Wax Oil Research Articles

Sustainable fragrance release wax oil coating for wood substrate based on peppermint essential oil microcapsules

At present, odorous emissions from wood products are the main leading cause of perceived discomfort in indoor environments. The source control is the most effective way to reduce odorous emissions. Herein, this study aims to investigate the impact of peppermint essential oil microcapsules on the unpleasant odor emissions from wax oil coated wood products. In this paper, peppermint essential oil microcapsules were added to wax oil to endow wax oil-coated wood with continuous fragrance release. The results showed that the microcapsules prepared by the complex coacervation method with gelatin and gum arabic as the wall materials and peppermint essential oil as the core material had significant fragrance slow-release ability and improved thermal stability. Adding microcapsules to wood wax oil at a mass ratio of 10% has no significant effect on the quality of the paint film, but the presence of amino groups in the wall material of the microcapsules causes a significant color change of the finished wood. The release of aromatic odors in wax oil-coated wood is significantly prolonged. The main odorant compounds released in the early stage were terpenes with herbal, woody and balsamic flavor characteristics. The odor compounds released at a later stage are mainly alkanes, and the odor is expressed as waxy, herbal and woody. The dispersion of microcapsules in wood wax oil leads to changes in the pore structure of the wood wax oil finish material, which provides multiple pathways for the slow release of odor compounds.

Effect of ultrasonication on the properties of carnauba wax-based soybean oleogel

In this study, the ultrasonication treatment was applied to develop a carnauba wax-based soybean oleogel with improved functional and physical properties. Oleogel was prepared by adding carnauba wax (8 % w/w) in soybean oil. The response surface methodology was used to optimize the ultrasonication conditions. Ultrasonic amplitude percentage and time were kept as independent variables. Oil binding capacity, hardness, and adhesiveness of the oleogel were the responses for the study. The effect of the ultrasonication condition was obtained at 35.40 % amplitude and 16.33 min ultrasonication time. The oil binding capacity of the oleogel increased from 91.4 % to 98.7 %, hardness increased from 52.56 to 290.22 N/mm2, and similarly, adhesiveness varied from − 20.30 to − 101.72 N/mm2. According to the rheological data, ultrasonication strengthened the oleogels and made it more stable over a wider strain range than the control oleogel sample. Thermographs revealed a minor rise in the ultrasonicated oleogel samples enthalpy, but there was no discernible change between the ultrasonicated and control samples on-set or melting temperatures. The use of oleogels as an alternative to traditional fats and oils in food products is gaining popularity due to their unique rheological properties and potential health benefits. Ultrasonication as a green technology increased the oil binding capacity, hardness, and adhesiveness of the oleogel. FT-IR analysis also confirmed that ultrasonication did not affect the chemical structure of the oleogel as there was no significant difference in the observed peaks of both samples. There was no significant change observed in the smoke point of the samples. Statement of Novelty and SignificanceThe improvement in the structure of the oleogel can be achieved by varying the process parameters and types of oleogelators in general. Techniques like ultrasonication can be beneficial for improving the structure of the oleogel by physical mode of action. The studies on the effect of ultrasound on the structure improvement of oleogels have not been extensively studied and that too for a carnauba wax-based soybean oleogel. Hence this study was conducted and the outcomes of the research are having industrial significance. Significant improvements in structural integrity, emulsion stability, and texture optimization are shown in Carnauba Wax-Based Soybean Oleogel, making it a viable formulation for a range of uses in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Industrial units modeling using self-attention network based on feature selection and pattern classification

Data-driven modeling method is an effective method for large-scale refinery industrial units. However, due to the long operational cycle, large number of measurement points, complex spatial and temporal correlations and dynamic switching of operation modes of refinery industrial units, utilizing a single data-driven model for process modeling may not be optimal. To tackle with the issues above, a self-attention model based on feature selection and pattern classification (FS-PC-SA) is develop. This approach uses Random Forest algorithm for feature selection and extract different operating modes from industrial data through K-means clustering algorithm. To capture complex spatial and temporal correlations in refinery units, sub-models based on self-attention for each mode are built for prediction. Finally, the method is used to predict the gasoline product yield in fluid catalytic cracking process and wax oil product yield in ebullated bed residue hydrocracking process, which demonstrates that the proposed method is better than other traditional methods.

