Black powder flowing with hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon pipeline is converted into a magnetorheological slurry by implementing wet scrubbing in the hydrocarbon pipeline. A flow of the magnetorheological slurry through the hydrocarbon pipeline is controlled.

Black powder flowing with hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon pipeline is converted into a magnetorheological slurry by implementing wet scrubbing in the hydrocarbon pipeline. A flow of the magnetorheological slurry through the hydrocarbon pipeline is controlled.

A continuous refill odorant injection system is provided that includes two tanks. A secondary tank is for short term use with an odorization system, and it can work independently or in conjunction with a primary, source tank that is able to hold more odorant than the secondary tank. This improves upon the logistics of an odorant injection system by allowing for continuous operation, less frequent odorant refill occasions, and flexibility in tank location and source location for the manufacture and transport of the larger primary tank.

A continuous refill odorant injection system is provided that includes two tanks. A secondary tank is for short term use with an odorization system, and it can work independently or in conjunction with a primary, source tank that is able to hold more odorant than the secondary tank. This improves upon the logistics of an odorant injection system by allowing for continuous operation, less frequent odorant refill occasions, and flexibility in tank location and source location for the manufacture and transport of the larger primary tank.

A method (400) for restarting flow in a waxy crude oil transporting pipeline (100), comprising: dividing (402) the gel plug into plurality of smaller gel segments (112, 114, 116) by removing a fraction of gel volume creating plurality of voids (132, 134), introducing (404) a compressible fluid into each of the voids; and applying (406) a pressure at first end (112A) of a first gel segment (112) contiguous to a pumping unit thereby creating a high pressure gradient between first end and second end (112B) of the first gel segment, causing the first gel segment to degrade and move towards a first void (132) thereby compressing the compressible fluid, the movement of the gel segment deforms and breaks the gel segment whereby the broken gel segment migrates towards a next gel segment (114) until all the gel segments are sequentially broken and flow of the waxy crude oil restarts.

A valve actuator system includes a valve actuator assembly having a body defining an interior cavity and a piston coupled to a piston rod and movable within a piston cylinder provided within the interior cavity. The piston cylinder has a first chamber on a first side of the piston and a second chamber on a second rod side of the piston. One or more electronic components are disposed within the interior cavity and include at least one processor. The one or more electronic components are configured to move the piston via controlled air pressure and to continuously monitor and/or determine a position of the piston rod relative to the piston cylinder. A fail-safe reservoir is coupled to a source of air and is connected to both the first chamber and the second chamber to provide operating air thereto. A controller is configured to communicate with the processor of the one or more electronic components remote from the body and to selectively monitor and control functions of the valve actuator systems from the controller. The first chamber is maintained at a substantially constant pressure and the second chamber is varied in pressure to move and/or to hold the position of the piston to place the piston rod at a desired position relative to the piston cylinder.

A valve actuator system includes a valve actuator assembly having a body defining an interior cavity and a piston coupled to a piston rod and movable within a piston cylinder provided within the interior cavity. The piston cylinder has a first chamber on a first side of the piston and a second chamber on a second rod side of the piston. One or more electronic components are disposed within the interior cavity and include at least one processor. The one or more electronic components are configured to move the piston via controlled air pressure and to continuously monitor and/or determine a position of the piston rod relative to the piston cylinder. A fail-safe reservoir is coupled to a source of air and is connected to both the first chamber and the second chamber to provide operating air thereto. A controller is configured to communicate with the processor of the one or more electronic components remote from the body and to selectively monitor and control functions of the valve actuator systems from the controller. The first chamber is maintained at a substantially constant pressure and the second chamber is varied in pressure to move and/or to hold the position of the piston to place the piston rod at a desired position relative to the piston cylinder.

Black powder flowing with hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon pipeline is converted into a magnetorheological slurry by implementing wet scrubbing in the hydrocarbon pipeline. A flow of the magnetorheological slurry through the hydrocarbon pipeline is controlled.

Black powder flowing with hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon pipeline is converted into a magnetorheological slurry by implementing wet scrubbing in the hydrocarbon pipeline. A flow of the magnetorheological slurry through the hydrocarbon pipeline is controlled.

The present disclosure provides a system and method for odorizing natural gas flowing through a distribution pipeline. The system includes a bypass line adjacent to a distribution pipeline, wherein bypass gas flows through the bypass line and an odorant tank connected to the bypass line, and into the distribution pipeline; a high-flow control valve and a low-flow control valve in the bypass line, wherein bypass gas flows through the odorant tank into the distribution pipeline when the high-flow control valve or the low-flow control valve is open; and a programmable logic controller connected to the high-flow and low flow control valve; wherein the programmable logic controller opens the high-flow or low-flow control valve for a predetermined dwell time proportional to an amount of bypass gas needed to odorize gas in the distribution pipeline each time that a preselected quantity of gas flows through the distribution pipeline.