Peculiarities of the operation of the oil pipeline in the process of its cleaning from paraffin deposition

Abstract

Purpose: Improving the technology of cleaning the inner surface of the main oil pipelines from paraffin deposition by specifying the hydrodynamic parameters of the movement of the cleaning device in the cavity of the pipeline, by more accurate prediction of the time of its approach to the final point of purification. Design/methodology/approach: Performing theoretical researches and application of mathematical modelling methods in order to establish the regularities of the cleaning device movement in the oil pipeline. Findings: Regularities of changes in the capacity of the pipeline, the speed of the cleaning process, the specific energy consumption for oil transportation as a function of the linear coordinates of the place and time of the cleaning device movement in the pipeline were established. Research limitations/implications: The next stage of research is to establish the influence of the characteristics of the viscoplastic fluid of the paraffin plug on the additional resistance and the mode of the cleaning device movement in the pipeline. Practical implications: It was developed the method that allows predicting the capacity and energy efficiency of the pipeline operation for each point in time of the process of cleaning from paraffin deposition. Originality/value: The originality of the method is the taking into account the additional hydraulic resistance of the paraffin plug and the available energy resources of oil pumping stations on the hydrodynamic process of moving the cleaning device in the oil pipeline.