Abstract
The extreme environmental conditions typically encountered in offshore oil operations lead to a number of problems. Cool deep sea temperatures promote particle formation and deposition of paraffinic compounds. These solids can buildup inside pipelines, significantly decreasing production rates. Wax deposition is a critical factor when the economic feasibility of a particular well is being determined. A framework for predicting and analyzing phase transitions and growth kinetics of solids formed in hydrocarbons is established. The resulting system of partial differential equations is solved using a combination of analytical and numerical techniques. A computer simulation is developed to model a system representing the growth of solid paraffin wax on the interior wall of submerged oil production lines. The important parameters of paraffin deposition are identified. The completed computer simulation can be used to quantify the effects of different physical properties on paraffin deposition and therefore be utilized in economic analyses of producing wells.
Elphingstone, Gerald Mason (1995). Paraffin deposition in offshore oil production. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1995 -THESIS -E47.