FLO ULTIMA heavy crude drag reducing agent

Overview

Heavy asphaltenic crudes are difficult to transport via pipeline. Operators often use large amounts of diluent or heat to reduce viscosity and enable transportation. But, it also adds frictional pressure which decreases overall transmission efficiency. Because of the high volume of diluents required, this method often reduces the total volume of crude being transported.

Reduce operating costs and increase throughput in your pipelines with Baker Hughes FLO™ ULTIMA heavy crude drag reducing agents (DRA). With minimal capital investment, you can reduce frictional pressure losses and increase throughput in crude oil pipelines that are otherwise restricted by pump capacity or pipeline pressure limits. FLO ULTIMA DRAs reduce frictional pressure loss and increase throughput of asphaltenic crudes that are restricted by viscosity or operating pressure. This can increase the flow rate in your pipelines by more than 25%, transporting heavy crude to market faster than conventional DRAs, while also improving your bottom line.

FLO ULTIMA contains a proprietary, high molecular weight copolymer that dissolves quickly in hydrocarbons to give extremely high levels of drag reduction. While it lowers drag at the pipe wall to move more fluid through the line, it does not coat the pipeline walls, allowing high drag reduction delivery in heavy crudes with less heat and diluents, reducing HSE risks and concerns. The active latex polymer agent dissolves in asphaltenic crudes with <23° API gravity and does adversely affect the crude oil. These specialized drag reducing agents help to reduce pressure in the pipelines, which enables operators to bypass pump stations and effectively optimize power usage to lower overall OPEX and increase the pipeline’s efficiency and throughput.

Our full-service DRA offering includes hydraulics analysis of your pipeline systems to determine the right DRA formulation and optimal dosage rate for your lines. Pump ULTIMA into your pipeline using our reliable, cost-effective injection module that includes a high-pressure, adjustable rate pump; a flow meter; and instrumentation. While specific treatment dosage depends on your throughput requirements, fluid properties, and pipeline hydraulics, effective drag reduction is typically achieved at treatment levels of 2–20 ppm (0.1–1.0 gal/1000 barrels of oil).

FLO ULTIMA does not degrade during normal pipeline flow, but is designed to degrade when passing through mainline pumps or other high-shear regions. This shear degradation eliminates the need to process the treated oil farther downstream. This means it will not adversely affect the combustion, handling characteristics, or physical properties of your treated crude oil.

Contact your Baker Hughes representative to learn how FLO ULTIMA DRAs can help enhance your pipeline’s throughput and profitability.