LiquidPower Specialty Products

What LiquidPower Specialty Products does

LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc. (LSPI) is a Houston, Texas-based B2B specialty chemicals manufacturer that develops, produces, and supplies drag reducing agents (DRAs) — hydrocarbon polymer-based flow improvers that suppress turbulence in pipeline fluids, lowering frictional pressure losses and enabling operators to increase throughput, reduce pumping energy, and lower carbon emissions. Founded in the 1970s as part of Conoco Inc. and commercializing the first drag reducer (CDR) in 1979, LSPI has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway since 2014 and serves pipeline operators across more than 40 countries on six continents. Its customers include crude oil pipeline operators (light/medium and heavy grades), refined products pipeline operators (gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, renewable fuels), natural gas liquids pipeline operators, and operators of complex multiphase flow systems.

LSPI's product portfolio is organized around three flagship DRA families — LiquidPower® for light-to-medium crude (23+ degrees API, commercialized in the 1990s), RefinedPower® for refined products (commercialized 1997), and ExtremePower® for heavy crude (commercialized 2008) — supplemented by dedicated multiphase and NGL flow improvers and a suite of specialized variants (LP 100, LP 111, LP 300, LP Winter, LP Arctic Grade, EP 2000, RP II). The offering is reinforced by proprietary skid-mounted injection equipment, customized pipeline modeling software backed by over 40 years of DRA performance data, and a dedicated R&D center with 16 laboratories, pilot plant facilities, and a semi-works manufacturing unit. LSPI holds over 70 granted U.S. patents plus foreign equivalents and operates the largest DRA manufacturing footprint in the industry, ISO 9001:2015 certified and capable of 24/7 production.

LSPI operates a consultative, relationship-driven B2B sales motion and earns revenue primarily through usage-based sales of its DRA chemicals — pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, structured around pipeline characteristics and volume. The full-service model bundles chemistry, proprietary injection equipment, technical consulting, pipeline modeling, and field service under a single point of accountability, with field representatives stationed near customer sites globally. Distribution is executed through the wholly-owned LSP Transport LLC fleet (trucks and rail cars) in the US and a network of in-country distribution partners internationally, supported by regional headquarters in Houston, Calgary (Canada), and Vilvoorde (Belgium, covering EMEA and Asia Pacific). Customer segments include enterprise pipeline operators; specific end-customer logos are not publicly named, but use cases span West Texas Intermediate, Alaska North Slope, Bakken, Eagle Ford, Mars, Western Canada Select, Castilla Blend, Cold Lake Heavy, and other named crude grades.

Name

LiquidPower Specialty Products

Legal name

LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc.

Website

https://liquidpower.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc. (LSPI) is a Houston-based B2B specialty chemicals manufacturer producing drag reducing agents (DRA) that improve pipeline flow for crude oil, refined product, NGL, and multiphase pipeline operators in over 40 countries. LSPI is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals (Pipeline Drag Reducing Agents)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Metering Pumps (IMAHANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Diluent / Blended Crude (e.g., Dilbit) Pipeline Transportation (TLAGAAAF), Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves) (IMAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Drag reducing agents
• Pipeline flow improvers
• Specialty oilfield chemicals
• Crude oil pipeline chemicals
• Pipeline throughput optimization

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Drag Reducing Agent Products: LSPI manufactures and sells proprietary DRA products (LiquidPower, RefinedPower, ExtremePower) to pipeline operators globally. Revenue is generated through product sales with full-service support including equipment, technical consulting, and field service. Products are consumed based on pipeline throughput and operational requirements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc. (LSPI) manufactures and sells specialty chemical drag reducing agents (DRAs) used by pipeline operators worldwide to reduce turbulence in pipeline fluids. Products include the LiquidPower, RefinedPower, ExtremePower, and multi-phase flow improver lines, each targeting different fluid types (light/medium crude, heavy crude, refined products, NGLs, multiphase flows). The company delivers its products through a full-service model that bundles proprietary skid-mounted injection equipment, technical consulting, pipeline modeling, and field service into the offering.

