ABSTRACT
Flow assurance is the efficient and successful flow of fluids in pipes. Some of the
flow assurance challenges that can be encountered include hydrate formation, which
is prevalent offshore, sand deposition, wax precipitation, scale deposits, or emulsion
problems. In onshore production facilities in the Niger delta, wax deposition is the
major challenge to efficient fluid flow. Consequently, it has been the focus of
research to proffer effective predictive control measures to a problem that has been
tackled with curative methods like regular pigging, heat treatment and solvent use for
decades. This research investigated paraffinic wax deposition using laboratory tests,
field simulation with PipeSim, and a mathematical model; ideal solution model with
various correlations for melting point temperatures and heat of fusion from Won,
Chung and Coutinho‟s research works. The laboratory test gave agave a result of
3.73%, 4.77% and 3.45%wax content while simulation gave results of 3.71%, 4.78%
and 3.49% for samples A, B and C respectively producing a good match with a
difference of less than +0.05 between the two methods.
The ideal solid model gave results of 0.9953, 0.9740, and 0.8424 for Won, Chung
and Coultinho‟s correlations respectively for solid moles calculated at zero degrees
celcius. Finally, this research recommends the use of PipeSim software to evaluate
and predict wax deposition especially in the absence of laboratory data as well as
regular pigging and solvent injection to ensure that wax build up is avoided in
facilities handling waxy crudes.
Library, T. & CHIBUNMA, O (2021). Characterization Of Nigerian Crude Oil Wax. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/characterization-of-nigerian-crude-oil-wax-1
Library, The Public Access, and ONWUEGBUCHULEM CHIBUNMA "Characterization Of Nigerian Crude Oil Wax" Afribary. Afribary, 26 May. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/characterization-of-nigerian-crude-oil-wax-1. Accessed 30 Jun. 2022.
Library, The Public Access, and ONWUEGBUCHULEM CHIBUNMA . "Characterization Of Nigerian Crude Oil Wax". Afribary, Afribary, 26 May. 2021. Web. 30 Jun. 2022. < https://afribary.com/works/characterization-of-nigerian-crude-oil-wax-1 >.
Library, The Public Access and CHIBUNMA, ONWUEGBUCHULEM . "Characterization Of Nigerian Crude Oil Wax" Afribary (2021). Accessed June 30, 2022. https://afribary.com/works/characterization-of-nigerian-crude-oil-wax-1