Abstract
Abstract The precipitation and deposition of paraffin wax during production, transportation and storage of crude oil are common problems encountered by the majority of oil producers around the world. During the last decade, the Barrackpore oilfield in Trinidad has reported wax deposition on nineteen (19) of its wells. This condition has been exacerbated due to the reduction of temperature, pressures and losses of gas which have allowed wax to separate from the crude oil, precipitate and deposit in the walls of tubings, thereby reducing their diameter and restricting the flow of oil through the system. The situation represented a serious problem for Petroleum Company of Trinidad & Tobago (Petrotrin), because it caused a reduction in the production levels and significant economic losses. This study was based on the necessity to find feasible solutions to minimize this problem. The research was focused to determine if there was influence of the resin/asphaltene ratio on wax deposition under laboratory conditions, to start an understanding process of the causative factors of these depositions. In addition, the influence of two (2) different wax inhibitors were studied for comparison, since it is understood they may behave as resins peptizing the asphaltene particles and keeping them in solution. To ensure the validity of this investigation, extensive bibliographical reviews were undertaken, followed by numerous laboratory tests such as SARA analysis, Cloud Point Tests and Wax Content Tests as methods to evaluate the crude oil and its behaviour under various conditions. The results showed that wax and asphaltene content are the controlling factors in the precipitation and depositions processes respectively.
Published Version
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