Production Chemistry and Flow Assurance

EPGE004B_Production Chemistry and Flow

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 OVERVIEW ABOUT WAX AND ASPHALTENES
IN OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION
WAX PRESENTATION (First)

Carlo Carniani

EPGE004B_Production Chemistry and Flow

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 The main threat from wax formation is that it will deposit
on the pipeline wall and ultimately result in a blockage.
The onset of wax formation is called the cloud point or
wax appearance temperature (WAT).
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 Wax can dramatically increase
the viscosity of crude oil and
hamper its flow

Wax can increase the

viscosity to the point
where the oil will form
a gel (reaches pour point)
and the oil can not be pumped

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 Prevention and Management
of Wax Deposition and Oil Gelling
1. Mechanical
A. Pigging
B. Wireline Cutting
C. Through Flowline Pigging

2. Thermal
A. Add or maintain heat to stay above cloud point
B. Add heat to melt existing wax deposits

3. Chemical
A. Prevent formation of wax crystal masses
(reduce the effective cloud point)
B. Decrease the pour point
C. Solvents to dissolve wax
D. Chemicals that induce heat and melt wax
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 Prevention and Control of Wax Deposits
Mechanical Methods
Pigging --
There are numerous pig designs ranging from simple spheres, to foam pigs, to bristle pigs, to
very aggressive pigs used for cleaning out severe deposits.
Pigging is the most commonly used method for removing wax deposits that have
accumulated in flowlines and pipelines. The pig is sent down the line, carried
along by the flow of crude, and mechanically scrapes off the wax and redisperses
it in the bulk oil in front of the pig. Pigging can be a successful, cost effective method for
managing paraffin deposition in flowlines and pipelines providing that a regularly scheduled
pigging program is initiated upon commissioning

Wireline Cutting --
There are numerous pig designs ranging from simple spheres for liquid removal,
to foam pigs, to bristle pigs, to very aggressive pigs used for cleaning out
severe deposits.
Pigging is the most commonly used method for removing wax deposits that have
accumulated in flowlines and pipelines. The pig is sent down the line, carried
along by the flow of crude, and mechanically scrapes off the wax and redisperses
it in the bulk oil in front of the pig. Pigging can be a cost effective method for managing
paraffin deposition in flowlines and pipelines providing that a regularly scheduled pigging
program is initiated upon commissioning

Through Flowline Cutting --

TFL pumps a cutting tool down the flowline and into the wellbore to cut wax deposits. TFL is
not yet a common practice in the industry; however, it has the advantage of being able to
remediate subsea flowlines and wellbores from a distant platform.

EPGE004B_Production Chemistry and Flow

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 Prevention and Control of Wax Deposits
Thermal Methods

Add or maintain heat to stay above cloud point

Heat may be added by methods such as induction heating to guarantee the produced oil stays
above the cloud point. Also some flowlines may be “bundled” where there is an external line
surrounding the main transportation line. Hot water, for example may be circulated in the annular
space to keep the main flow fluids hot enough to avoid any wax formation.

“Passive” insulation is another approach. If the produced fluids start relatively warm at the
wellhead, sufficient insulation on the flowline can prevent the fluids cooling to below the
cloud point before reaching the processing platform.

Add heat to melt existing wax deposit

Any of the “active” ways to heat a flowline have potential to remove wax deposits once formed. To
be successful, though more aggressive heating means such as hot oiling or the so-called “SNG” process.
The SNG is heat created by a chemical reaction is discussed in the next slide.

EPGE004B_Production Chemistry and Flow

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 Prevention and Control of Wax Deposits
Chemical Methods
Prevent or slow formation of wax deposits
Commercial wax inhibitors co-crystallize with the wax to prevent wax crystal structures from forming on the pipewall.
Often dispersants and surfactants are added. The dispersants coat wax crystals to keep them from agglomerating and
detergents or surfactants act to water wet the wax crystals so that the do not adhere to each other or the pipe wall.

Decrease the pour point

High molecular weight polymers called pour point depressants or wax crystal modifiers can be used at ppm
concentration levels to modify the wax crystal structure. In some cases, these chemicals can significantly reduce the
pour point, viscosity, and yield stress, but these chemicals may not reduce rates of wax build-up on pipewalls.

