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Calcimator

Pipeline Hydraulics Calculator

Calculate pressure drop, pump station count, and horsepower requirements for petroleum pipelines.

Inputs

bbl/day
miles
inches
cP
ft

Results

Total Pressure Drop

82,906 psi

Pump Stations Required

60

Flow Velocity4.14 ft/s
Reynolds Number65,335
Flow Regime3
Friction Loss82,906 psi
Elevation Head0 psi
HP per Pump Station5,533 HP
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Flow Rate, Pipeline Length, and Pipe Inner Diameter.
  2. Set Oil Viscosity, Oil Specific Gravity, and Elevation Change.
  3. Review Total Pressure Drop (psi) and Pump Stations Required.
  4. Use Flow Velocity (ft/s) and Reynolds Number to inform your decision.
  5. Use the chart to visualize the results and explore different scenarios by adjusting inputs.

How the result changes with Pipe Inner Diameter

Pipe Inner DiameterTotal Pressure DropPump Stations Required
9.67,126,331 psi5,091
2482,906 psi60
407,156 psi6
541,708 psi2

What each input means

Flow Rate
Pipeline throughput in barrels per day.
Pipeline Length
Total length of the pipeline in miles.
Pipe Inner Diameter
Internal diameter of the pipe in inches.
Oil Viscosity
Dynamic viscosity of the crude oil in centipoise at operating temperature.
Oil Specific Gravity
Specific gravity of the oil relative to water.
Elevation Change
Net elevation change from inlet to outlet. Positive means uphill.

What each result means

Flow Regime
1=Laminar, 2=Transitional, 3=Turbulent

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Flow Rate = 200000, Pipeline Length = 500, Pipe Inner Diameter = 24, Oil Viscosity = 10 = 6 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Total Pressure Drop
    Total Pressure Drop
    82906 = 82906
  3. Calculate Pump Stations Required
    Pump Stations Required
    60 = 60
  4. Calculate Flow Velocity
    Flow Velocity
    4.14 = 4.14
  5. Calculate Reynolds Number
    Reynolds Number
    65335 = 65335

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