Experimental analysis of waxy crude oil startup flow in pipelineS

This study presents an experimental investigation into the startup flow of waxy crude oils in pipelines. An experimental rig was assembled with two syringe pumps connected to a 56.6-meter-long pipeline with an internal diameter of 10.3 mm. The experimental setup was placed within a thermal chamber to control the system temperature. The system was able to control thermal and shear history. The primary objective was to evaluate the start-up pressure required when initiating flow at a constant inlet flow rate. Unlike most prior works in the open literature, which discuss the rheological properties of crude oils at low temperatures, the current work explores the effect of the shear history, initial cooling temperature, aging time, and final cooling temperature in a startup flow loop. We also show in a pioneering experimental analysis that pressurizing the pipeline during the cooling evinces the effect of compressibility due to shrinkage on the startup of waxy crude oil.