Advances in the research of polymeric pour point depressant for waxy crude oil

In the pipeline transportation of waxy crude oil when the temperature of the waxy crude oil drops lower than the wax appearance temperature (WAT), wax precipitates continuously from oil phase, which brings a series of negative impacts on pipeline performance and even causes complete blockage under severe conditions in recent decades, polymeric pour point depressants have a very important practical application in depressing the pour point and improving the fluidity of waxy crude oil, thus reducing the cost of waxy crude oil pipeline transportation. The most commonly used types of the polymeric pour point depressants include ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, comb copolymers, and nano-hybrid pour point depressants. In this paper, the structural character, interactive types, and the action mechanism of the polymeric pour point depressants are reviewed with their application and research progress introduced.     

Comparative methods in the determination of wax content and pour points of crude oils

In this research, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gas chromatography is used to determine the wax content of fourteen crude oils of different sources. Different empirical equations were applied to compare the wax content of crude oils. For the fourteen crude oil samples with the wax content ranging from 7.5 to 43.8 mass%, it was observed that the results of empirical equations were in good agreement with those determined by DSC and GC. Accordingly, a correlation between ASTM pour point and the temperature at which 2 mass% of wax has precipitated out from crude oil is developed.     

Study on the Inherent Factors Affecting the Modification Effect of EVA on Waxy Crude Oils and the Mechanism of Pour Point Depression

The Ar-Sai waxy crude oils were taken as the research objects, and the viscosity reduction rates and the condensation point reduction rates were regarded as the evaluation indexes, the impacts of components content of the crude oils and carbon number distribution of waxes on the modification effect of EVA-type pour point depressant (PPD) were analyzed by using gray correlation analysis method. The oil wax was acquired by applying the extraction and separation techniques initially, then the structures and the lattice parameters of wax crystals before and after adding the PPD were studied by polarized light microscopy observation and x-ray diffraction techniques, the mechanism of pour point depression was discussed at last. The results indicate that wax content and the low carbon number wax have significant influences on the modification effect of PPD, while the impact of high carbon number wax is relatively small. Co-crystallization is the main mechanism of pour point depression, nevertheless, the impacts of the asphaltenes, resins, solid particles, and light components of the crude oils on the modification effect of the PPD cannot be ignored.     

Determining the wax content of crude oils by using differential scanning calorimetry

By the use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a new method to measure the wax content of crude oil has been developed. In this paper, the wax content of a crude oil is proposed and proved to be the Q (total thermal effect of wax precipitation in sample) ratio of the crude oil and its corresponding wax obtained by using standard acetone method, i.e. Q_oil/Q_wax. For the 14 studied crude oils with the wax content ranging from 1 to 27 wt.%, the wax contents determined by the presented method are in good agreement with those determined by standard acetone method, with an absolute average deviation of only 0.82 wt.%. This method has an advantage over reported DSC methods in which the exact dissolution or precipitation enthalpy of wax is a must. It is also found that the wax contents determined by either of the two methods show good linear relationship with the total thermal effect Q_oil, with the correlation coefficients over 0.96. According to the empirical correlations, the wax content of a crude oil can be easily determined by using the DSC total thermal effect Q_oil. In addition and more significantly, the new method can be applied to improve the accuracy in determining the amount of precipitated wax in a waxy crude oil at different temperatures.     

Rheological behavior and structural interpretation of waxy crude oil gels

A waxy crude oil which gels below a threshold temperature has been investigated under static and dynamic conditions, using a combination of rheological methods, optical microscopy, and DSC. Particular attention is given in this work to the influence of the mechanical history on gel strength and to describing the time-dependent rheological behavior. The gels display a strong dependence of the yield stress and moduli on the shear history, cooling rate, and stress loading rate. Of particular interest is the partial recovery of the gel structure after application of small stress or strain (much smaller than the critical values needed for flow onset) during cooling, which can be used to reduce the ultimate strength of the crude oil gel formed below the pour point. A second focus of this study is to further develop the physical interpretation of the mechanism by which wax crystallization produces gelation. Gelation of the waxy crude oil studied is suggested to be the result of the association between wax crystals, which produces an extended network structure, and it is shown that the system displays features common to attractive colloidal gels, for one of which, fumed silica (Aerosil 200) in paraffin oil, rheological data are reported. The colloidal gel model provides a simple and economical basis for explaining the response of the gelled oil to various mechanical perturbations and constitutes a fruitful basis from which to develop technologies for controlling the gelation phenomenon, as suggested by the rheological results reported.     

