Heavy oil is characterised by high density and viscosity. The viscosity varies significantly affected by temperature, mixing and water cut. Transportation problems of the heavy oil from downhole to the topside processing equipment poses many problems all of which lead to costly solutions. Processing the mixture of produced gas, oil and water is also costly involving heating and the use of bulky separators, often with problems in meeting the specifications for the processed oil and water.rnIn this paper some of the key problems associated with the transportation and processing of heavy oil are discussed. Reference is made to some novel solutions which could lead to reduction in cost and improvements in the process operation.
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