US2303823A - Method of preventing wax deposits in tubing - Google Patents
Method of preventing wax deposits in tubing Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US2303823A US2303823A US349226A US34922640A US2303823A US 2303823 A US2303823 A US 2303823A US 349226 A US349226 A US 349226A US 34922640 A US34922640 A US 34922640A US 2303823 A US2303823 A US 2303823A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- oil
- wax
- temperature
- deposition
- conduit
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- C10G73/00—Recovery or refining of mineral waxes, e.g. montan wax
- C10G73/40—Physical treatment of waxes or modified waxes, e.g. granulation, dispersion, emulsion, irradiation
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- C09K8/00—Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
- C09K8/52—Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning
- C09K8/524—Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes
Definitions
- Patented Dec. 1, 1942 METHOD OF PREVENTING WAX DEPOSITS IN TUBING Clarence J. Coberly, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Kobe, Inc., Huntington Park, Calih, a corporation of California No Drawing. Application August 1, 1940, Serial No. 349,226
- Myinvention relates to the transmission of petroleum oils through pipes or other conduits, and more particularly to the transmission of petroleum oils containing waxes.
- Petroleum oil as used herein denotes crude oil as produced from the ground or any fluid derived from such crude oil.
- Wax as used herein denotes any substance, for example, parafiine, which crystallizes or solidifies at a critical temperature, hereinafter called the crystallization point.
- Many petroleum oils contain paraffines, asphaltenes, and the like, which have a relatively low temperature of crystallization or crystallization point.
- the waxes found inmost petroleum oils crystallize or solidify at a temperature of from 95 F. to 130 F., although certain petroleum oils contain waxes whose crystallization point is outside this range, which is merely given as that including many petroleum oils from which wax deposition may be expected.
- the crystallization point of the wax contained in any such oil can be read ily determined by one skilled in the art by cooling a film of oil and watching for wax crystals with a microscope, or by centrifuging a cooling oil and noting the temperature at which wax crystals are thrown out of the oil.
- the usual method of preventing wax deposition is to maintain the oil at a temperature above the crystallization point, so that the wax will remain in solution in the oil. This method results in a heavy deposition of wax on any surfaces having a temperature below the crystallization point of the wax.
- wax deposition can be retarded or prevented by using other methods. Even if an oil carries a comparatively large wax content, wax deposition will be retarded on the walls of any conduit through which it flows if the oil is at a lower temperature than said walls even though the walls are at a temperature below the crystallization temperature of the wax if the wax is carried in the oil in the form of small solid particles in suspension. For example, an oil containing wax having a crystallization temperature of 130 F., if initially cooled substantially below that temperature, can be carried through a pipe having an even lower temperature with little or no deposition of wax.
- oils contain difierent waxes or a series 7 of waxes each of which has adifferentcrystallization point.
- some of the wax in an oil may crystallize at 130 F. but all of the wax will not crystallize until the oil has been held at a temperature of F.
- the method of using my invention to prevent deposition on the wall of a conduit or container of wax crystals from an oil is to first determine roughly the crystallization point of any wax carried in the oil. The oil is then cooled to a temperature somewhat below this point preferably by blowing cold gas through it. As the temperature of the oil falls, wax crystals are formed and the oil containing such crystals can be circulated through conduits having an even lower temperature with little or no wax deposition on the walls of the conduits.
- a better method in some cases is to introduce fine particles of resin, having a melting point above the crystallization point of the wax, into the oil, each particle of resin acting as a nucleus about which crystallization can occur, the nucleus with its load of wax crystals being carried in suspension in the oil with little or no deposition on the walls of the conduit.
- the method of retarding wax deposition, from an oil containing wax, on the walls of a conduit through which the oil is carried, the wax being of such a nature that it forms small crystals when cooled below the crystallization temperature of the wax which comprises: providing said oil with small particles of a substance not normally present in such an oil, carried in suspension in the oil, said particles being of a nature to promote crystallization of said wax about said particles; cooling said oil during its passage through the conduit to a sufiicient degree to cause deposition of wax crystals on said particles; and withdrawing the oil from the conduit with the greater portion of said particles still in suspension therein.
