Flow improvers, also known as drag reducing agents (DRA), are injected into pipeline fluids to reduce turbulence. The associated reduction in frictional pressure drop can provide significant benefits to pipeline operators by providing additional pipeline throughput, the ability to operate in reduced
pressure-drop conditions, or a combination of these effects.
FLOW INCREASE
DRA lowers pipeline frictional pressure loss by reducing turbulence in the flow. This change allows operators to increase throughput and earn more tariff. Drag reduction agents from LSPI have doubled the throughput of many pipelines.
CONSTRAINT REMOVAL
Is there a bottleneck in your pipeline? A segment that restricts throughput of the entire line? DRA effectively alleviates the constraint of a bottleneck segment, thereby allowing the flow rate across the entire pipeline to be increased.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Reducing the frictional pressure in a pipeline also saves pumping energy.
LSPI has supplied many applications where entire pump stations have been
by passed. By allowing shutdown of intermediate pump stations, energy
and maintenance costs can be dramatically reduced.
PRESSURE REDUCTION
Sometimes operators need to reduce the operational pressure in a pipeline. DRA is a fast and effective tool to reduce and control pipeline pressure, without compromising throughput.
RESULTS WITHOUT LARGE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Pipeline performance can often be improved without major capital investment. DRA is injected directly into pipeline products, using skid-mounted injection pumps and tanks. Installation of a DRA skid enables pipeline operations to see reliable results, without any changes to existing pipeline steel.
TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT
DRA can be used to reduce (heat generating) pump energy input. Pipeline operators have used DRA to reduce the arrival temperature of heavy crude oil. DRA treated liquids also have been shown to have lower heat transfer properties, which at times will reduce heat loss to the surroundings, particularly in submerged pipelines.