
Technology Today
Episode 95: Transporting Heavy Crude Oil with EZ Flow™
From plastics to asphalt, we encounter products derived from heavy crude oil everywhere, every day. Using heavy crude oil begins with moving the oil over long distances from production locations to chemical plants and refineries. The oil is transported through a vast network of pipelines or on tankers, ships or by rail. Current heavy crude transportation methods can be costly. SwRI developed the patented two-part EZ Flow™ process to lower heavy crude oil viscosity, or thickness, by 60% or more, making transportation more efficient. The treated oil maintains reduced viscosity for months or longer. Listen now as SwRI Principal Scientist James Wood discusses obtaining a patent for the innovative EZ Flow process, how the technology lowers the cost of transporting heavy crude and what that could mean for consumers.




