A unified MILP model for topological structure of production well gathering pipeline network.

Production well gathering pipeline network, usually characterized by various and complex structure and high investment, is one of significant parts of oil-gas field construction. Optimization of production well fluid-gathering system is critical to reducing development cost. A variety of previous research focused on the issue. However, those methods were less applicable for dealing with the challenges of compatibility to various structures, integral optimization and finding the optimum. This paper focuses on stellated pipeline network, cascade dendritic pipeline network and insertion dendritic pipeline network, three common connection structures of gathering pipeline, and establishes a versatile mixed-integer linear programming model with considering terrain and obstacle conditions. Minimizing the total investment is the object of this model. Constraints of central processing facility, manifolds, flow rate, pipeline construction and connection mode are taken into consideration in the model. The optimal topological structure, position of central processing facility, diameter and route of each pipeline are obtained integrally by solving this model with GUROBI solver. Finally, two virtual oil-gas fields and a real-world gas field are taken as examples to verify the reliability and practicality of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]