Cushing, Oklahoma, dubs itself the pipeline crossroads of the world. The tagline is emblazoned on a giant roadside sign fashioned out of pipes on the corner of Main Street and South Stiles Road. It has a valve and everything.
I’d also suggest that rate of production is a serious element. How fast and at what volume are they able to process the sludge back into a usable state? On the above linked website, their faq identifies at least three different processes and handling methods determined by the state of the sludge. So this isn’t a simple or even expedient process and will be limited by the specific technical and infrastructure demands of the method. If they can start producing a hundred thousand barrels a day from sludge, there remains a significant shortfall to in the refining supply chain which can’t operate efficiently or even at all at reduced thresholds.
I’d also suggest that rate of production is a serious element. How fast and at what volume are they able to process the sludge back into a usable state? On the above linked website, their faq identifies at least three different processes and handling methods determined by the state of the sludge. So this isn’t a simple or even expedient process and will be limited by the specific technical and infrastructure demands of the method. If they can start producing a hundred thousand barrels a day from sludge, there remains a significant shortfall to in the refining supply chain which can’t operate efficiently or even at all at reduced thresholds.
Yeah, it’s something that could be done to recover oil in the long term, but doesn’t really help with the immediate problem in any way.