Core annular flow of heavy crude oils in transportation pipelines and production wellbores
AssigneeExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
InventorsRamesh Varadaraj, Eugene R. Thomas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for enhancing the shear stability of a high-viscosity fluid-water flow system, such as a core annular flow system. The method employs a family of demulsifier additives for maintaining separation of the fluids in biphasic flow. The additive family is sodium salts of polynuclear aromatic sulfonic acids. In one aspect, the high-viscosity fluid is heavy oil. A method of transporting heavy oil through a tubular body is also provided. The method includes pumping the heavy oil through the tubular body within an annular flow of water, and subjecting the water in the tubular body to a salt of a polynuclear, aromatic sulfonic acid additive so as to improve shear stability of the heavy oil and water.
Claims29
A method for enhancing the shear stability of a high-viscosity fluid—water biphasic flow system, comprising:
- injecting an additive into the biphasic flow system, the additive comprising a salt of a polynuclear aromatic sulfonic acid,
- wherein the additive has the structure:
- Ar—(SO3−X+)n
- wherein:
- “Ar” is a homonuclear or heteronuclear aromatic ring of at least 6 carbon atoms,
- “X” is selected from Group I and II elements of the long form of The Periodic Table of Elements, and
- “n” ranges from 1 to 10,
- wherein the biphasic flow system is a core annular flow system, and wherein the core annular flow system is a pipeline for transporting hydrocarbons, a production tubing in a wellbore or a flowline in a gathering system for hydrocarbons.
A method of transporting heavy oil through a tubular body, comprising:
- placing a heavy oil in a tubular body that is a pipeline for transporting the heavy oil, a production tubing in a wellbore or a flowline in a gathering system for hydrocarbons;
- pumping the heavy oil through the tubular body within an annular flow of water;
- subjecting the water in the tubular body to a salt of a polynuclear aromatic sulfonic acid additive so as to improve shear stability of the heavy oil and water,
- wherein the additive has the structure:
- Ar—(SO3−X+)n
- wherein:
- “Ar” is a homonuclear or heteronuclear aromatic ring of at least 6 carbon atoms,
- “X” is selected from Group I and II elements of the long form of The Periodic Table of Elements, and
- “n” ranges from 1 to 10.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.