Live Oils Novel Organic Solid Deposition and Control Device: Wax Deposition Validation

摘要

A novel laboratory-scale flow assurance tool termed "Organic Solids Deposition and Control (OSDC)" device has been developed to assess the potential and severity of organic solids deposition problems from hydrocarbon fluids at realistic production and/or transportation conditions. Based on optimized Taylor-Couette flow in concentric cylinder geometry, the OSDC mimics production conditions of temperature, pressure, composition, turbulence, shear, surface type and roughness. These key parameters can be accurately and independently controlled, allowing the deposition tests to be conducted over a wide range of conditions. Uniquely, this new device can simulate production system thermal-hydraulic conditions and produce fully developed turbulent flow for the live fluids and stock tank oils investigated. Heat transfer and fluid dynamics in the device were characterized through careful and detailed experimentation. Deposition tests performed on small volumes of live waxy crude oils resulted in the generation of reproducible wax deposits under consistent test conditions. The wax deposition rates were comparable to those from pilot-scale flow loops that utilized larger volume of fluid.