a review of improving the heavy crude oil transportation process using additives

Transporting heavy crude oil from the wellhead to the oil refineries. it is essential because worldwide oil production is on the rise. these oils are characterized by high viscosity and low api gravity. due to these specifications, the flow of oil through pipelines is complex, and to facilitate its transportation, it must be treated. in this paper, the additives that reduce the viscosity and density of crude oil and reduce the asphalt materials in it, which, if their percentage increases, are deposited in the transport pipelines. additives are not only to reduce the viscosity and density of heavy oils, but their use aims to reduce the content of asphalt and sulfur materials and as a result of all this friction and pressure losses between crude oil and pipes will be reduced during transportation, with a decrease in viscosity and density of crude oil will increase its movement, and with a reduction in sulfur content will reduce corrosion that causes severe damage to pipes. solvents (such as naphtha, toluene, gasoline, and kerosene), surfactants (including petroleum sulfonates and polymeric surfactants), and nanoparticles (like al2o3 and fe2o3) are the key additives that enable this enhancement and optimization for the transportation of crude oil through pipelines. one of the essential additions that improves heavy crude oil is the addition of solvents with low viscosity and density. these solvents reduce the viscosity of heavy crude oil, decrease the proportion of metals such as nickel and vanadium, and lower the sulfur content in crude oil.