Thursday, August 8, 2019

Asphaltene And Paraffin Solution; A Deeper Understanding Of The Problem In Oil And Gas Wells

By Jeffrey Myers


In the majorities of cases asphaltenes and paraffins are mentioned together. However, you must understand that these are two distinct elements and they differ not only in their composition, but also how they behave and the conditions that lead to deposition. For you to find the right asphaltene and paraffin solution and get a deposition concerns addressed effectively, it is crucial to look at both elements separately.

Treating chemical solutions is not a cheap affair. The costs incurred are even so relatively lower than the cost of proceeding with your operations while ignoring the problem. A concern can affect operational problems and profitability. You would also count massive losses caused by decreased production and damaged formations.

For you to have an in-depth understanding of the issues at hand, the first thing you need to know is the nature of an asphaltene and paraffin problem and what is triggering it. Paraffin contains saturated different hydrocarbons you can find in crude oil as well as different molecular weight alkanes. A branched structure or one that is in its normal form can be about C100 in size. Normal paraffins will even so have higher melting points in comparison to similar sizes of branched paraffins.

Longer structures have more carbon and this gives them molecules that are larger in size and a higher melting point. In return, they are the first to emerge from a solution. The deposits of paraffin at the bottom will have higher molecular weight and for an issue to be addressed, the deposits must first be carefully analyzed.

Deposition can be caused by all manner of issues including temperature-pressure fluctuations. Additionally, a disturbance along the equilibrium can cause a concern. Skilled experts must complete field tests in order to find out whether a certain deposit contains paraffins. Then again asphaltenes contain more complex structures that have O, N, S, have more molecular weight and more heavy metals.

Asphaltenes create the color of crude oil and you will find greater levels of this content in black-oil crudes. Because asphaltene is a polar molecule, it absorbs to formation surfaces and this in return increases water flow. Paraffins are soluble in crude, although asphaltenes are not and in fact, they are a colloidal dispersion. They will therefore not be seen in a grind out by centrifuge.

While paraffin deposits melt, those of asphaltene decompose forming a coke-like deposit. Concern stemming from this can cause major operational problems in oil and gas well companies. Some of the concerns you may encounter include restricted flow, increased power costs and equipment bottlenecks. Because asphaltene and paraffin issues are unique in each region, you will need to invest in customized solutions.

You need a team of skilled experts to lend a hand in order to prevent buildups. There are proven preventative measures that can help to keep asphaltene and paraffin deposition at bay. Then again, an existing problem can also be addressed in order to boost tubular and equipment longevity, increase production and prevent expensive remediation procedures.




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