Solvents to Dissolve Wax Deposits

It is possible to soak a wax deposit with a hydrocarbon based solvent to dissolve the wax. Adding heat will speed up
the process. A traditional method (especially for downhole applications) is the so-called “hot oiling” method. Some
crude oil is heated and then sent down the well to melt accumulated wax. One disadvantage is that the crude oil
used may itself deposit more wax as it cools. More pure (and more expensive) solvents can be used. Chemical
“packages” will include dispersants to keep the melted wax particles from agglomerating.

Chemicals to Induce Heat

There is a commercial process (SNG) used by Petrobras in which two salt solutions are mixed together that have a strong
exothermic reaction
Ammonium Chloride + Sodium Nitrite  HEAT + Sodium Chloride + Nitrogen
This mixing process is performed ideally at the point in a flowline where there is the wax deposit. The practical
application of this is of course quite difficult in a very long flowline.
This process is also available from Baker Petrolite.

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 ASPHALTENE PRESENTATION (Second)
One definition of asphaltenes are the solids
that precipitate when excess n-pentane
or n-hexane is added to the subject crude
oil.

•Asphaltenes are dark brown or black

solids.

•They will not melt, unlike waxes.

•Asphaltenes can form in the reservoir,

tubing,

•flowlines, or facilities.

Chemically, asphaltenes are high molecular weight, polynuclear aromatic, polar

compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and some heavy
metals such as vanadium and nickel. The diagram gives a representation of an
asphaltene molecule; however, asphaltenes do not have a single, unique structure or
molecular weight
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 ASPHALTENE OCCURENCE

Processes that change the “solvency” of the crude oil can induce asphaltene
flocculation.

The decrease in the crude oil density can

make the asphaltenes become unstable.

This occurs commonly as approach the bubble point

from higher pressures, and persists at some pressure
below the bubble point.

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 ASPHALTENE OCCURENCE
Changes in the fluid
pressure can change the
fluid density enough to cause
asphaltenes to flocculate and
perhaps deposit from solution.
In particular, as a crude oil
goes from an oversaturated
condition to below the
bubble point.

Mixing the reservoir fluids with a different gas can induce asphaltene problems.
For example, injection of a lean gas or carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery
can cause the asphaltenes in the crude oil to become unstable. These injected gases
tend to decrease the density of the main crude oil.

Well stimulation practices such as acidizing also can upset the equilibrium of the crude oil so
as to induce asphaltene problems. For example, the resins may be tied up with iron released
by the iron and thus not available to stabilize the asphaltenes in solution.

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 ASPHALTENE PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION
Mechanical methods can be used to periodically remove asphaltene deposits in wellbores, flowlines
and production facilities;   however, asphaltenes can be more brittle and harder to remove than
typical wax deposits.  Asphaltenes can also form in the near wellbore region which are inaccessible
by mechanical methods.

Pigging

Pigs can be used to remove asphaltene deposits.  However, effective removal requires the
appropriate type pig be used and that pigging be performed on a regular, frequent basis.  The pig
should be specifically designed for solids removal.  This typically means that a disk or cup pig be
used since they can apply much more force on the pipe wall.  Spheres or foam pigs are not adequate
for asphaltene removal.  In addition a bypass pig (one that allows part of the fluid stream to go
through the pig) allows the removed solids to be dispersed into the crude oil ahead of the pig.  This
prevents a solid buildup in front of the pig and decreases the likelihood of sticking the pig. 

Wireline Cutting

Wireline cutting is an effective means of asphaltene removal if the wellbore is readily accessible
and if the required frequency is not excessive.

Coiled Tubing
Like wireline cutting, coiled tubing can be used to remove asphaltene deposits provided the
deposit can be reached.  At this point in time, the limit of coiled tubing is about 1 mile.

EPGE004B_Production Chemistry and Flow

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 ASPHALTENE PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION
Chemical Methods

Asphaltene Inhibitors

Asphaltene inhibitors have been developed to combat against the onset of asphaltene flocculation.
Some of these chemicals in effect supply “extra” resins to stabilize the asphaltene molecules.
These may be added continuously or via squeeze application (soaked in the reservoir, then produced back).
Less research has been done on these chemicals historically because of the lower demand for them, but this is
changing as the risk of asphaltenes is perceived to be significant for some newer
deep water projects.

Asphaltene Solvents

The good news is that unlike wax, asphaltenes are very soluble in aromatic solvents such as benzene and
xylene even at seabed temperatures.  This is very fortunate since asphaltenes can form in the near wellbore
region and the only way for remediating the formation damage is to use a squeeze treatment of an aromatic
solvent.  

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