A Practical Protection of Edmonton-Hardisty Capsule Pipelining: Trunkline Test

Abstract

The first trunkline test of capsule pipeline flow was carried out jointly from March 10 to 12, 1965, by the Research Council of Alberta and the Interprovincial Pipe Line Company. The Interprovincial system runs from Edmonton to Toronto, and the test was run in the 109-mile section of the 20-in.-O.D. No. 1 line from Edmonton to Hardisty. The capsule, which was 16 ins. in diameter and about 50 ins. long, consisted of a steel shell filled with crude oil and weighed 514 lbs. The velocity of the capsule was determined from timing observations at fifty-two points along the line. The capsule velocity averaged 2.88 ft/sec (1.95 mph) over the undulating country; the average oil velocity was 4.08 ft/sec (2.52 to 3.11 mph). The ratio of capsule to oil velocity generally varied from 0.62 to 0.85, and was dependent both on the gradient of the line and on the oil velocity, the effect of the latter being more pronounced. The flow characteristics of the large-scale capsule are compatible with those found in the extensive laboratory investigations and confirm the belief that capsule pipelining merits comprehensive technological research and development.