TRANSPORTATION OF WAXY CRUDE OILS

INTRODUCTION

Crude oil contains a mixture of light and heavy hydrocarbons. The

lighter components in the crude oil keep the heavier components in
solution. This solubility depends very strongly on the temperature.

At low temperatures separation of wax takes place, which is a problem

in the transportation of the crude.

Formation of wax crystals leads to following problems:

1.
Leads to higher viscosity with increased energy consumption for
pumping and a decreased capacity.
2.
The wax crystals tend to deposit on the pipe walls during
transportation. This leads to increased pipeline roughness, reduced
effective diameter, more frequent pigging requirement and
potential blockage.
3.
In extreme cases, wax crystals may also cause oil to gel and lead to
problems of restarting the pipeline.
4.
Safety hazard due to deposits interfering with the operation of
valves and instruments.

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Typical problems caused by wax deposition include:

Reduction or plugging of pipe work, blocking flow

Increased pumping pressure
Reduced operating efficiency and process upsets with
interruptions to production or shut downs

Costly and technically challenging removal, especially in

deepwater pipelines

Safety hazard due to deposits interfering with the

operation of valves and instruments

Disposal problems associated with accumulated wax

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Paraffin wax

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Microcrystalline , Microcrystalline, and Crystal Deposit Network of Wax

The wax present in petroleum crudes primarily

consists of paraffin hydrocarbons (C18 - C36)
known as paraffin wax and naphthenic
hydrocarbons (C30 - C60). Hydrocarbon
components of wax can exist in various states
of matter (gas, liquid or solid) depending on
their temperature and pressure. When the wax
freezes it forms crystals. the crystals formed of
paraffin wax are known as macro crystalline
wax. Those formed from naphthenes are known
as microcrystalline wax

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Advantages of predicting wax deposits

The knowledge of the magnitude of wax deposition can lead

to reduction of insulation requirements

Process heat loads can be reduced by increasing efficiency of

heat transfer
Problems related to start up and shutdown can be solved cost

effectively
The size of export pumps and flow lines can be reduced

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Pipeline Transportation:
For the transportation of large quantities of
crude oils, pipelines are the most economic
means. Under safety aspects, transportation by
pipeline guarantees the best protection for the
environment. Further, there is no handling of
other traffic and no disturbance by noise or air
pollution. A continuous supply to the refineries is
normally assured and this is not endangered by
weather conditions such as fog, icy roads, or
traffic conditions along inland waterways, such
as high or low water level, ice, etc.
Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

Shutdown of a pipeline is the most undesirable situation. It

may occur due to the following reasons :
There is an inadequate stock of oil in the terminal. This
could be caused by distribution in tanker schedules, for
instance, due to weather conditions.
2.
There are no delivery requirements by the refineries fed by
pipeline. This could be caused by disruption in operations of one
or more of the
processing units of the refineries, for
instance, due to equipment breakdown.
A pressure test for leakage control of the pipeline has to be
performed.
Repair, maintenance work on the pipeline system including pumps
is required.
The pipeline might be shutdown automatically by exceeding the
operational safety limits.
1.

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

10

Rheological Parameters
Shear Stress: Force per unit area to initiate flow
Shear rate: Velocity gradient dU/dr
Viscosity: Ratio of shear stress to shear rate
Yield Stress: The ability of fluid to restart its flow after
shutdown
As at low temperature wax formation in crude oil takes
place, it behaves as non-Newtonian fluid. Hence,
knowledge of the rheological factors is important.

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

12

Classification of Fluids

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

13

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

14

PUMPABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF WAXY CRUDE OILS

Guidelines for design of pipeline :

1. Operating safety
2. Operating economy
Factors affecting the pumpability of crude oil :
1. Temperature
2. Flow at restart
3. Effective Pipeline Viscosity

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

15

METHODS FOR PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION OF WAXY CRUDE OILS

1. Select pumps to allow a parallel/series arrangement, which could transport at slower
rates and higher pressures when required. The piping could be manifold so that parallel
arrangement would be accommodated by repositioning of valves to handle higher flow
rates.

2. Use of separate low flow, high head pumps for restarting.

3. Side traps at frequent intervals to allow short sections to be started separately.
4. Reverse pumping to create back and forth pumping sequence which prohibits static cool
down.

