Drag reducer boosts line capacity in Louisiana

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Pipeline Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6454204

Hale, D

Shell Pipe Line personnel working on the Delta gathering system in S. Louisiana have put 145,000 bopd through a line designed to carry 130,000 bopd. They did it by using a highly sophisticated product known as a drag reducer or flow improver. Actually, it was a long-chain hydrocarbon polymer injected into the flowing oil stream of the pipeline. An increase in production at Shell Oil's Cognac platform in the Gulf of Mexico led to the need for more capacity. Building another pipeline would have been too expensive, too time consuming, and too long range to consider. The answer was to use the special polymer that, when injected into crude oil pipeline streams, reduces turbulent flow. As the long chain molecules stretch out, the oil flows smoothly in a straight line. Smooth, laminar flow means more oil through the line in a shorter time.

• OSTI ID: 6454204
• Journal Information: Pipeline Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Pipeline Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 211:7; ISSN PLGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
022000* -- Petroleum-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
CAPACITY
CONTROL
DRAG
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUID FLOW
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
LAMINAR FLOW
LOUISIANA
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NORTH AMERICA
OPTIMIZATION
PERFORMANCE
PETROLEUM
PIPELINES
POLYMERS
TRANSPORT
USA