A heuristic method to introduce hot feed into chemical process for energy saving with minor structure modification

Hot feed is a relatively inexpensive strategy to improve the energy utilization in chemical plants. Since hot feed is often an afterthought, retrofitting the heat exchanger network (HEN) with hot feed becomes a key step to decide the energy saving. This paper proposes a heuristic method to introduce hot feed into the existing HEN with minor structure modifications. The concept of heat flow path is extended to fit the hot feed problem. The possible changes of heat exchangers in a path are analyzed in details referring to the heat flow direction. Based on this, the bottleneck and the maximum shift capability of each path can be determined quantitatively. Rules for the creation and selection of new paths are presented to achieve more hot utility saving. A wax oil hydrogenation unit is analyzed to illustrate the proposed method, where heat carried by hot feed can be fully used to save the hot utility. The proposed method obtains more hot utility reduction (3349.0 kW versus 783.8 kW) by the hot feed strategy and a simpler retrofitting scheme than a previous method based on the grand composite curve. Besides, this method can show clear insights in the HEN retrofit with hot feed and it is easy for industrial application.

Wax appearance temperature under shear in methane-saturated mineral oil + paraffin wax mixtures: Effects of concentration and pressure

Increasing oil production from cold environments, such as offshore deep-water, has resulted in flow assurance issues due to wax deposition and hydrate formation. Understanding of the high-pressure flow properties of waxy oils is important to minimize blockages and related issues. However, the effect of pressure on wax appearance temperature (WAT) and viscosity of waxy oils is not widely studied due to the challenges of high-pressure rheology experiments. Here, a model waxy oil system was investigated using a high-pressure rheology from 0 to 1400 psig at 100 s−1. The focus was on paraffin wax in heavy mineral oil, and we examined wax concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%. First, waxy oils were saturated in methane, and then, temperature was decreased until wax appearance occurred. The findings revealed that wax concentration has a larger effect on WAT than pressure. At a constant pressure of 0 psig, WAT increases up to 13 °C when wax concentration increases from 5 to 20 wt%. Increasing pressure from 0 to 1400 psig results in up to 6 °C depression in wax appearance temperature for 20 wt% wax. The findings of the current study contribute to addressing flow assurance challenges in cold environments by enhancing the understanding of waxy oil rheology under methane-saturated, high-pressure conditions.

Structural and Physical Characteristics of Mixed-Component Oleogels: Natural Wax and Monoglyceride Interactions in Different Edible Oils.

Waxes and monoglycerides (MGs) added in edible oils form oleogels that can be used as an alternative structured fat, providing healthier substitutes to saturated and trans fats in foods. This study aimed to investigate the properties of oleogels formed by the interaction between monoglycerides and different waxes in various edible oils. For this purpose, waxes, namely rice bran (RBW), candelilla (CDW), sunflower (SW), and beeswax (BW), together with MGs in a total concentration level of 15% (w/w) were dissolved in several edible oils (olive, sunflower, sesame, and soybean). The structure and physical properties of oleogels were investigated using texture analysis, polarized light microscopy, melting point measurements, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The hardest structure was produced by SW/MG (5.18 N), followed by CDW (2.87 N), RBW (2.34 N), BW (2.24 N) and plain MG (1.92 N). Furthermore, RBW and SW led to a higher melting point (69.2 and 67.3 °C) than the plain MG oleogels (64.5 °C). Different crystallization structures, i.e., needle-like crystals and spherulites, were observed depending on the type of wax, its concentration, and the oil used. These results can be used to control the properties of oleogels by adjusting the gelator composition for a variety of potential food applications.

Feasibility and Sustainable Performance of RAP Mixtures with Low-Viscosity Binder and Castor Wax–Corn Oil Rejuvenators

