QS Energy, developer of integrated technology solutions for energy industry, is currently engaged in discussions with two of the world’s largest crude oil producing nations in the Middle East to provide deployment strategies for its AOT viscosity/pressure drop reduction technology
Under a non-disclosure agreement with one of the entities, QS Energy will be testing customer-provided crude oil samples at USA’s Temple University’s department of physics laboratory and performing feasibility studies to determine the potential benefits of AOT installations on a specific number of pumping stations on several pipeline systems.
Greggory M. Bigger, CEO of QS Energy, said, “There are a number of large infrastructure modernisation programmes underway in the Middle East to increase crude oil output and significantly expand the pipeline systems that transport upstream production to refineries and marine offloading facilities.
“Our objective is to forecast how the use of AOT technology might improve the efficiencies and OPEX performance of their respective pipeline systems.”
Bigger added that the opportunities stem from upstream projects undertaken by two of the region’s most prominent oil producers to step up production and improve delivery to market. Recently, several oil-producing nations including OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq have announced ambitious plans to increase output and streamline their ability to transport production to refineries and seaports for delivery to foreign markets.
During Q1 and Q2 2015, crude oil samples from a major Middle East oil producer were provided to Temple University for laboratory testing to simulate the potential benefits of AOT on a commercial pipeline. The test results demonstrated viscosity reductions of 20-35 per cent using AOT technology.
“As a result of these performance benchmarks, we have moved to discussions with this Middle East entity regarding a project-specific AOT viscosity/pressure drop reduction system. QS Energy has also provided a detailed benefit analysis case study for their review and provided recommendations for outfitting a certain pipeline with the AOT equipment. Following similar laboratory testing with another top-tier Middle East oil producer, in May 2016 QS Energy executed a non-disclosure agreement in consideration and evaluation of potential transactions and joint development activities,” according to the CEO.
“Based on our continuing interactions with these organisations, we believe that they are dedicated to implementing strategic, multi-pronged engineering programmes to improve the existing pipeline infrastructure and deliver hydrocarbons more efficiently and cost-effectively to global markets,” he noted.
