Saving energy: Increasing oil flow in the Keystone pipeline with electric fields

A strong electric field applied to a section of the Keystone pipeline can smooth oil flow and yield significant pump energy savings. Once aligned with an electric field, oil retained its low viscosity and turbulence for more than 11 hours before returning to its original viscosity. The process is repeatable and the researchers envision placing aligning stations spaced along a pipeline, significantly reducing the energy necessary to transport oil. ...read more