The utilization of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) mixtures in pavement construction is an environmentally friendly approach that promotes sustainable development by reducing energy consumption and material waste. However, the high cost of conventional rejuvenators limits the widespread use of RAP mixtures. In this study, a novel approach is proposed to enhance the performance of RAP mixtures by incorporating a combination of high-penetration asphalt binder and rejuvenators, namely Castor wax and Corn oil. The newly developed rejuvenator consists of 8.5% Castor wax oil, 3% Corn oil, 3% fatty acid amine surfactant, 0.2% additive, and 79.8% water. The test results demonstrate that the modified mixture exhibits superior properties compared with conventional RAP mixtures. The Multiple Stress Creep Recovery test results showed a 20% reduction in cumulative strain rate for the RAP mixture with the new rejuvenators compared with that for the conventional ones. Furthermore, the Tensile Strength Ratio test indicated a notable 9.47% improvement in the rejuvenated RAP mixture’s resistance to moisture-induced damage compared with the conventional mixture. Evaluation of viscoelastic behaviors revealed a slight reduction in dynamic modulus for the rejuvenated binder, but a significant improvement in elastic behavior. In terms of rutting resistance, the Hamburg wheel tracking rut depths of the rejuvenated binder were significantly lower, representing reductions of 21.83% for specific binder compositions. Additionally, the absence of the stripping phenomenon further confirmed the superior moisture resistance of the modified mixture. The rejuvenated binder exhibited a remarkable 28.55% increase in fatigue load cycles to failure compared with the reference RAP binder, demonstrating substantial resistance to fatigue cracking. These quantitative comparisons not only confirm the superior performance of the modified mixture over conventional RAP mixtures, but also highlight the potential cost savings achieved through the utilization of Castor wax and Corn oil rejuvenators.

Prediction of yield stress of waxy gels in pipelines using scaling theory and crystallization kinetics

The development of a novel coupled kinetic and rheological model for paraffinic wax oil gelation is presented. The crystallization kinetics was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, and the rheological properties were obtained by dynamic oscillatory tests. The mass fraction of the crystallized wax, critical elastic strain, storage modulus in the Hookean region, and yield stress were obtained for model oils with 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 wt% wax at cooling rates of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 °C/min. By applying such cooling range to the waxy oils, it was possible to verify the effect of this variable on fractal dimensional analysis using well-known scaling models for the first time. The scaling models used were successfully applied to conciliate the new gathered data enabling the discussion of their microstructural characteristics. From the kinetic and rheological behavior observed, simulations of waxy oil gelation during a pipeline shutdown were also performed. The yield stress evolution was estimated from zero to 14 days of quiescent cooling. With the aid of this novel methodology, the pressure needed to restart the flow and the time for maintenance services without pipeline blockage could be estimated based on the radial yield stress profile, providing a more accurate measurement than the direct extrapolation of yield stress measurements for field pipelines.

Evaluation of Crude Oil Wax Dissolution Using a Hydrocarbon-Based Solvent in the Presence of Ionic Liquid

The current alternative of using aromatic-based wax soak solvents has been found to be hazardous and imposes a high cost on field expenditures. These solvents are widely used in the oil and gas industry to soften up wax before the pigging process. However, their impacts on the environment are quite concerning. Plus, they also impose hazardous exposure and are found to be damaging to both plastic and rubber hoses. To replace the current alternative with other hydrocarbon-based wax soak solvents, ionic liquids were found to have the capability to increase the solvent power capabilities and the efficiency of wax soak solvent in dissolving heavy crude oil. To optimise the application of hydrocarbon solvents and ionic liquid in wax dissolution, the affinity of ionic liquids in three solvents was studied. The solvents were condensate, ethyl acetate, and xylene. It was found that from four types of ionic liquids tested, only BMIMCL and HMIMBr were miscible in all three of the solvents used. Dissolution of hard deposited paraffin wax in condensate, ethyl acetate and xylene was conducted using the spectral analysis method, and it was found that the dissolution of paraffin wax was greatest in ethyl acetate. However, enchantment on wax dissolution was also observed for gas condensate and xylene. The wax soaking time was also optimised, in which the dissolution of wax was found to reach a saturation level when the wax had been soaked for over 90 min in the solvents, especially for gas condensate. Further study on the effect of ionic liquid introduced alongside condensate, ethyl acetate and xylene, aiming to enhance the solvent power, was also conducted using the spectral analysis method. The introduction of ionic liquids to all hydrocarbon-based wax soak solvents used in this project was proven to significantly increase the UV-VIS absorbance of the extracted solvents after paraffin wax had been soaked for 30 min.

