BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM AND GAS | v. 15 n. 1-2 | p.

013-024 | 2021 | ISSN 1982-0593

INVERSION POINT OF EMULSIONS AS A MECHANISM OF HEAD LOSS

REDUCTION IN ONSHORE PIPELINE HEAVY OIL FLOW

a
Justiniano, M. R.; b Romero, O. J. 1

a
North Fluminense State University, Engineering and Petroleum Exploration Laboratory – LENEP, Macae – RJ – Brazil
b
Federal University of Espírito Santo – UFES, Graduate Program in Energy, São Mateus – ES – Brazil

Received: 06.03.2021 / Revised: 01.05.2021 / Accepted: 11.05.2021 / Published on line: 25.06.2021

ABSTRACT
This work addresses the transportation of viscous crude oil as concentrated oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions
flowing in a partially submerged onshore pipeline. The main goal of this study is to analyze the effects of
inversion point of the water-in-oil emulsion in the pressure drop with the aid of Pipesim® software.
Pressure drop is determined by applying the Dukler correlation (Taitel and Dukler, 1976) to represent
dead oil viscosity as a function of temperature, and API density using the Hossain correlation (Hossain et
al., 2005). The Brinkman model (Brinkman, 1952) is applied to calculate the viscosity of the emulsion, with
the Brauner and Ullmann (2002) equation for the water cut off method (inversion point). The pipeline, of
3,600 m and 4 inches in diameter, transports the oil and consists of three sections. The first and third
sections are above ground and are in contact with the external environment. The intermediate section is
sitting on the river bed and is the critical part of the pipeline, once high heat losses are observed. The
results of this 1D and non-isothermal problem show that water cuts of 5 and 6%, for low heat exchange
and high heat exchange, respectively, make it possible to transport the oil, as an oil-in-water emulsion,
through the entire extension of the pipeline. However, a water cut of 10% creates a high-pressure drop in
the system, assuring the movement of the fluid in long sections without compromising the system
operation. The use of isolation influences the temperature gradient but doesn’t have a high influence on
pressure gradient compared to emulsions.
KEYWORDS
heavy oil; oil pipeline; heat exchange; head loss reduction; emulsion

1
To whom all correspondence should be addressed.
Address: Federal University of Espírito Santo, Rodovia Governador Mário Covas, km 60, Litorâneo, São Mateus, ES, Brazil.
ZIP Code: 29.932-540 | Phone: (27)9-9882-0255 | e-mail: [email protected]
doi:10.5419/bjpg2021-0002

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1. INTRODUCTION Another issue is the paraffin precipitation and

