Low-viscosity drag reducer
AssigneeConocoPhillips Company
InventorsTimothy L. Burden, Kenneth L. Smith, Allan Browne, William F. Harris
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Abstract
Low-viscosity drag reducers, systems for delivering low-viscosity drag reducers, and methods of making low-viscosity drag reducers are disclosed. The low-viscosity drag reducers have a viscosity less than 350 cP at a shear rate of 250 sec−1 and a temperature of 60° F. This low-viscosity allows the drag reducers to be delivered through a long and relatively small diameter conduit of a subsea umbilical line without an unacceptable level of pressure drop or plugging of the conduit. The low-viscosity drag reducers can be delivered to a subsea flowline carrying fluids produced from a subterranean formation to thereby provide significant drag reduction in the flowline.
Claims19
A method comprising the steps of:
- (a) transporting a drag reducer through a first conduit, said drag reducer having a viscosity less than about 350 cP at a shear rate of 250 sec−1 and a temperature of 60° F.;
- and
- (b) introducing the transported drag reducer into a fluid originating from a subterranean formation,
- wherein said drag reducer has a solid particulate content of NAS 1638 Class 12 or less.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.