Asphaltene dispersants weaken the synergistic modification effect of ethylene-vinyl acetate and asphaltene for model waxy oil

It has been proved that colloidal asphaltene and polymer pour point depressants (PPD) synergistically and dramatically modify the rheology of model waxy oil. In the crude oil recovery process, amphiphilic asphaltene dispersant (AD) is often added to inhibit asphaltene deposition, the added AD should affect the synergistic effect of asphaltene and PPD and need to be further investigated. In this work, several asphaltene dispersants were added to the model waxy oil and their influence law on the modification effect of ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) was systematically evaluated. The results indicated that AD does not affect the modification effect of EVA alone, but significantly deteriorates the synergistic modification function between EVA and asphaltene. Further, the electron cloud density of AD molecules was calculated using molecular dynamics, revealing the mechanism by which AD influences the modification effect of polymer PPD: the effect of EVA in improving the low-temperature rheology of model wax oil is primarily determined by the adsorption of EVA with asphaltene, while the existence of competitive adsorption between AD and EVA will inhibit the modification effect of EVA. The advantage of AD molecules in the competitive adsorption process increases with their electronegativity, making their dispersion effect on asphaltene and suppression of EVA modification ability more pronounced. The discovery of this phenomenon sheds light on the dispersion stability of asphaltene dramatically affects the performance of PPD, which helps develop new efficient crude oil modifiers.

Effects of Wax Components and the Cooling Rate on Crystal Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Wax–Oil Mixtures

Crystal morphologies of different binary and ternary “model mixtures” were investigated using different cooling conditions (with cooling rates from 0.1 to more than 300 °C min–1). Needle-like crystals tend to form in binary mixtures under fast cooling, while uncommon spherulitic crystals were observed in ternary mixtures under slow cooling. These differences in crystal morphology lead to distinct mechanical behavior of the “model mixtures”. As shown by cone penetration tests, mixtures with spherulitic crystals exhibit a lower mechanical strength than those with densely arranged needle-like crystals. In addition, nanoindentation tests demonstrated that Young’s modulus and plasticity limit of mixtures are higher upon faster cooling. Lipstick-shaped cast samples were studied, in which cooling rates are much higher at the surface than at the center. A gradual change in crystal morphology was observed from surface to center, correlating to the hard surface and the soft center as revealed by nanoindentation tests. This work illustrates the relationship between process thermal control, microstructure morphology, and mechanical properties for wax–oil mixtures, paving the way to the monitoring of sensorial properties by control of mixture composition and process control.

Increasing the firmness of wax‐based oleogels using ternary mixtures of sunflower wax with beeswax:candelilla wax combinations

AbstractOleogels were prepared with 5% wax in soybean oil using mixtures of beeswax (BW) and candelilla wax (CLW) with ratios of 10:90, 30:70, 50:50, and 60:40 BW:CLW, and the same series where 10% of the total wax was substituted with sunflower wax (SFW). The hypothesis that SFW would increase the firmness of the oleogels without affecting the melting properties was tested. Firmness of one‐wax oleogels decreased from SFW > CLW > BW. Oleogels with 50:50 BW:CLW and 60:40 BLW:CLW had equal firmness to pure 5% SFW oleogels. SFW significantly increased oleogel firmness and reduced the softening that occurred between 4°C and 22°C. Increased firmness was also found with rice bran wax and behenyl‐behenate (C44) addition, but not with wax esters with chain lengths ranging from 30 to 40 carbons (C30 to C40). By differential scanning calorimetry, SFW significantly decreased the melting point of oleogels with 10:90 and 30:70 BW:CLW mixtures but significantly increased the melting point of those with 50:50 and 60:40 BW:CLW mixtures. However, the solid fat content melting curves were not significantly influenced by SFW addition. These results indicate that mixed wax oleogels had greater hardness and elasticity, and that the long chain wax esters contributed by SFW helped to improve the strength of oleogels without negatively affecting their melting properties.

Life cycle assessment and optimization scenario of solid wood composite doors: A case study in the east of China

The large scale of the Chinese wooden door market has resulted in a slew of environmental issues that must be addressed. This paper evaluated a solid wood composite door using life cycle assessment (LCA). Field research was used to obtain production data for the wooden door. The production stages were divided into the raw material stage, the transportation stage, the woodworking workshop stage, and the painting workshop stage in order to identify potential environmental improvements and analyze the underlying causes to offer some suggestions for improvement. Four service lives were considered in the use stage, and three disposal methods were considered in the disposal stage to explore their environmental impacts. The functional unit was defined as a solid wood composite door using the “cradle-to-grave” system boundary. Using a 20-year service life as an example, the results revealed that the production stage was the most crucial stage, with a contribution ratio of 49% to 72% to all impact categories, regardless of waste disposal method. The main reasons for this were the production of density boards and the consumption of electricity. By replacing straw-density boards and hydropower, the global warming potential (GWP) was reduced by 46% and 67%, respectively. If a wooden door can be used for 20 years, the use stage will account for 26% to 51% of the environmental impact contribution, owing primarily to wood wax oil. Recycling was recognized as the most environmentally friendly method of waste disposal. This research can be used as a reference for evaluating solid wood composite doors in China as well as providing optimization recommendations for production improvement.