5. Use of pour point depressants/flow improvers.

6. Adding hydrocarbon diluents such as a less waxy crude or light distillate.
7. Injection of water to form a layer between pipe wall and crude.
8. Mixing water with crude to form an emulsion.
9. Displacement with water or light hydrocarbon liquid in case of shutdown of pipeline.
10. Separation at higher than normal pressure to allow as much gas and light hydrocarbons
as possible to remain in the crude.
11. Conditioning the crude before pipelining to change the wax crystal structure and reduce
pour point and viscosity.
12. Further sub-division of pipeline into smaller segment or reducing batch length of waxy
crude to increase maximum shear stress available.
13. Combination of the above
methods.
Transporation
of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

16

Use of Pour Point Depressants/Flow Improvers:

hold the greatest promise of achieving the desired overall objectives of operational
safety and operating economy

Reduce the pour point, viscosity and yield stress under dynamic

conditions; and
Restart the pumping after a shutdown with the available shear stress.

Chemically pour point depressants/flow improvers are ashless polymeric

additives which when added into the crude oil at 200-600 ppm level
reduce the pour point and viscosity of the crude oil
Mechanism of Flow Improvement
Point of Additive Injection:

The additives should be injected into the crude above or around its cloud
point. The additive pour point could be depressed considerably by
cutting (diluting) the basic component with kerosene, or aromatic
solvents.
No heating of the oil is required.
Subsequent external application of heat can be avoided or minimized.
Transporation
of waxy
crude oil
Dr. V.
K. Sangaldownstream.
1/18/2016
The maximum benefit
can be
derived
inbythe
system

17

Pour Point Reduction by Additives:

Pour point measurements on crude oils have

been used to detect low
temperature
handling problems
2.
Pour point can at best be used for
preliminary screening of various
additives
1.

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

alkyl acrylate polymers and copolymers,

olefin alkyl maleate copolymers,
vinyl ester polymers and copolymers, and
alkylated polystyrene

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

18

Effect of Flow Improvers on Yield Stress and Viscosity

Doping level

Yield stress @ 16 C

Viscosity @ 16C

ppm

dynes/cm2

cP

Nil

330.0

45.0

250

62.5

45.0

300

62.5

42.4

400

45.8

41.0

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

19

Dose of Pour point

Depressant in
Bombay High Crude

Nil

Yield stress at 16 oC
dynes/cm2

Viscosity at 16C at flow

development, cP

Test was abandoned as oil could not be transferred to

model pipeline due to congealing at 18C.

400

21.2

435 at 45 dynes/cm2

750

20.2

589 at 45 dynes/cm2

1000

27.5

966 at 45 dynes/cm2

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

20

Incorporation of Low Pour Point Crudes in Waxy

Crudes
Crude blend

Yield value at 16C,

dynes/cm2

100% Bombay High

330.0

100% Bombay High with 250 ppm of pour point

depressant

62.5

90% Bombay High + 10% Basrah with 250 ppm pour

point depressant

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

5.0

1/18/2016

21

Doping temperature is quite important as far as yield stresses are

concerned
Crude blend

Yield stress at 16C, dynes/cm2

50oC Doping

30C Doping

90% Bombay High + 10% Basrah with 250 ppm

pour point depressant

5.0

25.0

90% Bombay High + 10% Basrah with 300 ppm

pour point depressant

5.0

25.0

90% Bombay High + 10% Basrah with 400 ppm

pour point depressant

5.0

25.0

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

22

Crude Oil Conditioning

crude oil conditioning is a unique process is developed by Oil
India Limited.
The crude oil is first heated (100C) to melt and dissolve the
wax in it. Thereafter, on dynamic cooling (65C) and
working through the pump the crude oil is subjected to
static cooling at a predetermined rate. The result is the
conditioned crude oil which has much improved physical
properties than the virgin crude oil.

The conditioned crude oil remains fluid at much lower

temperature (18-20oC) and possesses satisfactory physical
properties so far as transportation of crude oil through the
pipeline to refineries during the winter months is
concerned. This has been employed for transporting waxy
crude oils from Assam (India).
Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

23

Thanks
for
listening

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

24

ASSIGNMENT
1. Wax formation and its control during the transportation of crude oil

(200 words.
Max)

2. Methods for pipeline Transportation of crude oils.

3. Short Notes: (150 words. Max)
Pour point depressants/Flow improvers
Crude oil conditioning

Transporation of waxy crude oil by Dr. V. K. Sangal

1/18/2016

25