Sunday, July 7, 2019

Wax And Asphaltene Removal Processes

By Joseph Johnson


Any person working in the oil industry ought to be well versed with removal of oil residuals such as asphaltene. The reason being that their build-up often tends to have a crippling effect on the entire oil production process. It makes sense for one to be well-versed with the elimination methods as statistics indicate that close to eighty percent of total global oil is highly prone to precipitating paraffin deposits. For more information about wax and asphaltene removal, ensure you read through this artifact.

Based on the various statistics, it is clear that paraffin deposits can cause a major problem in oil production areas. With time, the deposits reduce the flow of oil to a point where it no longer becomes tenable to continue with the production processes. Failure to treat this buildup immediately will drastically reduce the effectiveness of the oil transfer and recovery system.

As such, there is a need to ensure that the buildup is eliminated as often as possible. Its elimination will require you to have the oil transfer system and the accompanying recovery system given a thorough checkup. When combined, the entire system comprises of the oil being transferred through flow lines, pipes, and the tubing. You do not have to worry about the deposits crippling your operations as you can easily remove them.

Many industries choose to use the chemical method. Its popularity lies in the fact that there are very many chemical solutions to consider. But as much as this method is easy and efficient, it also requires you to take look at all the deposits that are present. Many chemicals can only get rid of paraffin. This is a problem considering that there are chances of getting back to the accumulated state.

The chemical method is the most popular method used to get rid of various deposits. But before you can choose a chemical to use in this process, you will first need to take a closer look at the kind of deposits you are dealing with in your production process. Past studies have shown that oil wells suffering from paraffin deposits are usually in many cases suffering from an additional fouling problem.

Often, the heavy deposits you will encounter as you are extracting oil will is popularly known as paraffin wax. But the reality is that cleaning may not be as simple as you assume. As much as they are all categorized as wax for removal, you will also encounter a combination of salt crystals, clay, gums, and even resins which may call for different removal techniques.

Any solvent being considered for use in this particular process should be able to remove all the other deposits, and not paraffin alone. Some chemical treatments currently in use to help with paraffin elimination will require heat for them to work. You will need additional equipment for you to apply heat into this system. If you factor all the expenses, you will realize that it is better to find a chemical solvent that can function even in low temperatures.

Safety is the final consideration when determining which chemical to use in eliminating the deposits. Some chemical treatments will require you to use caustic reagents. The reagents are effective, but they pose a danger to the equipment and to the safety of the personnel working on the system.




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