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Lubricants (AREA)
Description
Patented Dec. 1, 1942 METHOD OF PREVENTING WAX DEPOSITS IN TUBING Clarence J. Coberly, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Kobe, Inc., Huntington Park, Calih, a corporation of California No Drawing. Application August 1, 1940, Serial No. 349,226
1 Claim.
Myinvention relates to the transmission of petroleum oils through pipes or other conduits, and more particularly to the transmission of petroleum oils containing waxes. Petroleum oil as used herein denotes crude oil as produced from the ground or any fluid derived from such crude oil. Wax as used herein denotes any substance, for example, parafiine, which crystallizes or solidifies at a critical temperature, hereinafter called the crystallization point. Many petroleum oils contain paraffines, asphaltenes, and the like, which have a relatively low temperature of crystallization or crystallization point.
When a petroleum oil containing wax is passed through a pipe or conduit the inner wall of which is at a temperature below the crystallization point of the wax, wax tends to deposit on such walls in sufi'icient amounts to materially reduce the free area inside the conduit through which the oil must pass, thus retarding the flow of the oil.
It is an object of my invention to prevent such deposition from petroleum oils which have a considerable wax content.
The waxes found inmost petroleum oils crystallize or solidify at a temperature of from 95 F. to 130 F., although certain petroleum oils contain waxes whose crystallization point is outside this range, which is merely given as that including many petroleum oils from which wax deposition may be expected. The crystallization point of the wax contained in any such oil can be read ily determined by one skilled in the art by cooling a film of oil and watching for wax crystals with a microscope, or by centrifuging a cooling oil and noting the temperature at which wax crystals are thrown out of the oil.
The usual method of preventing wax deposition is to maintain the oil at a temperature above the crystallization point, so that the wax will remain in solution in the oil. This method results in a heavy deposition of wax on any surfaces having a temperature below the crystallization point of the wax.
I have discovered that this deposition can be retarded or prevented by using other methods. Even if an oil carries a comparatively large wax content, wax deposition will be retarded on the walls of any conduit through which it flows if the oil is at a lower temperature than said walls even though the walls are at a temperature below the crystallization temperature of the wax if the wax is carried in the oil in the form of small solid particles in suspension. For example, an oil containing wax having a crystallization temperature of 130 F., if initially cooled substantially below that temperature, can be carried through a pipe having an even lower temperature with little or no deposition of wax.
Many oils contain difierent waxes or a series 7 of waxes each of which has adifferentcrystallization point. For example, some of the wax in an oil may crystallize at 130 F. but all of the wax will not crystallize until the oil has been held at a temperature of F. I have found that if such oils are cooled to a temperature slightly below F., some crystals are formed and that as the oil is further cooled, very little deposition on the walls of any conduit occurs, even though the oil is still further cooled during its passage through the conduit. I believe this is due to the presence of preformed crystals in the oil, each of these crystals forming an active nucleus about which all further crystals form in preference to forming on the inert walls of the conduit. I have found further that by introducing into the oil small particles of resin or other foreign matter these particles form nuclei around which the wax crystallizes in preference to crystallizing on the wall of the conduit or container.
The method of using my invention to prevent deposition on the wall of a conduit or container of wax crystals from an oil is to first determine roughly the crystallization point of any wax carried in the oil. The oil is then cooled to a temperature somewhat below this point preferably by blowing cold gas through it. As the temperature of the oil falls, wax crystals are formed and the oil containing such crystals can be circulated through conduits having an even lower temperature with little or no wax deposition on the walls of the conduits.
A better method in some cases is to introduce fine particles of resin, having a melting point above the crystallization point of the wax, into the oil, each particle of resin acting as a nucleus about which crystallization can occur, the nucleus with its load of wax crystals being carried in suspension in the oil with little or no deposition on the walls of the conduit.
