Testing of Custody transfer skid with Light Crude Oil

[irfan08]

We have a to find an equivalent fluid that is equivalent to light crude oil (specially viscosity property) that we can readily use. Please if anyone know of any substitute and also what we need to be aware of in this regards.

Properties of actual fluid is as follows,
Kinematic Viscosity @ 104ºF, 333.6 cSt

Thank you

 

[BigInch]

Man, if that's "light", I'd hate to see your heavy. A cSt of 334 isn't exactly what I would call "light" crude.
"Light Crude" is a hell of a lot closer to something called "used motor oil" in my frame of reference.


**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[BigInch]

PS. Light crude oil is defined as having an API gravity higher than 31.1 °API

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/API_gravity

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[irfan08]

Wow that's a rude awakening. Thanks for the education.

So I have to correct my clients document with light to heavy.

Now question is water suffcient enough to be simulated in these system.
It's a blackmer vane type pump. If not what are the alternatives.

 

[BigInch]

I doubt you can use water. Its probably no where near the nondimensional hydraulic rules of similitude.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[jmw]

Er, I'm just guessing here, but Heavy fuel oil? it's cheap enough ... though a bit dirty; you'll probably need to flush with diesel afterwards.
Someone will blend to the viscosity you need, but... it may be more trouble than its worth. Then again, some crudes aren't that clean either and if this a heavy crude...

PS Is it more likely they have quoted the wrong viscosity or viscosity units or reference temperature than that they have confused a light crude with a heavy crude?
Which is the more fundamental error to make?
I wouldn't guess, I'd throw it back to them as a query and not go correcting docs until I know the answer!



JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[irfan08]

JMW,

We have already posed the question to client and waiting for clarification. We think it is 33.36 cSt rather than 333.6 cSt

 

[BigInch]

What oil field, or area is this coming out of?

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[jmw]

Ah!, your last response mislead me... you should have added a smiley perhaps?

Water is not always a good test fluid. Plenty of fluids around 30cst but among the cheapest will be IF30 fuel oil.... I still incline to a fuel oil as a test medium and I am assuming quite a high throughput for you custody transfer system such that other fluids are going to be expensive unless they are available on site anyway.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[irfan08]

BigInch,

It is in Rubiales Field in Colombia, south America.

 

[BigInch]

El Campo Rubiales de Meta! Creo que el crudo alli es muy similar lo de Caño Limon with an api of about 34º, if I can remember back to 1986. Casi todos burn nicely with some filtering and I think you could fill up a diesel truck and go with it. I'm sure you're looking at dirty motor oil. Nothing like 333 cSt. Sequro q'es como 33.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[irfan08]

All,

I am told to use AW 32 hydraulic oil, which is non flammable according to the vendor and its a cheaper solution.

BigInch,

casi todos???I am already stuck in between colombians, and saudis, but still don't know or understand much of any.

 

[JLSeagull]

I worked a Colombian project where the density was reasonably light but wax increased the viscosity. I would have to run a conversion as I normally see viscosity in cP.

 

[BigInch]

Quais.

**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world’s energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies)

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/