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Flow Assurance Technologies for Mitigating Wax Deposition in Subsea Petroleum Production System  

Lim, Jong-Se (Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, Korea Maritime University)
Kang, Pan-Sang (Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, Korea Maritime University)
Yu, Seung-Ryul (Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, Korea Maritime University)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers / v.50, no.2, 2013 , pp. 278-296 More about this Journal
Abstract
Wax has been serious problem of flow assurance in low temperature environment such as subsea petroleum production system. In reservoir condition, wax is liquid phase, however, it can be crystallized at the temperature under wax appearance temperature. Wax crystal tends to be agglomerated and deposited containing oil, which becomes wax deposits. Wax deposition mechanisms in subsea petroleum production system are molecular diffusion, shear stripping reduction, aging, particle diffusion & inertia effect, shear dispersion, brownian diffusion and gravity settling. Commonly, temperature gradient between internal wall and center flow is major influential factor on wax deposition among oil composition, pressure, flow rate and roughness of flow line wall. To mitigate wax deposition in the subsea production system, thermal management, wax inhibitor and pigging have been widely applied. These technologies and applications at King field, Gannet D field and Cottonwood field are investigated in this study.
Keywords
Petroleum; Production; Subsea System; Flow Assurance; Wax; Paraffin;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 1  (Citation Analysis)
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