Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Steps With Respect To Paraffin Removal

By Eric Carter


The mining industry has ultimately shaped the petroleum industry by ensuring a constant supply of oil. During the production process, these companies face challenges. This has seen some wells being abandoned due to excessive and improper paraffin removal procedures. It is normal for the wax to accumulate in the wells which hinder effective production of oil. Though some firms still rely on traditional methods, there are substantial benefits those who use professional and modernized methods enjoy. Go through the article to get a deeper understanding.

Normally, petroleum is classified depending on the number of carbon atoms present. Kerosene is reported to have between 10 to 14 atoms while methane has only one atom. Paraffin, on the other hand, has 18 to 60 carbons per molecule. For these molecules to be vaporized, different boiling points have to be attained.

When the oil is heated, short carbon molecules evaporate. When the oil cools down, it leads to crystallization of long chain carbon molecules which lead to the formation of wax. When these waxes are not soluble in oil, kerosene is formed. When these deposits continue to accumulate along flow lines, production of oil becomes a challenge.

The chemical to be used is typically dictated by the type of wax deposits present. This is because well that have wax deposits have a fouling smell. Besides, not all solvents are in a position to remove these deposits. This means that with time the production will cease. Above all the solvent should be able to remove more than paraffin deposits.

Apart from affecting oil production, paraffin deposits along pipes, tubes and production materials are known to affect the pumping and effective flow of oil. This slows down the process. There being different methods to achieve an effective oil production process, mining industries should take caution on the type of chemical solvent used. As much as these chemical are known to dissolve these deposits, they are not safe to the production equipment and may be a health threat to humans.

Professional removal of these deposits saves storage space. When excessive heavy organics accumulate in transportation vessels and storage tanks, it impacts transport and storage of the oil. Modern techniques have however overcome these challenges by ensuring efficient removal of these deposits. This reduces any chances of paraffin accumulating on storages and transportation vessels thus saving space.

Methods like the use of chemical solvents are known to pose a threat to human life. Some of these solvents are volatile and may evaporate to the air thus becoming a threat to the environment. Also, chemicals are known to cause corrosion. Their use can corrode the flow pipes thus leading to massive losses. Modern paraffin solvents are non-volatile and ensure that they are not only friendly to the system but also to human and the entire environment.

Oil production is a lucrative business. However, the industry has for years been faced with challenges. This is a wake-up call for any mining company that wishes to excel in the industry. Though paraffin accumulation is known to cause substantial damages to the production process, companies should lay down proper measures to reduce any chances of clumping. Taking advantage of the modern innovations will contribute to reducing operational costs as well as improving the revenue levels.




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