Development and characterization of the freeze-thaw and oxidative stability of edible rice bran wax-gelatin biphasic gels

Edible biphasic gels with high lipid fractions (>50%) were developed and characterized for their freeze-thaw and lipid oxidation stability. Gels consisted of gelatin in aqueous buffer (hydrogel; HG), and rice bran wax (RBW) in high-oleic soybean oil (oleogel; OG). Freeze-thaw stability was studied by rheology, liquid loss measurement, and microstructural characterization of the gels before and after one freeze-thaw cycle. Biphasic gels were stored for 6 months under accelerated oxidation conditions to assess oxidative stability through peroxide value (PV) analysis. Biphasic gels led to superior systems compared to control OG and HG. The storage modulus (G′) increased with increasing OG. Yield stress (σ*) for biphasic gels were greater than for OG alone, and σ*increased as the proportion of HG increased. Micrographs of biphasic gels showed OG-in-HG matrix for all gels, including those of >50% OG. After one freeze-thaw cycle, biphasic gels had less total liquid loss by approximately 50% compared to the controls and showed an increase in G′. No samples were rancid after the storage period, as demonstrated by the low PV (<3 meq/kg). Changing the ratio of OG:HG for this biphasic gel demonstrates the potential to design semi-solid fat replacers of desired properties with good overall physico-chemical stability.

Characterization of sunflower seed and oil wax ester composition by GC/MS, a final evaluation

The hull of the sunflower is a ligneous tissue that protects the embryo and cotyledons, and it is rich in wax esters (WEs). WEs are extracted from whole sunflower seeds together with the oil, conferring an undesirable turbidity on this product which must be removed through cooling and filtration for commercialisation. The analysis of sunflower oil WEs is hampered by the presence of significant amounts of sterol esters that co-elute with them in chromatography. Thus, we established here different methods based on GC/MS to analyse the WE content and composition of sunflower hulls, kernels and oil, and that of industrially crystallised sunflower WEs. Hence, using a combination of MS scanning and specific ion monitoring it was possible to quantify and characterise sunflower WEs, overcoming interference by other lipids in the sample. The results revealed that sunflower WEs were formed by saturated species from C40 to C60. The use of the new method for the analysis of WEs from species other than sunflower was also discussed.

Molecular dynamics simulation of synergistic effect between modified nanomontmorillonite and wax oil

ABSTRACT To explore the viscosity reduction effect of modified montmorillonite (MMT-OTAC) on wax oil, models of modified montmorillonite/wax system, modified montmorillonite/oil system, and modified montmorillonite/oil-wax mixed system were established in Materials Studio. The effect of MMT-OTAC on wax and oil molecules was analyzed from the perspective of the density field, interlayer density distribution, and energy. The density field and interlayer density distribution results showed that wax molecules and oil molecules were easy to aggregate on the surface of the montmorillonite layer and reduced the stability of the system structure. The modifier OTAC was evenly distributed in the centre of the system model to balance the overall charge. The energy results showed that polarity was the main interaction mode of wax and oil molecules in the montmorillonite layer. This study explained the viscosity reduction mechanism of modified montmorillonite on waxy model oil.

Intelligent HAZOP analysis method based on data mining

Accidents in production equipment are occurring with increasing frequency, which has caused serious negative impacts on society and petrochemical enterprises. It is important to learn prevention and control rules and lessons from accident cases to prevent accidents and improve intrinsic safety levels of enterprises. The hazard and operability (HAZOP) analysis method has been widely used for risk identification and accident prevention in petrochemical enterprises. However, the rules contained in many completed HAZOP analysis reports have not been deeply studied, inherited, or extensively applied. The analysis of a new process, however, relies on expert experience, which is usually subjective and time-consuming. This paper proposes an intelligent HAZOP analysis method based on data mining to explore the law of accident cause mechanisms, help promote intelligent analysis, and improve the accuracy of analysis results. A HAZOP analysis data table structure is proposed. The frequencies of all words in the process parameter, guide word, cause, and consequence were calculated, and the words were sorted based on the word frequency statistics method. Words with high word frequencies were considered key in formulating the safety inspection checklists. The latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model and contingency table were used to explain the correlation between the process parameters, guide words, causes, and consequences. The co-occurrence probability sequence of the elements can then be acquired. Using the naive Bayes algorithm, a method for calculating the likelihoods, severities, and risk levels of accidents is proposed. The accident risk ranks can be intelligently predicted to realize an intelligent HAZOP analysis. This study developed a software to help execute the method. The intelligent HAZOP analysis method was applied based on data from 14 petrochemical units; the raw oil buffer tank in the wax oil hydrocracking unit was taken as an example to illustrate the application of the method. The method provides a technical basis and basic guarantee for risk identification, accident prevention, and rescue of petrochemical plants.

