PEG-MODIFIED MALEIC ANHYDRIDE AND ALPHA-OLEFIN COPOLYMERS AND THEIR EFFECT ON FLOW ABILITY OF CRUDE OILS

摘要

Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons consistanting of paraffins, aromatics, naphthenes, asphaltenes , and resins [1]. Among these components, the deposition of long chain paraffins and the aggregation of polar asphaltenes are the main reasons to cause flow problems during the production and transportation of crude oils, especially upon cooling [2]. Asphaltenes defined as the portion of crude oil insoluble in n-alkanes such as n-heptane or n-pentane yet soluble in benzene or toluene are the most polar fractions of crude oil, consisting of aromatics and heteroatoms that mainly contain different acidic and basic functional group, which might be present and crystallize as waxes [3-5].