Product overview

LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc. (LSPI) offers a comprehensive portfolio of pipeline drag reducing agents (DRAs) as a single unified product line. The core product family consists of three branded flow improver lines: LiquidPower™ for light to medium crude oils (23+ degrees API), ExtremePower® for heavy crude applications (below 23 degrees API), and RefinedPower® for refined products and NGLs. Each product line includes specific formulations (LP 100, LP 111, LP 300, LP Winter, LP Arctic Grade, EP 2000, RP II) optimized for different crude grades, temperatures, and operational conditions. LSPI also provides multi-phase flow improver solutions for complex multiphase applications. All products are delivered through a full-service model that includes proprietary injection equipment, technical support, and global distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LiquidPower® Flow Improvers: Drag reducing agent products for light to medium crude oil pipelines (>23 degrees API). Originally developed in 1994 and continuously improved over three decades.
• ExtremePower® Flow Improvers
• RefinedPower® Flow Improvers

Products and services

• LiquidPower Flow Improver Drag Reducing Agent (DRA) product line for light to medium crude oil pipeline applications (23 degrees API and above). Enables more than double the throughput with no adverse impact on crude quality or refinery operations. Sold to pipeline operators globally.
• ExtremePower Flow Improver Drag Reducing Agent (DRA) product line for heavy crude oil pipeline applications (below 23 degrees API). Provides up to 50% drag reduction and up to 50% flow increase while minimizing crude temperature increase during transport. Sold to pipeline operators globally.
• RefinedPower Flow Improver Drag Reducing Agent (DRA) product line for refined products pipelines including gasoline, diesel, biodiesel blends, and renewable fuels. Demonstrates up to 80% drag reduction with over 25 years of field-proven effectiveness. Sold to refined products pipeline operators globally.
• Multi-Phase Flow Improver Drag Reducing Agent (DRA) for multiphase flow applications including bubble flow, annular flow, and slug flow regimes. Pioneered by LSPI for complex multiphase flow systems requiring drag reduction. Sold to operators with multiphase pipeline systems.
• Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Flow Improver RefinedPower-based flow improver solutions for Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) pipeline applications across the Americas. Provides better operational efficiency and increased throughput with minimal capital investment. Sold to pipeline operators transporting natural gas liquids.
• DRA Injection Equipment and Field Service Proprietary skid-mounted DRA injection systems designed for reliable field operations, with proactive monitoring, automatic alerts, and preventative maintenance provided by an assigned network of field service representatives stationed near customer locations. Bundled as part of LSPI's full-service DRA offering for pipeline operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 100%+ throughput increase in light/medium crude pipelines
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Innospec Inc. Innospec is a global specialty chemicals company with a Performance Chemicals segment serving oilfield and pipeline applications. It directly competes with LSPI in oilfield flow assurance and specialty chemical additives, sharing the same B2B consultative sales model targeting pipeline operators.
• Newpark Resources Inc. Newpark Resources provides specialty fluids and chemicals for oilfield and industrial applications, including products used in upstream and midstream operations. It competes with LSPI in oilfield specialty chemicals and shares exposure to oil & gas end markets.

Broad incumbents

• Stepan Company: Stepan is a specialty chemicals manufacturer producing polymers, surfactants, and specialty products for industrial applications including oil & gas. While broader in scope, it serves overlapping oilfield and pipeline chemical end markets and competes for share-of-wallet with LSPI at major oil & gas customers.
• Croda International Plc: Croda is a global specialty chemicals company with significant oil & gas applications including production chemicals and pipeline additives. It competes with LSPI in the broader specialty oilfield chemicals market and has overlapping polymer chemistry capabilities relevant to DRA.
• Lubrizol Corporation: Lubrizol is a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary and global specialty chemicals company serving industrial markets including oil & gas. As a corporate sibling to LSPI within Berkshire's industrial segment, it represents the most direct internal comparable for specialty chemical operations at scale.
• Ecolab Inc. Ecolab operates the NALCO Champion oilfield production chemicals business serving upstream and midstream operators. It competes with LSPI in oilfield specialty chemicals and provides water treatment and flow assurance solutions to pipeline operators globally.
• Halliburton Company: Halliburton provides oilfield services and specialty chemicals through its Halliburton Energy Services and Landmark divisions. While primarily an oilfield services company, its production chemistry offerings compete with LSPI in flow assurance and pipeline applications.
• Phillips 66: Phillips 66 is the former parent of LSPI (spun off in 2012 before Berkshire acquisition) and operates significant midstream pipeline assets. It shares historical lineage with LSPI and continues to be both a customer and a benchmark for integrated oil & gas midstream operations.

Others

• Enbridge Inc. Enbridge operates the largest crude oil pipeline network in North America and is a major customer of LSPI's LiquidPower and ExtremePower products. While not a competitor, it represents the largest single end-market customer and is highly relevant for understanding LSPI's addressable market.
• Kinder Morgan Inc. Kinder Morgan is one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America with extensive crude oil, refined products, and NGL pipeline networks. As a major LSPI customer, it represents a key demand driver for DRA products and provides market sizing context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liquidpower-specialty-products-inc-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LiquidPower Specialty Products