Johnston_subbed.qxp 27/3/09 05:08 Page 99
Increasing Heavy Crude Oil Flow Through a New Flow Improver Product – A Case Study
analysis conducted for this study applied typical crude oil production However, if the pipeline project were five or more years from
economic evaluation principles. For this case, we applied accelerated completion, we could use Figure 3 to show the expected average daily
crude oil production recovery economic models. This model assumes production volumes by year. Considering all of the crude oil produced
that a crude oil producer is experiencing a production constraint throughout the life of the project, totals are the same for the base case
unrelated to the ability of the field to produce volumes. Along with and the 50ppm DRA case, even though the individual annual volumes
the constraint, the economic model also assumes that the total are different. Taking into account the expected production forecasts,
amount of crude oil to be extracted is no greater than for the costs and revenues, the economic model yields an improvement of net
constrained case, since we are not addressing a crude oil extraction- present value between 7 and 15% by applying the DRA to the pipeline.
related issue. The results will vary by production asset, pipeline operations and
stakeholder economic guidelines.
The primary economic benefit is the producer’s ability to deliver crude
oil to market sooner rather than later. In this analysis, the producer Summary
was capable of producing more crude than could be delivered to This article has described the mechanism of DRA performance and the
market via an existing pipeline. The economic model evaluated applicability of DRAs to heavy crude oil, and has detailed the many
multiple options, including capital investment in new pipelines, elements required to successfully complete a field test. Additionally, this
installing more or larger pumps or incurring a variable cost to inject a article has clearly detailed the performance of a new flow improver
DRA to eliminate the constraint. technology in a production field. CSPI’s ExtremePower Flow Improver fills
the critical need for heavy crude oil flow increase in today’s marketplace.
Inputs into the model include the production forecast revenues with and
without the constraints, and the associated capital investments or costs. CSPI’s steadfast commitment to technology has allowed it to branch into
Ecopetrol has a short-term plan to install additional pipeline capacity, this latest frontier of increased delivery of produced heavy crude oil to
and in addition wants to reduce the costs of tanker truck transportation market. For more than 25 years, CSPI’s flow improver technologies have
of produced crude oil to market. Their interim solution is to apply a DRA maximised the flow potential of pipelines, increasing operational
to provide an economic benefit, allowing production levels to increase flexibility and throughput capacity while substantially increasing bottom-
prior to the completion of the pipeline project in one year’s time. line profit potentials. ■
1. Virk PS, AIChE Journal, 1975;21:625–56. 3. US Geological Survey (USGS) resource estimates.
2. Dreher WR, Oil & Gas Journal, 2006;104(39):56–60. 4. Churchill SW, Chemical Engineering, 1977;84:91.
How to keep your investment protected?
A question Prodect Innovations can help you answer. We are Whenever you face the question of how to keep your
leading supplier for the worldwide on– and offshore industry, investment protected, please do not hesitate to contact Prodect
with the knowledge and experience to guide you in how to Innovations for further information and decent advice.
keep your investment protected.
We know that if you think forward while developing a concept, We connect & protect
it will reduce the maintenance costs over time.
Wendakker 5A T: +31 (0) 524 533 737Prodect Innovations B.V.
7761 PX Schoonebeek F: +31 (0) 524 533 709
Netherlands W:
www.prodect.nl
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156