Abstract: A method for producing a particulate polymer drag reducing agent, comprising granulating a bulk polymer DRA having an average size of greater than about 100 mm in the presence of a liquid wetting agent to form a granulated polymer DRA having an average size of from about 1 to about 100 mm. The granulated polymer DRA may then be ground to form a particulate polymer DRA having an average particle size of less than about 1 mm. The “wet” granulation process may advantageously enable one-step granulation and therefore simplified production of polymer DRAs. Examples of the liquid wetting agent include blends of glycols with water and/or an alcohol. Preferred production apparatus includes use of multiple rotary jaws for the granulation.

Abstract: A method of extending or broadening the effective time of drag reduction for a drag reducing agent in a pipeline may be custom-designed by combining two drag reducing slurries or other drag reducing products made by different or alternative techniques. For instance a precipitation polymer slurry derived from polymer precipitation where the polymer dissolves relatively quickly can be combined with a ground polymer slurry derived by grinding bulk polymer (ground at either cryogenic or non-cryogenic temperatures), or by using other size reduction techniques, where the latter polymer dissolves relatively slowly. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, bulk polymer may be ground directly into a precipitation polymer slurry to make the ground polymer slurry and blend the slurries simultaneously, where the precipitation polymer slurry serves as an anti-agglomeration agent.

Abstract: Drag reduction of hydrocarbon fluids flowing through pipelines of various lengths is improved by polyolefin drag reducer dispersions or dispersions using bi- or multi-modal particle size distributions. Drag reducers having larger particle sizes dissolve more slowly than drag reducers having smaller particle sizes. By using at least bi-modal particle size distributions drag reduction can be distributed more uniformly over the length of the pipeline where smaller sized particles dissolve sooner or earlier in the pipeline and larger sized particles dissolve later or further along the pipeline.

Abstract: High shear materials processing produces polymer drag reducing agent (DRA) slurries without cryogenic temperatures or conventional grinding. The homogenizing or size reduction, as well as controlled molecular weight reduction, of polymer such as poly(alpha-olefins), is achieved by the use of pre-ground polymer and at least one liquid, non-solvent for the polymer DRA in a high shear materials processor such as a homogenizer. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the homogenizing is conducted at ambient temperature. Examples of suitable non-solvents include water and non-aqueous non-solvents including, but not necessarily limited to, alcohols, glycols, glycol ethers, ketones, and esters, having from 2-6 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof. The polymeric DRA may be homogenized to an average particle size of about 300 microns or less.

Abstract: A method of preparing a polymer under predetermined temperature conditions comprises conducting the polymerization within a closed reaction chamber configured such that most or all of an inner surface has heat exchange capability. The chamber's dimensions are such that the polymerization mixture contacts the effective heat exchange surface sufficiently to ensure that the temperature throughout the polymerization mixture does not vary more than a few degrees from a desired temperature. In one embodiment the chamber is formed of two adjacent, parallel heat exchange plates, wherein at least one plate has a peripheral lip which, in contact with the opposing plate, forms the closed chamber. Multiple plates can be arrayed to form multiple chambers, and each chamber's polymerization temperature, as well as resident polymerization mixture, can be individually predetermined.