Thursday, May 30, 2019

Asphaltene And Paraffin Solution; Understanding Oil And Gas Wells Problems

By Jeffrey Myers


It is not unusual for asphaltenes and paraffins to be talked about as one big topic. Even so, you need to know that these two distinct elements differ immensely when it comes to their composition, their behavior and also the conditions that often cause deposition. In order to find a lasting asphaltene and paraffin solution both elements should be looked at distinctively.

It is not cheap to treat chemical solutions. However, this is seen as a small price to pay, given the massive economic disadvantages of not addressing a concerns. These problems can affect the well and lease profitability and lead to a long list of operational problems. Oil and gas well companies could also count losses stemming from damaged formations and decreased production.

In order to control a concern, you must first understand its nature and what triggers it. Paraffins are made up of a range of molecular weight alkane and saturated hydrocarbons found in crude oil. When a paraffin structure is branched or normal it can be greater than C100 in size. The usual paraffins have a higher melting point than their branched counterparts of the same size.

Because longer structures have higher amounts of carbon, they have a higher melting point and larger molecules will hence be the first to come out of the solution. The deposits of paraffins at the bottom will be of greater molecular weight, and to treat a concern, it is imperative to first analyze the deposits.

There are various concerns that can cause deposition. Usually, this can be caused by fluctuations in temperature-pressure conditions. It can also be caused by any kind of disturbance within the equilibrium. You need professionals who can carry out field tests and help you establish whether a particular deposit is actually paraffin. On the other hand, asphaltenes have more heavy metals, molecular weight and complex structures that contain O, N, S.

Asphaltenes are responsible for giving crude oil its color. For this reason black-oil crudes often contain more levels of asphaltene. This element has polar molecules that absorb to formation surfaces and increase the water flow. To find solutions, you must also understand that while asphaltene a colloidal dispersion and is insoluble in crude oil, paraffin is soluble.

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.

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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