deposition in transport flowlines and pipelines,
Oil transportation has become a complex and which is an increasing challenge for the
highly technical operation. One of the major development of deep-water subsea hydrocarbon
difficulties in pipeline transportation is due to the reservoirs (Abdurahman et al., 2012). Deposits of
presence of high viscous fluids that require paraffin wax cost the oil industry billions of dollars
efficient and economical ways to transfer heavy worldwide for both prevention and remediation
crude (Hasan et al., 2010; Martínez-Palou et al., efforts.
2011; Jing et al., 2020; Santos et al., 2020). Also,
heavy crude oils are not pumped easily through the The production of heavy crude oils is expected
pipelines because of the high concentrations of to increase significantly as low viscosity crudes are
sulphur and several metals, particularly nickel and depleted (Plegue et al., 1989). Currently, there are
vanadium. Crude oils are complex fluids that can three general approaches for transportation of
cause a variety of difficulties during the production, heavy and extra heavy oil: i) viscosity reduction, ii)
separation, transportation, and refining processes drag minimization, and iii) in-situ oil upgrading
(Al-Besharah et al., 1987; Araujo & Romero, 2019; (Rafael et al., 2011; Justiniano & Romero, 2017;
Pereira et al., 2017; Rigatto & Romero, 2018; Sousa et al., 2017; Abdulredha et al., 2020).
Speight, 1998; Sousa & Romero, 2017; Martins et Several special nonconventional methods for the
al., 2020). transport of heavy oil have been proposed, and
they include preheating the crude oil with
The formulation of the emulsion presents subsequent pipeline heating (Layrisse, 1998;
another challenge to the petroleum industry. Crude Saniere et al., 2004; Santos et al., 2020), diluting it
oil is often produced with water, and, normally, with lighter crude oils (Iona, 1978), and injecting
both are immiscible under several conditions. This water sheath around the viscous crude. Each of
is the main characteristic of a dispersed mixture. As these methods has logistic, technical, or economic
the oil-water mixture passes over chokes and drawbacks.
valves, mechanical input leads to the formation of
water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions (Mohammed et al., Another promising technique is the transport of
1993; Sjoblom et al., 2001; Fingas & Fieldhouse, viscous crudes as concentrated oil-in-water (O/W)
2003; Mendes et al., 2019). The presence of emulsions (Lappin & Saur, 1989; Gregoli et al.,
emulsifying compounds in crude oil creates 2006; Plasencia et al., 2013; Mendes et al., 2019).
emulsion stability. This is a negative characteristic With the aid of suitable surfactants, as the water
in the separation process. amount continues to increase, the water-in-oil
emulsions reach a phase inversion point, resulting
Emulsion occurs when one immiscible liquid is in crude oil becoming the dispersed phase, while
dispersed in the form of droplets in another water will become the continuous phase, i.e. oil-in-
immiscible liquid (refer to Figure 1a for a graphical water emulsions are formed (Feng et al., 2019)
representation). These droplets are usually (Figure 1a). The formation of O/W emulsion causes
referred to as the dispersed or internal phase. The a significant reduction in its effective viscosity
three major factors contributing to the formation (Figure 1b, 1c). Because of this reduction in
of emulsions are i) the presence of two immiscible viscosity, transportation costs and transport-
liquids, ii) the presence of emulsifying agents, assisted problems are also controlled.
which are surface-active agents, and iii) the
involvement of sufficient mixing energy to disperse The application of oil-in-water emulsions helps
one liquid into another liquid phase as droplets to resolve the challenges of transporting highly
(Sen, 2016). viscous crude, as the effective viscosity of the oil-
in-water emulsions system is much lower than the
Such emulsions are considered a ruthless single-phase viscosity of heavy crude.
problem within the petroleum industry because
they lead to various costly problems in terms of The technical viability of this method was
production loss and transport difficulties. demonstrated in an Indonesian pipeline (Lamb &
Simpson, 1963) and in a 20 km-long, 0.203 m-
diameter pipeline in California.

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a) O/W emulsions are formed when oil droplets are dispersed in the continuous water phase; dp = dispersed
phase, cp = continuous phase. Source: adapted from Perazzo et al. (2015).

b) Full scale. c) Detail after phase inversion point.

Figure 1. Effect of the water cut in the effective viscosity of the emulsion.

The present work aims to study the influence of 2.1 Problem statement
oil in water (O/W) and water in oil (W/O)
emulsions on pressure and temperature drops The oil-water mixture flows at 21 m³/d in an
when it flows in a horizontal pipeline partially onshore pipeline of 3,600 m length and 4 inches in
submerged in a river. diameter. As shown in Figure 2, oil enters at the
left side of the three-section pipeline at Pin = 5
kg/cm² pressure and Tin = 66.7 °C temperature,
being pumped along the one-dimensional
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS horizontal pipeline with dimensions and
operational conditions described in Table 1. Table 2
The present work is a continuation of a previous details the main properties of water and oil.
paper by Romero et al. (2016), which analyzed
heat transfer of a fixed proportion of water, oil, The dispersed mixture transported is
and gas flowing in a pipeline, by using numerical susceptible to heat loss because the external
tools. The geometry of the pipeline and operational ambient is at a lower temperature. An intense heat
conditions are similar in both works. For that loss rises the oil viscosity at levels where the
reason, our emphasis in the present article is to pressure drop requires high-energy consumption to
show how the phase inversion point of a water-in- guarantee the fluid flow until the end of the
oil emulsion is important to allow the transport of pipeline. Higher pressure drop is proportional to
heavy oils. We use a numerical approach to higher pumping power requirement, or lower flow
analyze, mainly, the influence of water content in rate.
the pressure profile along a horizontal pipeline.

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Figure 2. Simplified representation of a horizontal 1D pipeline divided into three sections. In this domain, the flow
of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion is studied. is the mixture average temperature inside the pipeline,
is the external temperature, and represents heat loss.

