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Transflux is a cost-effective transport solution for heavy oil and bitumen. Transflux has been proven to reduce the effective flowing viscosity of heavy oil in both flowline and pipeline applications, allowing transport of heavy oil at conventional oil viscosities. The Transflux dispersion is mixed at the beginning of the pipeline and is transported through flowlines and pipelines as if they were conventional low-viscosity oils, eliminating high pump pressure, costly hydrocarbon diluents, or push water. At the end of the pipeline, the dispersion is easily separated using conventional oilfield separation equipment to yield the original heavy oil and the separated aqueous Transflux. The aqueous Transflux may then be recycled and reused. The use of Transflux will dramatically reduce the pressure in the pipeline and increase the flow rate capacity. In a case study, pipeline pressure was reduced from 850 psi to 25 psi. Annual heavy oil production deliveries are significantly increased with the use of well flowlines where heavy oil is piped from wellhead to gathering centre, thus eliminating or reducing the need for in-field trucking of heavy oil. Oil delivery using trucks is regularly disrupted by road maintenance, construction, poor in-field road conditions and seasonally where for months trucks are banned from using roads due to Spring Break Up. |
