Crude oil rheological properties and flow regime for Gannet oil export pipeline

摘要

The Gannet oil export pipeline is operating at relatively low flow rates. At these low flow rates, there is potential to have a flow regime with laminar flow instead of with turbulent flow. Therefore, the viscosity, or rather the rheological properties, of this oil are essential in determining the flow regime. This is even more critical for the routine pigging of the pipeline and for the assessment of wax settling. Wax settling will particularly occur in laminar flow situations where there are no forces to push a settling particle back up.