Analysis of contamination in liquids hydrocarbons transport for pipes

Análisis de frentes de contaminación en el transporte de hidrocarburos líquidos por tubería

Pipeline contamination is usually understood to mean both the mixing effect produced when two different products transported by the same pipeline come into contact with each other and often the product of such mixing, as well. This product is often referred to as “contamination” or as “interface”. Clearly such intermixing is generally less serious in crude carrying, pipelines where each batch can become somewhat polluted by the batches immediately preceding and immediately following without significant damage. However, the situation is different in a finished products pipeline, which may carry products as different as aircraft gasoline and light fuel oils.

This article presents a brief description of the main factors influencing contamination with the objective of optimize conditions operating and to drive the more important respects about them.

La distribución de productos combustibles es una rama del sistema energético nacional y, por tanto, resulta vital para el desarrollo del país. Esta labor la realiza la Empresa Colombiana de Petróleos (Ecopetrol) a través de las gerencias de Oleoductos y Poliductos de la Vicepresidencia de Transporte (VIT), de las cuales forma parte una extensa red de líneas de transporte que permite trasladar los productos combustibles derivados del petróleo son transportados desde las refinerías hasta los centros de distribución o consumo masivo.