Measurements of drag reduction in two-phase oil-gas slug flow are presented in this study. Two types of oil with markedly different viscosities were examined in 10-cm inner diameter horizontal pipes to evaluate the influence of oil viscosity on the total pressure loss and the effectiveness of drag-reducing agents (DRAs) in reducing the pressure drop in slug flow. The total pressure drop in the 50-cP oil was always more significant than in the 2.5-cP oil, especially when increasing the gas flow rate. However, the DRA was more effective in reducing the total pressure drop in the 2.5-cP oil. Furthermore, increasing liquid velocity, thus increasing liquid volume fraction, resulted in an increase in the DRA effectiveness for both oils.

1.
Daas
,
M.
,
Kang
,
C.
, and
Jepson
,
W. P.
,
2002
, “
Quantitative Analysis of Drag Reduction in Horizontal Slug Flow
,”
SPE J.
,
7
(
3
), pp.
337
343
.
2.
Daas, M., Kang, C., and Jepson, P., 2001, “Effects of Oil Viscosity on DRA Effectiveness and the Components of Pressure Drop in Inclined Slug Flow,” Proc. 10th International Conference in Multiphase ’01, BHR Group Limited, Cannes, France, pp. 459–476.
3.
Daas, M., Kang, C., and Jepson, P., 2000, “The Effects of Viscosity on the Performance of Drag Reducing Agents in Multiphase Flow,” ETC/OMAE 2000 Joint Conference, New Orleans, LA, pp. 537–541.
4.
Kang, C., and Jepson, W. P., 2001, “Comparison of the Performance of Drag Reducing Agent Between 2.5 cP Oil and 6 cP Oil in Multiphase Flow in Horizontal Pipes,” Proc. of the Engineering Technology Conference on Energy, ASME, Houston, TX, Vol. B, pp. 947–953.
5.
Fernandas, R., 2003, “Multiphase Drag Reduction in Horizontal Flows,” Proc. 11th International Conference on Multiphase 03: Extending the Boundaries of Flow Assurance, BHR Group Limited, San Remo, Italy, pp. 359–371.
6.
Xia
,
G.
,
Wang
,
M.
,
Lu
,
Y.
,
Ma
,
C.
, and
Mewes
,
D.
,
2004
, “
Influences of Surfactant on Frictional Pressure Drop in Gas-Liquid Flow
,”
J. Chem. Ind. Eng. (China)
,
55
(
5
), pp.
727
731
.
7.
Sylvester
,
N. D.
,
Dowling
,
R. H.
, and
Brill
,
J. P.
,
1980
, “
Drag Reduction in Cocurrent Horizontal Gas-Hexane Pipe Flow
,”
Polym. Eng. Sci.
,
20
(
7
), pp.
485
492
.
8.
Greskovich
,
E. J.
, and
Shrier
,
A. L.
,
1971
, “
Pressure Drop and Holdup in Horizontal Slug Flow
,”
AIChE J.
,
17
(
5
), pp.
1214
1219
.
9.
Fernandas
,
R.
,
Jutte
,
B. M.
, and
Rodriguez
,
M. G.
,
2004
, “
Drag Reduction in Horizontal Annular Two-Phase Flow
,”
Int. J. Multiphase Flow
,
30
(
9
), pp.
1051
1069
.
10.
Sifferman
,
T. R.
, and
Greenkorn
,
R. A.
,
1981
, “
Drag Reduction in Three Distinctly Different Fluid Systems
,”
SPE J.
,
21
(
6
), pp.
663
669
.
11.
Horn
,
A. F.
,
Wu
,
C. D.
,
Prilutski
,
D. J.
, and
Motier
,
J. F.
,
1986
, “
High Viscosity Crude Drag Reduction
,”
Pipeline and Gas Journal
,
213
(
6
), pp.
22
25
.
12.
Mansour
,
A. R.
,
Swaiti
,
O.
,
Aldoss
,
T.
, and
Issa
,
M.
,
1988
, “
Drag Reduction in Turbulent Crude Oil Pipelines Using a New Chemical Solvent
,”
Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow
,
9
(
3
), pp.
316
320
.
13.
Mansour
,
A. R.
, and
Aswad
,
Z. R.
,
1989
, “
Method to Minimize Costs or Maximize Flow Rtae of Pumping Crude Oil Inside Pipelines Using a New Drag Reducing Additive
,”
J. Pipelines
,
7
(
3
), pp.
301
305
.
You do not currently have access to this content.