Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology

The Korean Society of Marine Engineering (한국마린엔지니어링학회)
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Wax Appearance Temperature Measurement of Opaque Oil for Flow Assurance in Subsea Petroleum Production System

해저 석유 생산시스템 내 유동안정성 확보를 위한 불투명 오일의 왁스생성온도 측정법

  • 임종세 (한국해양대학교 에너지자원공학과) ;
  • 백승영 (한국해양대학교 에너지자원공학과) ;
  • 강판상 (한국해양대학교 에너지자원공학과) ;
  • 유승렬 (한국해양대학교 에너지자원공학과) ;
  • 김효상 (한국해양대학교 에너지자원공학과) ;
  • 박지홍 (한국해양대학교 에너지자원공학과)
  • Received : 2011.11.16
  • Accepted : 2011.12.15
  • Published : 2012.01.31
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Abstract

Deepwater oil is becoming more attractive because most onshore and shallow water oil is developing or developed. With the on-going trend to deepwater oil developments, flow assurance problems which prevent oil flow from reservoir to processing facilities are becoming an issue because deposited material can be occurred in case oil is exposed to very different environment from reservoir. Wax deposition which is one of flow assurance problems can be a major technical and economic issue because it is very sensitive to temperature. In order to predict and mitigate wax problems, the precise measurement of wax appearance temperature (WAT) which is the starting temperature of wax precipitation is very important. Various methods have been suggested for WAT measurement of opaque oil because there is no standard method for opaque oil. In this study, the WAT of opaque oil samples was measured using viscosity measurement method, differential scanning calorimetry, filter plugging method, and pressurized filter plugging method. Wax deposition test and high temperature gas chromatography analysis were applied to verify measured WAT. As a result of study, the WAT of opaque oils was successfully measured and verified. If WAT measurement methods of opaque oil related to oil characteristics is systematized using the results of this study, it can be a valuable tool for WAT measurement of opaque oil and flow assurance related to wax deposition.

비교적 접근이 용이한 육상 및 천해에서 석유의 생산은 이미 완료되었거나 대부분이 진행 중이기에 석유 생산 지역이 점차 심해로 확장되고 있다. 심해와 같은 저온환경에서 석유생산이 이루어지면 석유의 부존환경과 다른 온도와 압력에 노출되어 생산시스템에 다양한 고형물이 집적되어 석유가 안정적으로 생산되지 못하게 하는 유동안정성 확보 문제가 발생할 수 있다. 고형물 중 왁스는 온도에 민감하기 때문에 왁스의 집적을 예측하고 제어하기 위해서는 오일 내 왁스가 석출되기 시작하는 온도인 왁스생성 온도의 정확한 측정이 요구되나 표준화된 측정법이 존재하지 않아 다양한 방법이 제안되고 있는 실정이다. 이 연구에서는 점도측정법, 시차주사열량법, 필터막힘점측정법, 압력필터측정법을 적용하여 불투명 오일의 왁스생성온도를 측정하고, 이를 검증하기 위해 고형물생성유도장치와 가스크로마토크래피를 이용하였다. 이 연구결과를 통해 오일특성에 따른 왁스생성온도 실험법을 체계화한다면 불투명 오일의 왁스생성온도 측정법 표준화하는데 주요자료로 이용할 수 있어 왁스에 의한 유동안정성 확보 문제를 예측하고 해결하는데 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

Keywords

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