Transporte de crudo pesado por oleoducto usando el método de dilución: Un enfoque práctico para modelar la caída de presión y la precipitación de asfaltenos
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Universidad Industrial de Santander
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El petróleo pesado tiene serias dificultades para ser transportado por el oleoducto sin una eficiente reducción de la viscosidad, es así, que algunos métodos han sido usados en orden de hacer fluir más fácilmente este crudo, en este caso mezclando el crudo pesado con otro hidrocarburo más liviano puede resultar en una viscosidad óptima que depende de la concentración, caudal de bombeo y de las respectivas densidades y viscosidades de los fluidos básicos.Este trabajo fue hecho sobre un crudo pesado (14.1 API) el cual es producido y transportado por ECOPETROL S.A. en el campo Mansoya ubicado en Colombia. Este crudo tiene una alta viscosidad y gran contenido de asfaltenos provocando complicaciones para su transporte en un oleoducto que tiene una longitud aproximada de 35,7 Km debido a sus propiedades físico-químicas y los elementos técnicos disponibles en la zona de estudio. En vista de su viscosidad, este estudio aplicó el método de dilución el cual consiste en reducir la viscosidad del crudo pesado mezclándolo con otro crudo liviano o diluyente. Para este análisis se hicieron pruebas en el laboratorio donde se midió la gravedad API y la viscosidad para el crudo Mansoya y sus diferentes mezclas utilizando 3 diluyentes. Con los datos experimentales de las diferentes mezclas, se simuló con la ayuda de softwares tanto el comportamiento mecánico del fluido como el de la precipitación de asfaltenos en el oleoducto. Luego de hacer esta simulación, se elige la concentración de mezcla óptima del crudo Mansoya para cada diluyente, de tal forma que cumpla con los requerimientos técnicos.
Heavy oil has serious problems to be transported by pipelines without an efficient reduction of the viscosity, thus, some methods have been used in order to make this oil flows easily. In this case blending the heavy oil with other lighter hydrocarbon can result in an optimal viscosity, which depends on the dilution concentration, flow rate, densities, and viscosities of the basic fluids. This work was performed on heavy oil (14.1 API) which is produced and transported by ECOPETROL S.A. in the Mansoya Oil field located in Colombia. This oil has a high viscosity and asphaltene content; as a result, it is hard to displace it through a pipeline that has a length about 35,7 Km because of its physical-chemistry properties, and the element technics available at the survey zone. Due to its viscosity, this study consists on applying the dilution method to get a decreasing of viscosity when the heavy oil is mixed with other light hydrocarbons or diluents. To make this analysis was necessary lab tests to obtain the API gravity and the viscosity regarding to the Mansoya Oil and its mixtures using 3 diluents. Once the experimental data of the mixtures is generated, consequently, by means of the simulators use, the fluid mechanic behaviour into the pipeline is predicted, additionally, the asphaltene precipitation that can take place for various mixtures and diluents respectively is modeled as well. Afterwards, with those simulations, the best concentration in volume for Mansoya Oil is selected for each diluent where the technics requirements are achieved.
Heavy oil has serious problems to be transported by pipelines without an efficient reduction of the viscosity, thus, some methods have been used in order to make this oil flows easily. In this case blending the heavy oil with other lighter hydrocarbon can result in an optimal viscosity, which depends on the dilution concentration, flow rate, densities, and viscosities of the basic fluids. This work was performed on heavy oil (14.1 API) which is produced and transported by ECOPETROL S.A. in the Mansoya Oil field located in Colombia. This oil has a high viscosity and asphaltene content; as a result, it is hard to displace it through a pipeline that has a length about 35,7 Km because of its physical-chemistry properties, and the element technics available at the survey zone. Due to its viscosity, this study consists on applying the dilution method to get a decreasing of viscosity when the heavy oil is mixed with other light hydrocarbons or diluents. To make this analysis was necessary lab tests to obtain the API gravity and the viscosity regarding to the Mansoya Oil and its mixtures using 3 diluents. Once the experimental data of the mixtures is generated, consequently, by means of the simulators use, the fluid mechanic behaviour into the pipeline is predicted, additionally, the asphaltene precipitation that can take place for various mixtures and diluents respectively is modeled as well. Afterwards, with those simulations, the best concentration in volume for Mansoya Oil is selected for each diluent where the technics requirements are achieved.
Keywords
Heavy Oil, Dilution Method, Fluid Mechanics, Asphaltene Precipitation, Crudo Pesado, Método de Dilución, Mecánica de Fluidos, Precipitación de Asfaltenos