THE SITUATION
The high pour point associated with certain paraffinic crude oils has the potential to impact flowability, causing paraffin deposition on production tubing. This leads to increased equipment wear, decreased production efficiency, increased operating expense and decreased profitability. Paraffin inhibitors and pour point depressants are the standard means of managing the production challenges related to paraffin crystallization, but are not cost-effective in all locations. A common solution to restore the productivity of these wells is to inject hot oil or hot water, at 160°F to 200°F, to the annulus of the wells to clean the deposits. This treatment is expensive, leads to significant downtime, requires the use of produced gas to heat the flowlines and can pose operational safety concerns due to high temperatures and high-pressure operating conditions.
THE SOLUTION
Nalco Champion has developed proprietary technology as an alternate means to manage fluid flow challenges associated with oil gelation, especially in systems with elevated water cuts. Our flow improver technology for paraffinic oils is a unique polymeric formulation specially tailored to enhance flowability of challenging waxy fluids that do not respond to conventional treatments. The technology enhances fluid flow by using water as a carrier fluid and dramatically decreasing apparent viscosity.
A new way of thinking about paraffin-inhibited crude oil flow – driving profitability and reducing the total cost of operations for our customers.
THE RESULTS
Continuous injection of Nalco Champion’s Flow Improver patented program for paraffinic crude addresses production challenges associated with paraffin deposition and facilitates a variety of improvements that increase incremental revenue, reduce operational costs and enhance safety through:
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