Lab-scale investigation of drag reduction for crude oil by oil-soluble polymers

This study investigates the drag reduction performance of oil-soluble polymers, specifically Polyisobutylene (PIB), in crude oil pipelines. The experiments were conducted using a flow-loop system to simulate turbulent flow conditions. The effects of Reynolds number and polymer concentration on drag reduction were analyzed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The results indicated that both the Reynolds number and the concentration of PIB significantly influence the drag reduction performance, with the quadratic term of concentration showing a significant effect. The model developed through RSM was found to be significant with a high R-square value, indicating a good fit to the experimental data. The predictive accuracy of the model was further validated through a comparison of experimental and calculated drag reduction rates, which were found to be within ± 10% of each other. The study concludes that PIB is an effective drag reducer for crude oil, and the developed model can be used to optimize the application of PIB in pipeline transportation, potentially leading to increased efficiency and cost savings.