flow-assurance
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Salamander Solutions: The oil business has a weak point
A Shell spinout is betting that a better electric cable can coax more oil from stubborn wells. The clever part is removing the little connections that used to ruin the whole proposition.
Fluid Efficiency
Fluid Efficiency is a Caltech spin-out that builds MegaSupraMolecules (MSMs), self-assembling polymers that change how fluids move. Its flagship product is a removable drag-reducing agent for natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines - a fluid class where conventional drag reducers can't be used because leftover polymer fouls downstream fractionation equipment. By letting the additive be removed before sensitive processing, Fluid Efficiency helps midstream operators push more volume through existing pipelines without building new ones. The same polymer platform also reduces fuel misting (and the explosion risk that comes with it), improves lubricant viscosity, and aids long-distance pumping of crude and refined products.