RESEARCH ON THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH-FREQUENCY, SUPER-HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC AND THERMAL EFFECTS ON THE PROPERTIES OF YAREGSKAYA AND DEVONIAN PETROLEUM

Abstract

Petroleum produced in different regions and fields differ significantly in quality. The organization of pipeline transport of petroleum streams of a various quality produced in different geographic regions, according to a system with a complex topological structure, is possible only when controlling the quality of petroleum in traffic flows, in particular, controlling such property of petroleum as viscosity. Petroleum viscosity has a decisive influence on the performance of pumping and power equipment. The characteristics of the main petroleum pipelines depend on content’s viscosity. By influencing petroleum viscosity, it is possible to change the results of hydraulic calculations of main petroleum pipelines and pumping and power equipment without changing the equipment themselves, therefore, the task of changing the rheological characteristics of the pumped petroleum is timely. In this work, for the first time, thermal, super-high-frequency electromagnetic (SHF EM), high-frequency electromagnetic (HF EM) methods of treating the Siberian Devonian commercial petroleum and commercial petroleum of the Timan-Pechora province — Yaregskaya are studied. Both petroleum were exposed to thermal, high-frequency and super-high-frequency electromagnetic treatment on unique laboratory benches assembled at the Bashkir State University. As a result of the carried out studies, it was discovered that electromagnetic treatment affects the rheological properties of these petroleum in the temperature range corresponding to the operating temperatures of main petroleum pipelines. The most effective was the EM HF method of exposure. The relaxation time of the rheological properties of Devonian and Yaregskaya petroleum after EM treatment is 5 days, which is substantial compared to the currently popular thermal heating. The results of preliminary heat treatment with subsequent cooling on the Devonian and Yarega petroleum showed less efficiency compared to the results of electromagnetic treatment. When temperatures reach 30 degrees Celsius and above, the effectiveness of thermal and EM methods of exposure for both petroleum is reduced to zero. Another problem that arises during the pipeline transport of Yaregskaya and Devonian petroleum is the formation of asphalt-resin-paraffin deposits (ARPD) on the inner walls of the pipeline, leading to the need for more frequent cleaning of the pipeline, higher energy consumption to ensure the specified productivity of the pipeline. EM processing has also become one of the methods for solving this problem. As a result of an experiment to determine the amount of deposits on the inner walls of petroleum pipelines without treatment and after EM exposure, it was revealed that HF EM treatment is a preventive method for combating ARPD for Yaregskaya and Devonian petroleum. For Yaregskaya petroleum treated with HF EM field, the ARPD value on the walls of the model pipeline was 6 times less than for untreated Yaregskaya petroleum. Thus, as a result of all the work carried out within the framework of the study, it was found that high-frequency and super-high-frequency electromagnetic processing methods are effective in the transport of Yaregskaya and Devonian petroleum, and, unlike the thermal method of exposure and the introduction of additives, they contribute to an increase in the productivity of petroleum pipelines by improving the rheological properties of petroleum for a significantly long period of time, as well as to a reduction in formation of ARPD on the inner walls.