Crude oil wax: A review on formation, experimentation, prediction, and remediation techniques

Wax deposition during crude oil production, transportation, and processing has been a headache since the early days of oil utilization. It may lead to low mobility ratios, blockage of production tubing/pipelines as well as fouling of surface and processing facilities, among others. These snags cause massive financial constraints increasing projects' turnover. Decades of meticulous research have been dedicated to this problem that is worth a review. Thus, this paper reviews the mechanisms, experimentation, thermodynamic and kinetic modeling, prediction, and remediation techniques of wax deposition. An overall assessment suggests that available models are more accurate for single than multi-phase flows while the kind of remediation and deployment depend on the environment and severity level. In severe cases, both chemical and mechanical are synergistically deployed. Moreover, future prospective research areas that require attention are proposed. Generally, this review could be a valuable tool for novice researchers as well as a foundation for further research on this topic.

Effects of Sorbitan Monostearate and Stearyl Alcohol on the Physicochemical Parameters of Sunflower-Wax-Based Oleogels.

A rising health concern with saturated fatty acids allowed researchers to look into the science of replacing these fats with unsaturated fatty acids. Oleogelation is a technique to structure edible oil using gelators. The present study looked for the effect of solid emulsifiers; namely, sorbitan monostearate (SP) and stearyl alcohol (SA), on the physicochemical parameters of oleogels. All the oleogels were formulated using 5% sunflower wax (SW) in sunflower oil (SO). The formulated oleogels displayed irregular-shaped wax crystals on their surface. The bright-field and polarized microscopy showed the fiber/needle network of wax crystals. Formulations consisting of 10 mg (0.05% w/w) of both the emulsifiers (SA10 and SP10) in 20 g of oleogels displayed the appearance of a dense wax crystal network. The SP and SA underwent co-crystallization with wax molecules, which enhanced crystal growth and increased the density and size of the wax crystals. The XRD and FTIR studies suggested the presence of a similar β’ polymorph to that of the triacylglycerols’ arrangement. The incorporation of SA and SP in wax crystal packing might have resulted in a lower crystallization rate in SA10 and SP10. Evaluation of the thermal properties of oleogels through DSC showed better gel recurrence of high melting enthalpy. These formulations also displayed a sustained release of curcumin. Despite the variations in several properties (e.g., microstructures, crystallite size, thermal properties, and nutrient release), the emulsifiers did not affect the mechanical properties of the oleogel. The meager amounts of both the emulsifiers were able to modulate the nutrient release from the oleogels without affecting their mechanical properties in comparison to the control sample.

Crude oil and the problem of wax deposition on pipeline systems during transportation: A review

Crude oil, the world’s major source of energy, is obtained from the earth as a Newtonian fluid and needs to be transported to refineries for further processing. Pipeline transport has proven to be the most efficient, environmental-friendly and cost effective of all modes of crude oil transportation from subsea production sites. However the formation and deposition of waxes (mainly paraffinic and asphaltenic components) along pipelines remains one of the greatest flow assurance problem in the petroleum industry. This is aided by attainment of wax appearance temperature (WAT), the crude’s hydrocarbon contents and rheological properties, and the production conditions amongst others. The deposited waxes clog the pipeline, reduces the flow diameter, converts the behavior of the fluid from Newtonian to non-Newtonian, decreases throughput, causes more work on pumps and other process equipment, increases energy consumption, and ultimately raises the cost of production thereby decreasing profits. It also leads to several downtimes and in extreme cases can cause permanent shut down of facilities. Several studies have been done to understand the nature of crude oil waxes and the various techniques for solving this problem. This paper takes a critical look at crude oil and reviews the current state of research into the causative factors, deposition mechanisms and remediation methods including the thermal, mechanical, biological and chemical techniques. At the end there is a conclusion and further research on the use of biological techniques (microorganisms) has been advised herein.