Thermal behavior and solid fraction dependent gel strength model of waxy oils

Thermal behavior of waxy oils is investigated using the techniques of thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Model waxy oils and real waxy crude oils are utilized. Decomposition temperatures of waxy oils are obtained using TG analysis. The effects of thermal history, wax content, and additive on the gelation process of waxy oils are investigated using DSC. The DSC method provides a measure of wax solubility as well as solid fraction. An integration method and a computation method are utilized to predict solid fraction. In addition, wax crystallization onset points are obtained at the cooling rates ranging from 1 to 20 °C min^?1. Similarly, wax dissolution endset points are obtained at heating rates ranging from 1 to 20 °C min^?1. Extrapolated onset and endset points yield wax precipitation temperature and wax dissolution temperature, respectively. Subsequently, wax solubility curves are obtained using thermodynamic computations. A wax precipitation temperature method and a wax dissolution temperature method combine thermodynamic phase behavior with onset/endset points to predict solid fraction. Both the wax precipitation temperature method and the wax dissolution temperature method can predict solid fraction of waxy oil samples. The wax precipitation temperature method and the wax dissolution temperature method are accurate when the temperature is close to the wax appearance temperature. A heat-integration method provides accurate values of the solid fraction at temperatures significantly below the wax appearance temperature. Therefore, integration method and wax precipitation temperature/wax dissolution temperature method are combined to predict solid fraction. The effect of solid fraction on yield stress is also investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and rheometry. Finally, a new solid fraction dependent gel strength model is obtained for shut in and restart of waxy crude oil pipelines.     

Thermal characteristics of crude oils treated with rheology modifiers

Thermal characteristics of eight crude oils and their treatment with additives were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermomicroscopy, viscometer and pour point tester. Different additives were found as more effective for different type of crude oils depending on the wax content. Crude oils showed a reduced pour point after treatment with additives. Effects of different additives were also discussed by analysing the DSC curves and thermomicroscopy result.     

降凝剂与原油组分相互作用的影响因素及降凝剂发展

概述了含蜡原油中的蜡、胶质、沥青质、轻烃等有关组分与降凝剂的相互作用特点，及其对原油改性效果的影响。并结合降凝剂的改性原理，对降凝剂的发展进行了介绍。     

降凝剂对蜡油中蜡析出与溶解影响的物理化学研究

用DSC热分析仪研究了合成蜡油的加热与冷却过程,测定了蜡油在不同蜡浓度下,添加降凝剂前后的平衡蜡溶点和析蜡点以及溶解度和饱和度,并进行了热力学分析.结果表明,含蜡油的平衡蜡溶点高于平衡析蜡点,降凝剂使平衡蜡溶点进一步升高,析蜡点进一步降低,导致含蜡油凝点较大幅度降低.在实验浓度和温度范围内,该过程符合Van′tHoff方程,降凝剂使蜡的溶解焓和溶解熵增大,析出焓和析出熵减少.降凝剂提高了蜡晶析出的临界半径,增大了成核位垒,使蜡晶析出困难.     

倍半硅氧烷/改性乙烯-乙酸乙烯酯共聚物复配降凝剂对蜡油倾点的影响

乙烯-乙酸乙烯酯共聚物(EVA)是原油常用的降凝剂(PPDs),但其分子结构相对比较单一,对部分油品降凝效果不佳。 为了提高EVA的降凝效果,使用硬脂酰氯与羟基化的EVA直接反应的方法制备烷基长链接枝改性EVA,并与带有烷基长链的倍半硅氧烷(SS)纳米粒子进行复配。 研究了改性EVA和SS复配降凝剂对蜡油的降凝效果和降凝机理。 结果表明:复配降凝剂为蜡提供晶核,使蜡晶变小并降低蜡的沉淀量,导致蜡油中形成的蜡晶难以搭接在一起,形成了松散的结构,当复配质量比m(EVA-g)∶m(SS-L)=1∶2时,在蜡油中的质量分数为0.1%时,蜡油倾点降低了25 ℃。     

Effect of Wax Composition and Shear Force on Wax Aggregation Behavior in Crude Oil: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

To explore the influence of different wax components and the shear effect exerted by the pump and pipe wall in the process of crude oil pipeline transportation on the microbehavior of wax aggregation in crude oil at low temperatures, molecular dynamics models of binary and multivariate systems of crude oil with different wax components are established in this paper. The simulation results are compared with the existing experimental results and the NIST database to verify the rationality and accuracy of the models. By using the established binary model to simulate four crude oil systems containing different wax components, it can be found that the longer the wax molecular chain, the more easily the wax molecules aggregate. The influence of temperature on the aggregation process of wax molecules with different chain lengths is also studied. The lower the temperature, the greater the difference in wax molecular aggregation degree caused by the difference in molecular chain length. Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics is used to simulate the shear process of a multivariate system of crude oil, and the micromechanisms of the shear effect on the aggregation process of wax molecules are studied. Shearing can destroy the stable structure of crude oil, resulting in the orientation and conformational transformation of wax molecules, and obtaining the region of wax molecules sensitive to temperature and shear effects, the temperatures of which are below the wax precipitation point and the shear rate of which is lower than the maximum shear rate to prevent the molecular structure from being destroyed. At the same time, the sensitivity of wax components with different chain lengths to the shear effect is studied. The research results provide theoretical guidance for ensuring the safe and economic operation of waxy crude oil production.     

