Friday, May 31, 2019

Asphaltene And Paraffin Solution; A Look At Concerns Caused In Oil And Gas Wells

By Jeffrey Myers


It is common for paraffin and asphaltene to be mentioned together, although these are elements that are distinctly diverse in terms of their composition. They also tend to differ in their behavior as well as the conditions that cause deposition. In order to find a permanent asphaltene and paraffin solution and address the concerns causing deposition, it is important to look at each element uniquely.

The cost of treating chemical solutions is not easy on the wallet, though it is significantly economically attractive as compared to the cost of leaving paraffin and asphaltene problems unaddressed. These issues can negatively impact the lease and well profitability and cause a myriad of operational concerns. Apart from decreased production, they can also damage formations and cause gas and oil well companies immeasurable losses.

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.

The longer a structure, the more carbon and this makes normal paraffins bigger in size and also gives then a higher melting point. They will therefore come up as the first ones in a solution. The deposits of parrafins at the bottom have more molecular weight and a keen analysis is crucial before any treatments are offered.

Deposition can occur because of changes in temperature-pressure conditions or any other disturbance in the equilibrium. Skilled experts can help to conduct field tests that can assist in establishing whether a specific deposit is paraffin. Asphaltenes on the other hand have greater molecular weight, heavy metals and intricate structures containing O, N, S.

It is asphaltenes that give crude oils their color and black-oil crudes tend to contain more levels of this element. Asphaltenes are polar molecules and the absorb to formation surfaces, increasing water flow. It remains important to understand that while Paraffins are soluble in crude oil, asphaltene is not and it is a colloidal dispersion. You will hence not detect asphaltene in a grind out sieve.

Deposits of paraffins melt while deposits of asphaltenes decompose and turn into a coke-like deposit. Issues with both of these elements can cause immense problems in the operations of oil and gas well companies. Apart from causing equipment bottlenecks, they also cause restricted flows and increased cost of energy.

Skilled professionals understand that asphaltenes and paraffins are not globally present in regions that produce oil. This means that they can trigger different problems on fluids, even if they are sourced from one formation. Because of these variations it is necessary for you to get customized solutions for your specific problem. You can get assistance before the formation of buildups and skilled experts can implement preventative measures. You can also get help addressing existing problems if you deem this necessary. A proper service will improve your overall production, enhance tubular and equipment life and assist in preventing costly remediation processes.




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