Experimental Methodology Followed to Evaluate Wax Deposition Process

Abstract

This study illustrates the methodology used to evaluate wax deposition volume. It outlines the details of the rig used to evaluate the wax deposition process and study the factors that influence on the wax deposition process such as crude oil temperature, flow rate, pressure drop, inlet coolant temperature, oil viscosity, shear stress, time. Also, presents the different chemicals used as inhibitors to mitigate wax deposition and spiral flow as a mechanical method used to reduce wax deposition in the crude oil pipeline. This study, presents the standard analytical and chemical methods to characterise the crude oil. The experimental rig described in more details during this study. In this study, several strategies are followed and illustrated to study its influence on wax deposition process. During this work, four different techniques are used to estimate wax deposit thickness. These techniques are including pressure drop, pigging, heat transfer, and liquid displacement-level detection technique (LD-LD). After following the methodology to evaluate the wax deposition volume and the mitigation methods to decrease wax deposition, the results indicates that the reduction in wax deposition was 100% after using the effect of bending the spiral flow with the inhibitor W802 at a concentration of 1000 and 2000ppm at different time and flow rates. The reduction in wax deposition was 100% after using the effect of bending the spiral flow with the inhibitor W802 at a concentration of 500ppm at flow rate 4.8 L/min, and the reduction in wax deposition was 94% at the same concentration and flow rate 2.7 L/min.