Application of polymeric additives for increasing the efficiency of main oil pipelines

Nowadays, in oil and gas industries, there is a steady interest in the use of polymeric additives (anti-turbulent ones) when transporting oil and petroleum products. The complexity of determining the criteria for anti-turbulent agents and the absence of methods of assessing their application to reduce the cost of construction and exploitation require further investigations. The existing equations for determining the impact of polymer additives on the efficiency of pipelines are empirical, and their solution is highly time-consuming. The authors have developed a calculating computer programme that enables one to determine pressure losses and the friction coefficient λ affecting those losses quickly and with high accuracy. It takes into account the kind of fluid being pumped (its viscosity and density) as well as the flow rate, pipeline diameter, and type and concentration of polymer additives. Basing on the programme, the method of reducing operating expenses of the pipeline through the use of polymeric additives has been developed. The comparison of estimated and experimental values demonstrates that difference between them makes up 3 per cent.