I claim as my invention:
The method of retarding wax deposition, from an oil containing wax, on the walls of a conduit through which the oil is carried, the wax being of such a nature that it forms small crystals when cooled below the crystallization temperature of the wax, which comprises: providing said oil with small particles of a substance not normally present in such an oil, carried in suspension in the oil, said particles being of a nature to promote crystallization of said wax about said particles; cooling said oil during its passage through the conduit to a sufiicient degree to cause deposition of wax crystals on said particles; and withdrawing the oil from the conduit with the greater portion of said particles still in suspension therein.
CLARENCE J. COBERLY.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US349226A US2303823A (en) | 1940-08-01 | 1940-08-01 | Method of preventing wax deposits in tubing |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US349226A US2303823A (en) | 1940-08-01 | 1940-08-01 | Method of preventing wax deposits in tubing |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US2303823A true US2303823A (en) | 1942-12-01 |
Family
ID=23371429
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US349226A Expired - Lifetime US2303823A (en) | 1940-08-01 | 1940-08-01 | Method of preventing wax deposits in tubing |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US2303823A (en) |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2981683A (en) * | 1958-01-14 | 1961-04-25 | Shell Oil Co | Transportation of waxy oils |
US3108944A (en) * | 1960-07-12 | 1963-10-29 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Dewaxing process |
US3454464A (en) * | 1967-12-22 | 1969-07-08 | Texaco Inc | Restricting paraffin formation in producing wells |
US3574319A (en) * | 1969-12-30 | 1971-04-13 | Tenneco Oil Co | Paraffin control method |
US3853356A (en) * | 1973-08-23 | 1974-12-10 | Marathon Oil Co | Method of pumping waxy crude oil |
US4697426A (en) * | 1986-05-29 | 1987-10-06 | Shell Western E&P Inc. | Choke cooling waxy oil |
US4702758A (en) * | 1986-05-29 | 1987-10-27 | Shell Western E&P Inc. | Turbine cooling waxy oil |
US5254177A (en) * | 1992-02-10 | 1993-10-19 | Paraffin Solutions, Inc. | Method and system for disposing of contaminated paraffin wax in an ecologically acceptable manner |
WO2014040648A1 (en) * | 2012-09-14 | 2014-03-20 | Statoil Petroleum As | Processing fluid from a well |
-
1940
- 1940-08-01 US US349226A patent/US2303823A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2981683A (en) * | 1958-01-14 | 1961-04-25 | Shell Oil Co | Transportation of waxy oils |
US3108944A (en) * | 1960-07-12 | 1963-10-29 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Dewaxing process |
US3454464A (en) * | 1967-12-22 | 1969-07-08 | Texaco Inc | Restricting paraffin formation in producing wells |
US3574319A (en) * | 1969-12-30 | 1971-04-13 | Tenneco Oil Co | Paraffin control method |
US3853356A (en) * | 1973-08-23 | 1974-12-10 | Marathon Oil Co | Method of pumping waxy crude oil |
US4697426A (en) * | 1986-05-29 | 1987-10-06 | Shell Western E&P Inc. | Choke cooling waxy oil |
US4702758A (en) * | 1986-05-29 | 1987-10-27 | Shell Western E&P Inc. | Turbine cooling waxy oil |
US5254177A (en) * | 1992-02-10 | 1993-10-19 | Paraffin Solutions, Inc. | Method and system for disposing of contaminated paraffin wax in an ecologically acceptable manner |
WO2014040648A1 (en) * | 2012-09-14 | 2014-03-20 | Statoil Petroleum As | Processing fluid from a well |
GB2519716A (en) * | 2012-09-14 | 2015-04-29 | Statoil Petroleum As | Processing fluid from a well |
CN104641069A (en) * | 2012-09-14 | 2015-05-20 | 斯塔特伊石油公司 | Processing fluid from a well |
GB2519716B (en) * | 2012-09-14 | 2017-08-30 | Statoil Petroleum As | Processing fluid from a well |
US10113120B2 (en) | 2012-09-14 | 2018-10-30 | Statoil Petroleum As | Processing fluid from a well |
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