Oil pipeline wax deposition inhibition using chemical methods

• Main Author: Norseri, Mohd Mustaffa
• Format: Undergraduates Project Papers
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/3129/1/CD5670_NORSERI_MOHD_MUSTAFA.pdf; http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/3129/

Oil pipeline wax deposition is one of the major problems facing in the crude oil transportation flow line from the offshore to onshore through pipe. The problems occur because of the crude oil fluids temperature is decrease during the transportation process and cause the solidifying process occurs. The deposited wax is normally being removed using pigging process. In the present work, chemical method is introduced as an alternative solution for the wax deposition problems in pipelines. This method used CaCl2.2H2O and NaOCl as the inhibitor. The waxes is initially drowned in the NaOCl solutions to soften the waxes and remove the water content inside the sample; waxes. While drawn the sample, the solution with the waxes is stir to get the condition flowing through the pipeline. Then with fixed molarity of the CaCl2.2H2O solution, it is added to the NaOCl solution which has being reacted with the waxes samples. After a range of period; 24 hours, the result obtained is observed and recorded. This experiment is then repeated with different volume of NaOCl, using heat to study about the heat effect and also using acid to remove the waxes. The experimental results showed that with volume of 50ml NaOCl and 0.0071 M of CaCl2.2H2O, the waxes can break into small pieces and no weight loss to the wall like using 30 ml of NaOCl solutions with 70% weight loss from the initial sample weight. While using the heat, the waxes can be removes in 120s and gets 50% efficiencies for only 30 ml volume of NaOCl. This reaction has being tested gradually to ensure its ability to remove wax from the pipeline. The removal process has being removed using the chemical reactions between CaCl2.2H2O and NaOCl. The reaction of the chemicals and waxes was done in lab scale and the progress has being look properly in schedule time to ensure it properly removed. Inhibition of waxes using chemicals method finally founds it solutions which is means by reaction between Sodium Hypochlorite with Calcium Chloride Dihidrates together with bleaching theory, the problems can be eliminated and this kind of technique is more effectual based on its capability to recycle the chemical used back and need few periods to complete each reactions.