At some point, and without any enhancement, The pressure drop is determined by applying
the fluid flow would be no longer possible due to the Dukler correlation (Taitel & Dukler, 1976)
technical challenges and high economic costs which considers slippage between phases. Our
associated to the process. The proposal is to choice to represent the dead oil viscosity as a
increase the water content of the mixture looking function of temperature and API density is the
for the reduction of pressure drop. Hossain correlation (Hossain et al., 2005).

Table 1. Dimensions and operational conditions of the onshore pipeline.

Ambient
Length Diameter Thickness Roughness
Section Conditions temperature
m in (cm) in (mm) in (mm) o
C
0.001
1 802 4 (10.16) 0.251(6.37) Above ground 26
(0.0254)
Through 6 m
0.001 river, base
2 203 4 (10.16) 0.251(6.37) 16
(0.0254) asphalt
insulation
0.001
3 2,595 4 (10.16) 0.251(6.37) Above ground 26
(0.0254)

Table 2. Fluid properties.

Property Value
Relative water density 1.02
o
Oil density, API 13.2
Viscosity of dead oil at 93.3 °C, cP 69.4
Viscosity of dead oil at 15.5 °C, cP 20,269
H2S, % 0.06

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The Brinkman model (Brinkman, 1952) is analysis of the system's free energy, reached a
applied to calculate the viscosity of the emulsion, correlation for determining the volumetric fraction
with Brauner and Ullmann's (2002) equation for of oil at the inversion point ( ), given by Equation
the water cut off method (inversion point). Only (3)
the mathematical models related to emulsions are
presented in section §2.2. More details about (3)
equations employed are available in the article of
Romero et al. (2016).
where is the density ratio between oil and gas,
The 1D governing equations, with appropriate , and is the dynamic viscosity ratio,
boundary conditions, are solved using the steady- . The volumetric fraction of water at
state Pipesim® software.
this point is .
2.2 Water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water This correlation explains the observation made
(O/W) emulsions in many experimental studies, that is, the more
viscous phase (oil) tends to form the dispersed
2.2.1 Correlation for emulsion viscosity phase. This observation can be represented as
, and as
Brinkman (1952) derived from Einstein’s
where the larger is the oil viscosity,
correlation (Einstein, 1911), an equation more
the wider is the range of the oil volumetric fraction
suitable for the calculation of dispersion viscosity,
( ). The configuration of oil drops
Equation (1). This correlation is indicated for the
dispersed in water is associated with lower surface
calculation of emulsion viscosity ( ), especially the
energy.
ones with high asphaltene content (Rajagopal et
al., 2007). In the range of oil volumetric fraction
the flow pattern will be oil-in-water
(1) dispersion, whereas water-in-oil emulsion will be
obtained in the range of (Brauner &
the subscript denotes continuous phase, and
Ullmann, 2002).
subscript denotes the dispersed phase, is
the volumetric fraction of dispersed phase
( ), and exponent is defined by Taylor
(1932), in Equation (2), as 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

(2) The initial pipeline configuration is represented

in software symbolic language (Figure 3). N1 and
N2 are the node's connectors between pipeline
Before the inversion point, the dispersed phase segments, sections 1, 2, and 3.
is the water (w), and the continuous phase is the oil
(o), which is a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. Then, The calculated pressure gradient, at the initial
Equations (1) and (2) are represented by condition (with mixture entering at the left side of
, . the pipeline at Pin = 5 kg/cm² and Tin = 66.7 °C), is
shown in Figure 4 at two levels of heat exchange.
The fluid does not have sufficient energy to flow to
2.2.2 Phase inversion model
the end of the 3,600 m pipeline length. It only runs
With the aid of suitable surfactants, the oil through the first 2,626 m, 73% of the full length.
phase becomes dispersed in the water phase and Then, in these conditions, with = 1.135 W/ (m2
stable oil-in-water emulsions are formed K), the production does not take place.
(configuration presented in Figure 1a). As a result,
For the high heat exchange value, once the
a significant reduction in emulsion viscosity occurs
conditions become more unfavourable, a greater
at the inversion point of the emulsion (Figures 1b
pressure drop occurs along the route, causing a
and 1c).
smaller displacement of the fluid compared to the
Brauner and Ullmann (2002), through the low heat exchange condition. More intense heat

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®
Figure 3. Horizontal pipeline in Pipesim representation.

