Issue of Paraffin Build Up in Pipelines
Solid mathane hydrocarbons, such as paraffins and asphaltens, are present almost in all crude oils. Their mass content in the flow can vary from traces to 20 - 28% and they can have a serious negative impact on the production technology, transportation and crude processing.
Studies and observations conducted on a large number of oil fields have shown that, all other things being equal, there is no direct correlation between the mass content, for example, of paraffin in the flow to intensity of its deposition.
There are known cases of intensive paraffin deposition even when its content is crude is very small, such as 0.4%.
Thus, the problem of dealing with the deposition of these hydrocarbons is a serious scientific and technical issue.
This poses a number of complex scientific and technical challenges, both in the sense of understanding the mechanism of such depositions, and in developing effective methods to prevent undesirable consequences caused by them.
The result of paraffins and ashphaltens build up in pipelines:
- decrease in pipeline capacity ( and therefore revenues);
- increase of hydraulic pressures;
- increase in viscosity of the oil-water emulsion, break up of which will necessitates the use of higher temperatures or will require a greater consumption of demulsifiers.
The need to clean equipment and pipelines from these deposits, forces oil producers to incur additional operating costs, experience losses in profits due to downtime and reduction in operational endurance of many parts of oil wells and pipelines.