Effect of gemini surfactant additives on pour point depressant of crude oil

Efficiencies of cationic gemini surfactant additives in improving the pour point depressant of crude oil were investigated. The length of alkyl chain is a major factor affecting the improvement of the pour point depression. The adsorption behavior of these gemini surfactants at air/solution and oil/solution interfaces were investigated by measuring the surface tension and interfacial tension as functions of concentration. It is found that there is a good relation between surface properties especially interfacial tension of the gemini surfactants and their efficiency in depressing the pour point. Also, the surface parameters and free energies of micellization and adsorption confirm the decreasing and improving of pour point depression. Crystallization study in crude oil revealed the relationship between the structure and activity of gemini surfactant additives. It is found that the x-ray diffraction patterns of waxes with additives are remarkably different from those without additives. The mechanism of the depressants action has been suggested according the adsorption of each additive. Adsorption of the additive on the surface of the wax particles inhibits their growth and alters the crystal habits through micelle core. Pretreatment of the crude oil with pour point depressants has received the greatest acceptance due to its simplicity and economy.     

Thermodynamic phase equilibria of wax precipitation in crude oils

Economic loss due to wax precipitation in oil exploitation and transportation has reached several billion dollars a year recently. Development of a model for better understanding of the process of wax precipitation is therefore very important to reduce the loss. In this paper, a new thermodynamic model for predicting phase equilibriums of crude oils is proposed. The modified SRK EOS and the UNIQUAC equations are used to describe the vapor, liquid phase and the wax, respectively. New correlations have been introduced to calculate the volume parameter, c, in SRK EOS and the heat of vaporization in UNIQUAC equation. The model can be used to describe the systems which contain paraffin, naphthene and aromatic fractions. New correlations for the enthalpies, temperatures of solid–solid transitions and fusion enthalpies of paraffins are established in this paper based on data obtained from open literature. By using the proposed modified model, the wax precipitation in hydrocarbon fluids has been predicted for three crude oil systems. The calculation results have been compared with experimental observations and those results obtained using regular solution models. It is found that wax precipitation in complex systems can be better predicted by using this new model.     

Wax deposition rate model for heat and mass coupling of piped waxy crude oil based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics

In this paper, wax deposition in waxy crude oil transportation process was regarded as an irreversible process. Based on the entropy production rate equations, the linear phenomenological equations for the diffusion of wax molecules were derived by using the theory and method of non-equilibrium thermodynamics and heat-mass transfer. Combined with the mass and energy conservation laws, the differential equations of heat and mass transfer in the process of pipeline transportation were established, and the molecular diffusion rate of dissolved wax was solved. On the basis of this, the mathematical model of actual wax deposition rate was established by considering the attachment process and scouring process of the wax molecules. Taking an oil pipeline in Daqing as an example, the change law and influencing factors of the wax molecular diffusion coefficient, the wax deposition rate, and the net wax deposition rate were studied by numerical simulation. The wax deposition rate test results of the laboratory loop test were compared with the theoretical calculation results in order to analyze the accuracy and the adaptability of heat and mass coupling mechanism and to provide a theoretical basis for further study of wax deposition in the process of waxy oil pipeline transportation.     

Synergistic effect between surfactants and polyacrylates-maleicanhydride copolymers to improve the flow properties of waxy crude oil

Four copolymers were prepared by copolymerization of octadecyl acrylate with maleic anhydride abbreviated as [ODM], the resulted copolymer was reacted with octadecylalcohol [ODMSA], hexadecylamine [ODMCA], benzyl alcohol [ODMBA] and aniline [ODMAn]. Three oil-soluble surfactants were also prepared by esterification of mono, di and tri ethanolamine with oleic acid, abbreviated as [MEAO, DEAO and TEAO]. These compounds were purified and characterized by FTIR, ¹H-NMR and GPC. The prepared copolymers were evaluated individually and mixed with the oil-soluble surfactants and evaluated as flow improvers and pour point depressants for waxy crude oil. It was found that, the polymer with aromatic side chain [ODMBA] exhibited the maximum pour point depression ΔPP?=?24°C at concentration 1000?ppm, while the minimum pour point depression was obtained by [ODMCA] which pronounced ΔPP?=?15°C at 1000?ppm. Furthermore, the blend [B4] between [ODMBA] and oil-soluble surfactant [TEAO] achieved extra depression of pour point (ΔPP?=?30°C). The rheological properties of the treated and untreated crude oil with the polymeric additives were also investigated and it was found that Bingham yield value (τ_B) was decreased from 1.63?Pa at 32°C to 0.3?Pa at the same temperature and 500?ppm concentration of [ODMBA].     

