Heavy oil transportation as a slurry

摘要

Heavy oil transportation is especially difficult due to the high viscosities of the oil and the complexity of the multiphase flow involved. Asphaltenes and resins have the highest molecular weight of crude oil. This work investigates an experimental behavior of a potential transport method for heavy oils based on slurry formed by solids of asphaltenes and resins reincorporated into the deasphalted oil. Dynamic tests were conducted in a 1" horizontal pipeline, with low solid contents in a laminar flow regimen. Of three models that were evaluated to predict pressure drop in the pipeline, the Darcy model provided the best prediction.