Identification of best fit crude oil of upper Assam basin for pipeline transportation

Abstract

AbstractThis paper attempts to identify a crude oil (CO) from eight different CO samples with a wide range of oAPI gravity from 13 to 43 belonging to Upper Assam Basin, India, to formulate the identified CO for pipeline transportation. Studies were conducted to understand the physical, rheological, and viscoelastic properties of the CO samples where physical properties included pour point (PP) and oAPI gravity, the rheological properties included viscosity (η), kinematic viscosity (K.V.), viscosity gravity constant (VGC), shear stress (τ) and shear strain (γʹ) and the viscoelastic properties were elastic modulus (G)' and viscous modulus (G''). This research aims at achieving PP < 9 °C for CO for the ease of flow through pipeline even during the extreme winter season in Assam when the ambient temperature drops below 10o C. SKO in 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% was added with all CO samples to determine the physical, rheological and viscoelastic properties at 30 °C, since PP of most of the CO samples was near 30 °C. However, the important properties of SKO, i.e. smoke point, flash point and boiling point, were not addressed here as SKO was used for improving flowability through pipeline. Correlation coefficients (CC) were determined using CORREL function in Microsoft Excel to investigate the relationship between oAPI gravity and the other properties for all the CO samples to identify the best fit CO. CO3 and CO8 were identified from the relationships as the most desired CO samples and CO3 was obtained as the best fit CO for the pipeline transportation.