Patent ID: 6491053
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: F17D,Y10T

Abstract:
A system for reducing the viscosity of crude oil comprising:an elongated pressurized treating vessel having a crude oil inlet and a gasified crude oil outlet; a reduced diameter gas injection pipe coaxially positioned substantially along its entire length within said treating vessel and having a plurality of spaced apart small diameter outlet openings therein along substantially its entire length and a larger diameter gas inlet opening communicating with the exterior of said treating vessel; and an auger-shaped fin spirally supported on an exterior surface of said gas injection pipe, crude oil flowing under pressure into said treating vessel through said crude oil inlet passing in a circuitous route around said gas injection pipe as channeled by said fin past said plurality of small diameter openings along substantially the length of said gas injection pipe whereby CO2 gas injected under pressure into said gas injection pipe is thoroughly mixed with said crude oil and said CO2 gas substantially completely absolved within said treating vessel to form a substantially single phase gasified crude oil that is discharged through said gasified crude oil outlet.