ABSTRACT

Wax deposition is a major flow assurance problem encountered when pressure and temperature conditions drop as crude oil is produced from the subsurface to the surface. The use of pour point depressants is a major method of preventing wax deposition. Pour point depressants are polymeric materials that prevent wax depositionbyreducingthepourpointandwaxappearancetemperature(cloudpoint) ofwaxycrudeoilsamples.Theresearchworkinvestigatestheuseofnanocomposite pour point depressants (NPPDs) which are a combination of nanoparticles and Pourpoint depressants to reduce the pour point and viscosity of waxy crude oil as well as tackle wax deposition. The Aspen HYSYS simulation software was used tosimulatetheflowofwaxycrudeoilthroughtwopipelinesflowline1A(beforeNPPD addition) and flowline 1B (after the addition of the NPPD- a combination of polymethylacrylateandaluminiumoxide).Streamanalysisperformedonthemodel showed a drastic decrease in pour point from 85.73^oF in flowline 1A to 36.31^oF in flowline 1B. There was also a reduction in viscosity from 70.08cp to about 8.31cp at 37.8^oC. Addition of the PMA/Al₂O₃ NPPD also reduced the deposit rate and deposit thickness of waxes across the pipe length further proving its efficiency at waxdepositprevention.Inconclusion,thestudywasabletosuccessfullymodelthe flow of waxy crude oil through pipelines and also prove the effectiveness of the novel PMA/Al₂O₃ NPPD at waxprevention.