTALPUR LEGEND

18”
MDPL PIPELINE:
MUNDRA 18”
RECEIVING LOCATIONS:
4
PUMPING STATION: 4
 NGPL Overview
• MDPL and RBPL transport 5 grades of product namely –
HSDIII, HSDIV, MSIII, MSIV and SKO while RBhPL
transports HSDIII, MSIII and SKO.
• Thruput (in MMT) Data :
 INTRODUCTION TO I/F HANDLING
 Interface : The intermix between adjacent
products of differing density/viscosity moving
thru a pipeline.
SKO Interface MS

 The quantum of interface depends on factors such

as Dia. of pipe, type of flow (Laminar/Turbulent),
properties of preceding & succeeding products, no.
of Valves/bends/ Pumps etc.

 During extended shutdowns, the interfaces

increase due to phenomena called DIFFUSION.
 The basic difference in characteristic is Sulphur content,
densitometer method may be unreliable.
 Different grades of same products are expected to have
same density especially as they are processed from same
crude.
 Volumetric cuts of interface can at best be indicative.
 Online Sulphur Analyzer with reasonable response time
will provide trend for accurate cut.

 SKO Tank I/F Tank MS Tank

SKO Interface MS
 INTERFACE HANDLING : THEORETICAL VOLUME

Formula for arriving at theoretical interface is given as :

 INTERFACE LENGTH ( empirical relation )

C = 11.75 x D^(.5) x L^(.5) x Re^(-0.1)

Where D= pipe dia
L= Section length
Re= Reynolds No

 AVERAGE INTERFACE VOLUMES at end location V =

(V12^2+V23^2+V34^2…)^(0.5)
Where Vij= Interface volume in Section I-J
 INTERFACE HANDLING AFTER ADVENT OF
HIGHER GRADE (EURO-IV) PRODUCTS

 With the advent of higher BS grade products interface

handling has become more critical.
 QC margins are lower to reduce QGA & interface volumes
are increasing due to complexities introduced.

 Ultimately the interface formed needs to be taken in

parent product keeping in mind the QC norms, which is 1
% SKO in MS and 1.5% SKO in HSD.
Max Sulfur Content MS HSD
in
Euro II 500 ppm 500 ppm
Euro III 150 ppm 350 ppm
Euro IV 50 ppm 50 ppm
 CONVENTIONAL METHODOLOGY OF I/F HANDLING

 As a conventional practice SKO has been used as a plug

between MS and HSD.
 A part of SKO/MS or SKO/HSD interface is taken in
interface tank and balance is taken in parent product as per
IQCM norms.
 The quantity obtained in interface tank is liquidated later
in MS or HSD as per IQCM norms.
 Demerits of conventional methods in long pipelines:
 Abnormally large I/F can create ullage constraints in
I/F tank.
 Liquidation of I/F product requires a minimum batch
size in line with IQCM.
I/F TREND FOR SKO/MS Interface
I/F TREND FOR MS/SKO Interface
 INNOVATIONS ADOPTED AT BAHADURGARH FOR
INTERFACE HANDLING

Following are the innovations adopted at MDPL in

interface handling; the details which are explained in
further slides:
A. Handling of SKO rich I/F.
B. Introduction of SSKO plug between SKO and MSIV/HSDIV.
C. Use of SCN as a plug between MSIII and HSDIII.
D. Introduction of LSKO in place of SSKO.
E. Staggering of I/F in MDPL and nil MS at BRS from MDPL
 A. HANDLING OF SKO RICH INTERFACE

 Front SKO/MS I/F received at BRS has SKO rich and MS rich
part. The SKO rich part of interface is taken in I/F tank, which
contains around 95 % SKO.

MS Interface SKO
Absorbed in MS Tank SKO Rich to I/F Tank

 Had the above SKO not being taken in I/F tank and absorbed in
HSD tank , this would have required a larger batch size for MSIII.
 The MS rich part of I/F is taken in MSIII tanks
 MDPL could reduce MS batch size from 45 TKl to 27 TKL & save
inventory cost of ~INR 50 Crores due to above
 Periodicity of cycle launch could be increased.
BEFORE SSKO:
 Initially normal SKO having high sulphur content
(around 2000 ppm) was used as a plug between HSDIII
and MSIII.
 But HSDIII and MSIII had sulphur margins of 350 ppm
and 150 ppm respectively.
 Owing to such huge difference in sulphur SKO rich part
of concerned I/F was taken in I/F tanks , thus resulting
in ullage issues in the I/F tanks.

AFTER SSKO:
 Precise segregation of interface and less diversion to
Slop / interface tanks made possible.
 PLACING OF SSKO PLUG

SKO SSKO MS3 MS4 MS3 SSKO SKO

 C. INTRODUCTION OF SCN

 WHY SCN???
• SKO as a plug has limitations in terms of
absorption limit.
• With gradual phasing out of SKO from market we
need to look for alternate product in MPPL
• SCN/HCN provided higher blend limits with HSD &
MS.
• In MDPL, the batch termination being proposed at
intermediate locations like Ajmer and Jaipur
which have low tankage.
• SCN is extinguished by absorption of interface
into MS and HSD
• Refer case study of SCN trial run at MDPL.
 C. INTRODUCTION OF SCN