Figure 4. Pressure variation over the pipeline length with low heat exchange [ = 1.135 W/ (m2 K) in sections 1, 2 and 3],
and high heat exchange [ = 113.57 W/ (m2 K) in sections 1 and 3, and = 1,135.7 W/ (m2 K) in section 2].

Figure 5. Temperature variation over the pipeline length with low heat exchange [ = 1.135 W/ (m2 K) in sections 1, 2
and 3], and high heat exchange [ = 113.57 W/ (m2 K) in sections 1 and 3, and = 1,135.7 W/ (m2 K) in section 2].

exchange means that in sections 1 and 3, which are heat exchange ( ). As section 1 is 802 m long,
exposed to air, the value of the coefficient is equal section 2 is 203 m, and section 3 is 2,595 m, the oil
to = 113.57 W/(m² K), 100 times greater than tends to seek equilibrium with the external
the previous one; and in section 2, which is environment, which happens at a temperature of
submerged in water, is = 1,135.57 W/(m² K), 26 °C, and, therefore, reaching the only part of
even bigger than previous one. section 3. At a high heat exchange ( ), an abrupt
and continuous decrease of the fluid temperature
In Figure 5, the oil enters the pipeline with a occurs until the equilibrium with the external
temperature of 66.7 °C, and decreases along the medium, at 16 °C, can be reached. It allows the
route until reaching a temperature of arrival of the fluid only at 863m (part of section 2),
approximately 29.5 °C at 2,626 m, which is the 23.97% of the full length of the tube, with a
maximum distance that the fluid is moved at a low temperature of 20 °C.

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Figure 6. Pressure variation over the pipeline length for Wcut ranging from 0 to 90% with low heat exchange
2
= 1.135 W/(m K) in the three pipeline sections.

Figure 7. Pressure variation over the pipeline length for Wcut ranging from 0 to 10% with low heat exchange =
2
1.135 W/ (m K) in the three pipeline sections.

During operations, with the reduction of the oil The pressure behavior for water cut (Wcut in
temperature, the oil viscosity increases sharply, the figure) varies from to 90% and is shown in
and paraffin eventually begins to precipitate in the Figure 6. Looking at the graph, one can observe
inner wall of the pipeline. The appearance of that the emulsion inversion occurs at the same
paraffin deposits is manifested by the breaking of value between the range
phase equilibrium, caused by the oil cooling and/or because the pressure profile doesn't decrease
the release of the lighter fractions dissolved drastically anymore. For Wcut of 40, 50, 70, and
originally in oil. Paraffin, when exposed to a certain 80% the pressure profiles along the pipe remained
temperature, called WAT (wax appearance unchanged for the most part, concerning
temperature), precipitates in crystal forms and is and, therefore, are not shown.
characterized by a solid phase. It deposits on the These results assume a low heat exchange in the
internal walls of the pipelines, obstructing the flow system.
and promoting the increase of pressure drop in
production lines.

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To identify the point of inversion, water cuts an increase in pressure has a smaller temperature
varying from 0 to 10% in steps of 1% were plotted decrease reaching the final destination with
in Figure 7. The pressure profile began to change approximately 27.76 °C ( ) and 28 °C
since representing the water cut at ( ).
the inversion point. This observation can be better
For water cut in the range of
visualized in Figure 8, where emulsion viscosity is
and high heat transfer condition, i.e., sections
plotted to several values of water cut. These results
1 and 3 with W/(m² K) and section 2
also assume a low heat exchange in the system
with W/(m² K), the pressure profile is
= 1.135 W/(m2 K) in the three sections. Figure 7
shown in Figure 10. For Wcut 40, 50, 70, and 80%,
shows that, with , the oil flows
the pressure profiles along the pipe remained
through the entire extension (3,600 m) of the
significantly unchanged concerning
pipeline. However, the outlet pressure is
and, therefore, are not plotted in Figure 10. Again,
approximately 0.41 kg/cm², which is considered a
it seems that the inversion point of W/O emulsion
low pressure if compared to 4.1 kg/cm² reached
occurs at some value between
when .
but that, relying solely on this data, the value
The temperature profile, Figure 9, shows that remains undetermined.

