SwRI Flowing Gas Test Facility

Subsurface Safety Valve Installed in SwRI Flowing Gas Test Facility

Evaluations Available

• Subsurface oil and gas production safety valve testing
• Oil and gas production annulus control valve testing
• Subsurface gas storage well safety valve testing
• Control valve testing and research
• Gas transmission line emergency shutdown valve testing and research

Deliverables

• Hard copy of test data and summary sheet
• Test results can be provided within a day of the test

System Capabilities

• Maximum flow rate: approximately 185 x 10⁶ SCFD at 2,200 psig
• Maximum operating pressure: up to 3,000 psig
• Duration of run: 5 seconds to several minutes, depending on flow rate

Measurement Capabilities

• Flow measurement:
  • 3-inch orifice meter upstream of test section with orifice plates ranging from 0.25 inch to 2.25 inch
  • 8-inch annubar upstream of test section 
• Static pressure measurement: 0-3,000 psig
• Differential pressure: 0-2,000 psid (across test section)
• Temperature measurement: 0-125 °F
• Hydraulic control fluid pressure: 0-10,000 psig

Special Features

• Flow medium: nitrogen gas, stored in:
  • 625 ft³ vessel at up to 3,000 psig
  • 500 ft³ vessel at up to 3,000 psig 
• Gas charging system including 6,000-gallon liquid nitrogen storage tank
• Blowdown operation, with remote operation of controls and data acquisition
• Eighteen-foot normally vertical test section--flexibility to allow other configurations for special applications
• Data acquisition: 12-bit, PC-based data acquisition system

This flyer was published in December 1997. For more information about the SwRI Flowing Gas Test Facility, contact Shane P. Siebenaler, Research Engineer, Phone (210) 522-5758, or J. Chris Buckingham, Manager, Phone (210) 522-3307, Fax (210) 681-9661, Mechanical Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510.

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