Sunday, July 7, 2019

Wax And Asphaltene Removal Processes

By Joseph Johnson


One major problem of working in the oil sector is having to deal with recurring problems pertaining elimination of unwanted deposits. Paraffin will slowly start to build up in your systems contrary to what you may expect. It is not a question of if the buildup will occur, but when it will start to buildup. Data obtained from various sources indicate that eighty five percent of the oil available in the world today is susceptible to asphaltene buildup. As it continues to build up, it will start to make it more difficult for your people to drill the oil. If wax and asphaltene removal is not done early, there may be various inconveniences and thus the need to ensure deposit eliminations are done.

It is important for you to know techniques to use in case you are faced with such problems. Global statistics indicate that eighty-five percent of the oil being produced today is highly prevalent to the precipitation of deposits. A simple look at these statistics can easily send any person running away for the up hills. This is more, when allowed to continue building up, as they are likely to cripple the entire production process.

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.

Removal of unwanted deposits calls for one to possess latest information on the industry accepted techniques and processes. At the moment, there are numerous methods already in use in oil production areas. They include thermal, mechanical, hot oiling, chemical, hot water, scraping, combination treatments, and coiled tubing. Each method is effective in its own unique way, but you will need to learn how it works before implementing it.

Paraffin wax is the general term used to refer to all deposits encountered when investigating any oil buildup. But the reality is that, paraffin is not the only deposit you will find. Silt crystals, gums, and clay are other deposits that are commonly found and require elimination.

In many cases, any heavy organic deposit that you come across when extracting oil will automatically be referred to as wax or paraffin. Even though paraffin tends to be the major component in all the deposits, you will normally end up with a blend of asphaltene and paraffin. The deposits are unique in that they contain clay, resins, sand, silt, scale, gums, and salt crystals.

As you continue to drill for oil. The buildup, though slow, can negatively impact future production processes, when it becomes too much. A time will come when the paraffin wax will completely cripple all your processes. Therefore, regular cleaning is ideal to remove all residuals.

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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