ThermTracTM heating system: reliable technology for heavy oil transportation

A heat tracing system applied to a pipeline can keep a high viscosity product at a temperature exceeding the pour point value during both transportation and shut-down conditions. The heat tracing system can also heat the pipeline from ambient temperature to the required value prior to transportation of high pour oil, thus avoiding the need to circulate heating fluids to melt the waxes deposited during long shut-downs. Should it be necessary, the heating system can stay on continuously throughout the lifetime of the pipeline. The ThermTrac^TM skin effect system is particularly well suited for heavy oil pipelines by virtue of its inherent ruggedness and ability to heat long distances (up to 12 km) from a single point. This paper includes: the presentation of the ThermTrac^TM skin effect heating system; process considerations relevant to heavy oil transportation; analysis of the thermal performance of an installed ThermTrac^TM system; test results of full-scale ThermTrac^TM system