Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological Properties
With the depletion of traditional energy resources, the share of heavy-oil production has been increasing recently. According to some estimates, their reserves account for 80% of the world’s oil resources. Costs for extraction of heavy oil and natural bitumen are 3–4 times higher than the costs of e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/359 |
| _version_ | 1797413032887844864 |
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| author | Ilia Beloglazov Valentin Morenov Ekaterina Leusheva Ove T. Gudmestad |
| author_facet | Ilia Beloglazov Valentin Morenov Ekaterina Leusheva Ove T. Gudmestad |
| author_sort | Ilia Beloglazov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the depletion of traditional energy resources, the share of heavy-oil production has been increasing recently. According to some estimates, their reserves account for 80% of the world’s oil resources. Costs for extraction of heavy oil and natural bitumen are 3–4 times higher than the costs of extracting light oil, which is due not only to higher density and viscosity indicators but also to insufficient development of equipment and technologies for the extraction, transportation, and processing of such oils. Currently, a single pipeline system is used to pump both light and heavy oil. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the features of the heavy-oil pumping mode. This paper presents mathematical models of heavy-oil flow in oil-field pipelines. The rheological properties of several heavy-oil samples were determined by experiments. The dependencies obtained were used as input data for a simulation model using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. The modeling condition investigates the range of shear rates up to 300 s<sup>−1</sup>. At the same time, results up to 30 s<sup>−1</sup> are considered in the developed computational models. The methodology of the research is, thus, based on a CFD approach with experimental confirmation of the results obtained. The proposed rheological flow model for heavy oil reflects the dynamics of the internal structural transformation during petroleum transportation. The validity of the model is confirmed by a comparison between the theoretical and the obtained experimental results. The results of the conducted research can be considered during the selection of heavy-oil treatment techniques for its efficient transportation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:11:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ca150662c95471db635455fbde26e6b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:11:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ca150662c95471db635455fbde26e6b2023-12-03T12:48:18ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-01-0114235910.3390/en14020359Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological PropertiesIlia Beloglazov0Valentin Morenov1Ekaterina Leusheva2Ove T. Gudmestad3Department of Mineral Processing, Saint Petersburg Mining University, 199106 Saint Petersburg, RussiaDepartment of Oil and Gas, Saint Petersburg Mining University, 199106 Saint Petersburg, RussiaDepartment of Oil and Gas, Saint Petersburg Mining University, 199106 Saint Petersburg, RussiaFaculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, N-4036 Stavanger, NorwayWith the depletion of traditional energy resources, the share of heavy-oil production has been increasing recently. According to some estimates, their reserves account for 80% of the world’s oil resources. Costs for extraction of heavy oil and natural bitumen are 3–4 times higher than the costs of extracting light oil, which is due not only to higher density and viscosity indicators but also to insufficient development of equipment and technologies for the extraction, transportation, and processing of such oils. Currently, a single pipeline system is used to pump both light and heavy oil. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the features of the heavy-oil pumping mode. This paper presents mathematical models of heavy-oil flow in oil-field pipelines. The rheological properties of several heavy-oil samples were determined by experiments. The dependencies obtained were used as input data for a simulation model using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. The modeling condition investigates the range of shear rates up to 300 s<sup>−1</sup>. At the same time, results up to 30 s<sup>−1</sup> are considered in the developed computational models. The methodology of the research is, thus, based on a CFD approach with experimental confirmation of the results obtained. The proposed rheological flow model for heavy oil reflects the dynamics of the internal structural transformation during petroleum transportation. The validity of the model is confirmed by a comparison between the theoretical and the obtained experimental results. The results of the conducted research can be considered during the selection of heavy-oil treatment techniques for its efficient transportation.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/359heavy oilrheologyoil-field pipelineflow modelANSYS |
| spellingShingle | Ilia Beloglazov Valentin Morenov Ekaterina Leusheva Ove T. Gudmestad Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological Properties Energies heavy oil rheology oil-field pipeline flow model ANSYS |
| title | Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological Properties |
| title_full | Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological Properties |
| title_fullStr | Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological Properties |
| title_short | Modeling of Heavy-Oil Flow with Regard to Their Rheological Properties |
| title_sort | modeling of heavy oil flow with regard to their rheological properties |
| topic | heavy oil rheology oil-field pipeline flow model ANSYS |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/359 |
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