BLEND STUDY OF HCN WITH BS-III MS

SN Characteristics
Unit 10% HCN
HCN BS-III MS
in MS
MISC 281 MISC 282 MISC 283
1 Colour Colourless orange orange
3
2 Density at 15 deg.C kg/m 873.5 745.4 759.0
3 Distillation
a) IBP Deg C IBP 162.9 37.5 38.7
b) Recovery up to 100 % vol - 51.6 46.7
deg.C (E 100)
c) Final Boiling Point (FBP) deg.C 220.8 Deg 187.7 202.5
C
4 Research Octane Number (RON) 100.5 93.0 93.6
3
5 Existent gum g/m - 18 20
6 Sulphur, total 57 47 44
7 Copper strip corrosion for 3 h at 50 deg.C Rating - 1a 1a
8 Benzene content % vol. nil -- 0.42
10 Aromatic content % vol. 81 36.6
 C. INTRODUCTION OF SCN

BLEND STUDY OF HCN WITH BS-III HSD

Characteristics Unit NAPTHA BS-III 4% HCN 5% HCN +
SN HSD + BS-III BS-III HSD
HSD
3
1 Density at 15 deg.C kg/m 873.5 838.9 840.0 840.5
2 Distillation, recovered % v/v FBP 220.8 96.9 97.7 97.3
at 360 deg.C
4 Flash point (Abel) deg.C 47.5 36.5 37.5 37.5
5 Kinematic viscosity at cSt 0.917 2.43 2.40 2.39
40 deg.C
6 Pour point deg.C -3 -3 -3
7 Total sulphur mg/kg 57 293 282 283
8 Cetane index 49.0 47.5 47.3
 HSD Tanks (After Receipt) Depletion
Parameter

TK 04 TK 05 TK 06 TK 04 TK 05 TK 06

% SCN Blend 0.63% 0.86% 0.90%

Sulfur
content
238 239/235(T) 246/229(T) -23 4/17(T) 1

-4.5/
Flash 45.5 49.5/32(T) 49.5/30(T) 0.5 -3.5/-23(T)
-24(T)

2.61/2.42(T
Viscosity 2.48 2.60/2.14(T) 0.22 -0.04/-0.2(T) -0.14
)

51.1/51.6(T
Cetane Index 52 51.1/52(T) 0 -1.1/0.4(T) 1.9
)
 MS Tanks (After Receipt) Depletion
Parameter
TK 10 TK 12 TK 08 TK 10 TK 12 TK 08
(MS3) (MS4) (MS3) (MS3) (MS4) (MS3)

% SCN 2.47% 3.41% 3.04%

Blend (240 KL) (323 KL) (340 KL)

Sulfur
92 25 91 13 0 19
content

FBP (°C) 190.9 190.8 191 -1.9 2.2 -1

92.2(T)
RON 91.7 92.9 -0.6 -0.1 -2.1
90.2(B)
 SCN into H3 at 1% blend results in flash point drop of 3
to 6 deg. C
 0.8%-0.9% SCN in H3 results in 20-25 deg drop in flash
specially in Rear I/F.
 Bottom sample RON drops by 2 units in rear MS esp. at
2.5% SCN in MS.
 This led us to explore HCN/reformate naphtha having
higher flash and RON
 D. INTRODUCTION OF LSKO

 Cost of producing SSKO (< 50 ppm sulphur) involved high

cost.

 On the other hand LSKO was available at a lesser cost

(1000 ppm) from steam at Visakh refinery .

 This was termed as a better option as compared to

normal SKO (2000 ppm) which increased I/F absorption
capacity at a lesser cost.
 E. Staggering of MS cycle and NIL MS receipt at BRS

Post RBPL commissioning and with an aim to augment HMEL refinery

throughput it was planned to receive zero MS from MDPL:

MDPL INTERFACE:
 Front MS/SKO interface = 500 KL
 Rear SKO/MS interface = 500 KL

Front Interface (MS/SKO):

 SKO rich interface of approximately 50 KL shall be diverted to
Interface Tank-20 and balance approx. 450 KL shall be tank into
interface Tank-21.

Rear Interface (SKO/MS):

 Similarly 450 KL shall be taken into TK-21 and balance 50 KL, SKO
rich portion shall be diverted to TK-20.
Total 900 KL I/F shall accumulate in I/F tank which shall be
blended in RBPL MSIII.
 Staggering of MS cycle and Nil MS receipt at BRS

RBPL INTERFACE:
 Front MS/SKO interface = 300 KL
 Rear SKO/MS interface = 300 KL
Front Interface (MS/SKO):
 SKO rich interface of approximately 35 KL shall be
diverted to Interface Tank-20 and balance approx. 265
KL shall be absorbed into MS Tanks directly.
Rear Interface (SKO/MS) :
 Similarly 265 KL shall be taken into MS Tank and
balance 35 KL, SKO rich portion shall be diverted to TK-
20.
Total 530 KL of RBPL Interface shall require 27 TKL of
MS4 i.e. 13.5 TKL each in front and rear.
Refer Proposed I/F handling at BRS
 Staggering of MS cycle and Nil MS receipt at BRS

Truncated operation has become a key part in MDPL as part of

innovation suggested.
 MDPL BRS shall remain shut down and open occasionally in
order to push product to a particular location.
 JRPS-RRS-BRS section shall open to push cycle towards BRS
and HSDIV receipt to RRS.

The above situation is explained through the help of a block

diagram in the next slide.
 Truncated Operation of MDPL

 BRS will receive product from MDPL as well as RBPL.

MDPL RBPL
BRS
 After completion of receipt of MS interface at BRS,
Dedicated pumping till JRPS.

 Downstream location (RRS) will be shut down with

periodic BSIV HSD push to RRS.

MDPS JRPS RRS BRS

 JRPS-RRS-BRS section will open for pushing out cycle
towards BRS & for periodic push of BSIV HSD to RRS.
THANK YOU

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