Abstract

Deposition and precipitation of paraffin wax in pipelines are major problems in the production, transfer, storage, and processing of crude oil. To prevent complete clogging, it is necessary to minimize and remove deposited wax in pipelines and tubing. Significant research has been done addressing the mechanisms of wax formation and its composition. In this review, the status of research and perspectives on the occurrence and characterization of the paraffin wax that forms in crude oil developing wells and pipelines has been critically reviewed. Several approaches for detecting paraffin wax and managing wax formation damage during oil recovery were discussed. This review also highlighted the effects of temperature and crude oil type on wax formation. Document type: Article

Abstract

Geotechnical investigations in the subsoil of existing buildings have always been challenging due to limited space and difficult access. URETEK has developed a portable integrated system for simultaneously carrying out a CPT and a pressumeter test with Full Displacement Pressuremeter (FDP). The 30 kN thrust penetrometer to be used is very small. The reaction is given by two “microanchors”. The cone is a standard 10 cm2 digital memory cone (no cable), capable of measuring qc, fs, u every centimetre. Above the cone there is the FDP equipment with a rubber sheath covered by steel plates and connected, by a tube filled with water, to a device for creating pressure to inflate the sheath and measure pressure-volume curves as in a standard pressumeter test. The pressure-volume device and the depth transducer are connected to a microcomputer that is programmed to carry out CPT+FDP tests in an easy-to-use/user-friendly way.