Figure 8. Emulsion inversion point obtained for ranging between 0% to 90%.

(a) (b)
Figure 9. a) Temperature variation over the pipeline length for Wcut 0%, 5% and 10% with low heat exchange
2
= 1.135 W/(m K) in all sections; b) detail of region in Figure 9a.

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Figure 10. Pressure profile along the 3,600 m pipeline length, Wcut ranging from 0 to 90%, high heat exchange =
2 2
113.57 W/(m K) in sections 1 and 3, and = 1,135.7 W/(m K) in section 2.

Figure 11. Pressure profile along the 3,600 m pipeline length with Wcut ranging from 0% to 10% and heat exchange
2 2
= 113.57 W/(m K) in sections 1 and 3, and = 1,135.7 W/(m K) in section 2.

Complementary simulations increasing water difference required, allowing the mixture flow all
cut from 0% to 10% in steps of 1% were developed along the pipeline extension to be delivered at 1.17
to identify the value where the pressure begins to kg/cm².
change. The results are shown in Figure 11, where
it is possible to visualize the variation along the Unlike small temperature variations obtained
3,600 m length in more detail. Of course, the with low heat exchange (Figure 9, with Wcut 0%,
reduction in pressure drop can be attributed solely 5% e 15%), at high heat exchange the temperature
to water cut. has an abrupt decrease, from 66.7 °C, at the input
plane of pipe, to 26 °C, in the first 400 m (as seen in
In this figure, the pressure curve with Wcut = Figure 12), with Wcut = 6%. Comparing both
4% is where the inversion point has already profiles in the initial 400 m, the temperature
occurred, and the maximal distance achieved by gradient changes from -0,028 oC/m (low heat
the mixture is 1,700 m. A small increase in water exchange) to -0.1 oC/m (high heat exchange).
cut, from 4% to 6%, reduced the pressure

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2
Figure 12. Temperature fluid behavior with Wcut = 6% and heat exchange = 113.57 W/(m K) in sections 1 and
2
3, and = 1,135.7 W/(m K) in section 2.

As the second section is submerged in the river, b) The use of isolation with W/O emulsion was
the oil temperature further decreases find an proved unnecessary since the pressures that
equilibrium point with an external ambient reached the outlet are similar in both cases
temperature of 16 °C at 903 m (Figure 12). At 1,005 (low and high heat exchange);
m (section 3), oil exchanges heat with air at a
temperature of 26 °C, comes into equilibrium c) A satisfactory head loss reduction was
(1,330 m), and maintains this temperature until the reached with a Wcut=10% for both cases,
output plane at 3,600 m. For Wcut of 10%, the showing that a percentage of water greater
temperature profile along the pipe showed little than that is unnecessary. The purpose of the
change concerning Figure 12, and, for this reason, pipeline is to carry the largest volume of oil
that result is not shown. possible until the delivery.

In both situations (low and high heat exchange), Besides, a refinement of this research involves
a Wcut greater than 10% seems to be unnecessary, studying pipe corrosion and the initiation of growth
since the objective is to transport oil with this of paraffin deposits at oil-in-water emulsion.
water and the head loss reduction obtained is Because water is the continuous phase, crude oil
satisfactory. has no contact with the pipe's wall, reducing pipe
corrosion for crudes with high sulfur contents and
preventing the deposition of sediments in pipes, as
is common for crudes with high asphaltene
4. CONCLUSION contents (Poynter & Tigrina, 1970).

The influence of temperature drop on the flow

can provide great difficulties in flowing through the
pipe, especially when dealing with heavy oils. The ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
appearance of paraffin, hydrates and/or
asphaltenes are examples of problems caused by Professor Oldrich Joel Romero would like to thank
FAPES – Espirito Santo Research and Innovation
this thermal unbalance.
Support Foundation for the financial support
a) There is a need for a water cut of 5% and 6% through “Edital FAPES 21/2018 – Universal”. The
for low heat exchange and high heat authors thank Schlumberger for granting the
exchange, respectively, to drive the fluid as academic license Pipesim® software and SPE
an oil-in-water emulsion to the delivery student chapter of Ufes <spe.ufes.br> for granting
location; access to OnePetro platform <onepetro.org>.

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