Ivor R. Ellul has a PhD in Petroleum Engineering as well as years of executive experience in the oil and gas sectors. Currently, Ivor Ellul serves as managing director of CiSK Ventures in Houston, Texas. He has also authored a number of technical papers, including one presented at the 2002 Annual PISG Meeting entitled The Prediction of Liquid Dropout and Associated Slugging in Offshore Pipeline Gathering Systems.

1. Ivor R Ellul
Issues Caused by Oil Pipeline
Slugs

2. Introduction
 Ivor R. Ellul has a PhD in Petroleum Engineering as
well as years of executive experience in the oil and
gas sectors. Currently, Ivor Ellul serves as managing
director of CiSK Ventures in Houston, Texas. He has
also authored a number of technical papers, including
one presented at the 2002 Annual PISG Meeting
entitled The Prediction of Liquid Dropout and
Associated Slugging in Offshore Pipeline Gathering
Systems.
An oil slug can be described as a flow variation, a
concentrated mass, or a plug or blockage in a
pipeline. Certain conditions, such as low points,
gravity, terrain, flow imbalances, or other factors can
cause a slug to form. Slugs can cause a number of
issues impacting the oil and gas transportation

3. Oil Pipeline Slugs
 For example, slugs can cause entire oil platforms
or machinery to shut down as a result of the
associated increase in pressure. This limits the
production output and capacity of a plant.
Additionally, it can also cause the loss of energy
commodities due to flaring, which is the burning
of gas or oil that cannot be processed.
Slugs are very difficult to predict due to their
volatile nature. However, tools do exist to help
avoid the issues caused by slugs. These include
slugcatchers, which are mechanisms used to
collect liquids that settle in pipelines.