Flowline Sizing Calculator
Size production flowlines by velocity, pressure drop, and erosional velocity limits. Compares standard pipe sizes from 2" through 8".
Flow Parameters
Criteria: Velocity < 15 ft/s (erosion limit), ΔP within available driving pressure. Erosional velocity from API RP 14E: V_e = C / √ρ_mix.
Recommendation
Recommended Pipe Size
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Pipe Size Comparison
| Nom. Size | ID (in) | Velocity (ft/s) | ΔP (psi) | ΔP/100ft | V_erosion (ft/s) | Status |
|---|
Pressure Drop vs. Pipe Size
How this was calculated
Mixture density: ρ_mix = (ρ_l x λ_l + ρ_g x λ_g) where λ is the volume fraction at average conditions.
Pressure drop (simplified): Uses Darcy-Weisbach with Colebrook friction factor for the liquid phase, plus a gas correction factor based on GOR and average pressure. ΔP = f x L x ρ_mix x v^2 / (2 x g_c x D).
Erosional velocity: V_e = C / √ρ_mix where C = 100 (conservative, per API RP 14E). Units: ft/s with ρ in lb/ft^3.
Pipe IDs: Standard Schedule 40 carbon steel: 2" (2.067"), 3" (3.068"), 4" (4.026"), 6" (6.065"), 8" (7.981").
Assumptions: Horizontal flow, no elevation change. Simplified two-phase correlation (not full Beggs-Brill mechanistic model). Steady-state, isothermal flow.
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Correct flowline sizing is critical for production operations. An undersized line creates excessive pressure drop, reducing wellhead flowing pressure and ultimately production rate. An oversized line wastes capital and can cause slugging due to low velocities. The optimal size balances pressure drop against capital cost while staying below erosional velocity limits.
The API RP 14E erosional velocity equation V_e = C / sqrt(rho_mix) provides a widely used upper limit. The constant C is typically 100 for continuous service and can be higher (125-150) for intermittent or non-corrosive service. Fluid velocity should generally stay below 15 ft/s for two-phase flow and below erosional velocity to prevent pipe wall damage.
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