Effect of modified nano-silica/EVA on flow behavior and wax crystallization of model oils with different wax contents

The nano-hybrid pour-point depressant (PPD) was prepared with organically modified nano-silica covering in EVA. The effects of modified nano-silica/EVA on the flow behavior and wax crystallization of model oils with different wax contents were evaluated. Compared with pure EVA and nano-silica/EVA, modified nano-silica/EVA exhibited a better effect, when doped with 500?ppm, the pour point of the model oil containing 20?wt% wax was reduced from 33°C to 0°C. However, it is noteworthy that pour point cannot accurately reflect the effect of YSiO2/EVA as cold flow improver for a high wax content. The crystal morphology and crystallization behavior of the model oils at low temperature were also observed using polarizing optical microscopy (POM). The results indicated that modified nano-silica/EVA can reduce the size of the wax crystals and disperse the wax crystals by heterogeneous nucleation.     

Phenomenological study on heat and mass coupling mechanism of waxy crude oil pipeline transport process

Based on the phase equilibrium model of the paraffin wax precipitation in the process of oil pipeline transportation, theory and method of non-equilibrium thermodynamics were applied to obtain the linear phenomenological equations for the cross-interaction of heat and mass transfer during pipeline transport, which were derived from the irreversible entropy production rate equation. Then, the analysis of the irreversible heat flow and the mass flow were carried out, and the mathematical expressions of the phenomenological coefficient of liquid phase, the phenomenological coefficient of solid phase flow, and the heat flow phenomenological coefficient were obtained. Taking a waxy crude oil transportation pipeline in Daqing Oilfield as an example, based on the analysis of liquid–solid phase equilibrium, the irreversible linear phenomenological mechanism of heat and mass coupling in waxy crude oil pipeline transportation was analyzed in detail from three levels: phenomenological coefficients which reflect characteristic of the effect of force on flow in heat and mass transfer; thermodynamic forces which trigger heat and mass transfer; transmitted heat and mass flow density, providing a theoretical basis for the further study of the wax deposition in the process of pipeline transportation.     

Synthesis of Some Additives and Study Effect of Gas Oil Composition on Flow Properties

Nine additives were prepared by esterification of dibasic acid (succinic, adipic, sebacic acid) and polyethylene glycol (Mol.wt.=600, 1000, 4000). These additives were characterized by infrared spectral analysis, average molecular weight and polydispersity index. Their influence on the depression of pour point for two type of paraffin gas oils (G1 and G2) were investigated, blends of paraffin gas oils G1 and G2 by different ratio, when their untreated and treated by additives were evaluated as pour point depressant in comparison with the original paraffin gas oils G1 and G2.

The effect of additive type and gas oil composition on wax crystal modification were studied using the photo micrographic analysis. Diethoxylate (eo=182) sebacate with blend gas oil No. 3 has achieved the best performance as pour point depressant. The photo micrographic analysis showed that, the wax morphology was greatly modified to fine dispersed crystals of compact size. A correlation between the pour point depression and the extent of wax modification was detected.     

Dispersion of Waxy Gas Oil by Some Nonionic Surfactants

Straight chain fatty alcohols having the following number of carbon atoms–C₁₂, C₁₄, C₁₈, and C₂₁–each alcohol were ethoxylated to the same of ethylene oxide content, characterized through average molecular weight and elemental analysis. The surface properties of these compounds were studied through surface tension measurements. The synthesized additives were tested as flow improvers for improving the cold flow properties of two waxy gas oils through pour point test. The results show the right efficiency of these compounds in improving the flowability. Comparative evaluation of the synthesized products with available commercial additive (com) showed their efficiency and suitability to use in gas oils. Wax modification was assisted through photoanalysis. Correlation between wax modification and flow improvement in term of pour point depression appeared to be merely qualitative in such heterogeneous gas oil systems.     

含蜡原油降凝剂与石蜡作用机理的研究进展与探讨

高分子降凝剂产品已广泛应用于原油的开采和输送工艺中,但是,对降凝剂降凝机理认识的不足制约了降凝剂的开发和应用.降凝剂与油品中石蜡的相互作用决定其降凝机理.本文综述了近年来人们在研究降凝剂与石蜡作用机理方面所使用的研究方法和所取得的进展,并深入探讨了降凝剂与石蜡的具体作用方式.对于含蜡原油,降凝剂主要通过与石蜡的共晶、吸附作用使蜡晶结构更紧凑,并促进小蜡晶聚集成较大尺寸的聚集体,从而大大降低蜡.油界面积,破坏蜡晶三维网络的形成,宏观上表现为原油凝点降低,低温流动性改善.