Study of the flow emulsions on different types of coating in pipes

• Grant number: 21/14810-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: February 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
• Agreement: Equinor (former Statoil)
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Carlos Bannwart
• Grantee: Rafaela Ferreira da Silva
• Host Institution: Centro de Estudos de Energia e Petróleo (CEPETRO). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica (FEM)
• Associated research grant: 17/15736-3 - Engineering Research Centre in Reservoir and Production Management, AP.PCPE

Abstract

This research proposal aims to study the flow of emulsions in pipes with different coatings. The drag coefficient of the oil/pipe wall interface and the mechanical degradation resistance of this coating will be evaluated. Resistance to fluid flow is the result of internal friction, intermolecular interactions in the bulk of the fluid, and external friction at the interface between fluid and pipe wall. The coating of the internal surface of pipelines in production lines with materials capable of modifying the affinity between the oil and the surface can promote a reduction in the effective friction coefficient, promoting an increase in transport efficiency and, consequently, in the production of reservoir fluids. This approach brings the possibility of applying interface chemistry concepts to the development of technologies that provide productivity gains. Thus, the objective of this proposal is to carry out tests in a flow loop, under different conditions, with pipes coating with materials that have been previously identified in the laboratory, which result in different surface wettability to the oil. In this work, all studies will be focused on flow loop tests with pressure drop measurements before and after the test session. (AU)