Thursday, July 11, 2019

Wax And Asphaltene Removal Techniques

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.

The best time to act is when you start to notice the buildup taking shape. Acting early will help ensure that the recovery system as well as the oil transfer system are still in great condition. Keep in mind that this system is quite comprehensive, and comprises of various flow lines, tubing, pipes, and not to forget the oil itself. Given that a slow buildup can in the end cripple operations, you should ensure that you are well-versed with numerous elimination methods.

The transfer comprises of tubing, pipes, flow lines, and of course the oil that is under production. As mentioned, the buildup can become serious to a point where production no longer takes place due to a breakdown of the system used to recover the oil. The good news, however, is that you do not have to worry about the buildup as it can easily get removed.

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.

As you ponder on the method to use, place a lot of priority on safety precautions. You cannot afford to take safety for granted. Any method that will be used should be safe for the workers and for the equipment used. Do not use a solution that will corrode your equipment making it inefficient.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment