Effect of Emulsified Water Droplet on Wax Deposition Path in Multiphase Transportation Pipeline

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhao ◽  
Xiangdong Qi ◽  
Zhihua Wang ◽  
Kegang Ling ◽  
Zhenhua Rui
Keyword(s):  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Water Droplets ◽  
Wax Deposition ◽  
Inversion Point ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Emulsified Water ◽  
Pipeline Wall ◽  
Wax Crystals

Abstract Although the problems of wax deposition in multiphase transportation pipelines have been addressed and wax deposition models have been developed in recent years, the complex wax deposition paths derived from the potential variety of flow regimes in multiphase flow have not been well understood. This study presented a method for characterizing wax crystals aggregation and developed a model for describing the wax deposition path in oil−water two-phase flows. The effect of the emulsified water droplets on wax crystals aggregation in shearing flows was identified using the polarized light microscopy and image analysis method. The role of the emulsified water droplets in the wax deposition path reaching the upper side and lower side of the pipeline wall was discussed by solving the developed model which involves the possible inclination angle of the multiphase transportation pipeline. The availability of the mechanistic model was validated by the data and knowledge in the existing literature. The results indicated that the circular degree and particle size of wax crystals showed a characteristic that it first increased and then decreased with the accumulation of emulsified water droplets in shearing flow, and this transition appeared to the phase inversion point of the oil−water two-phase. The wax deposition path was complex in multiphase transportation. The velocity for wax crystals depositing to the pipeline wall decreased, and the time for wax crystals depositing to the pipeline wall extended with the existence of emulsified water droplets. This behavior became remarkable when the dispersion stability of the oil−water two-phase enhanced.

The Role of Emulsified Water in the Wax Deposition Path of a Waxy Crude Oil Multiphase Transportation Pipeline

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyu Lin ◽  
Zhihua Wang ◽  
Qingshan Feng ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Yunfei Xu
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Water Droplets ◽  
Wax Deposition ◽  
Waxy Crude Oil ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Waxy Crude ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Emulsified Water ◽  
Pipeline Wall ◽  
Wax Crystals

Abstract Although the problem of wax deposition in multiphase transportation pipelines have been addressed and some related wax deposition models have been developed in recent years, the complex wax deposition paths derived from the potential variety of flow regimes in multiphase flow have not been well understood. This study presented a method for characterizing wax crystals aggregation behavior and developed a model for describing wax deposition path in oil/water two-phase flows. The impact of the emulsified water droplets on wax crystals aggregation in shearing flows was quantified using polarized light microscopy and image analysis method. The role of the emulsified water droplets in the wax deposition path reaching the upper side and lower side of pipeline wall was discussed by solving the developed model which involves the possible inclination angle of multiphase transportation pipeline. The availability of the mechanistic model was validated by the data and knowledge in the existing literature. The results indicated that wax crystals morphologies and structures tended to be regular with the enhancement of shearing effect, and their aggregation behavior were restrained. The circular degree and particle size of wax crystals showed a characteristic that it firstly increased and then decreased with the accumulation of emulsified water droplets in shearing flow, and this transition appeared to the phase inversion point of the oil/water two-phase. The velocity for wax crystals depositing to pipeline wall decreased and the time for wax crystals depositing to pipeline wall extended with the existence of emulsified water droplets. The wax deposition path became more complex in multiphase transportation, and such effect became remarkable when the dispersity of oil/water two-phase enhanced. Accordingly, the intractable wax deposition of waxy crude oil in cold environment transportation would be mitigated to some extent. This study contributes to comprehending the distinction of wax deposition mechanism in single-phase and multiphase transportation of waxy crude oil, and the proposed method and model are valuable for further predicting wax deposition in waxy crude oil emulsions pipelines. The findings in this study also point out an approach to conducting cost-effective flow assurance operations in crude oil production and transportation.

Interfacial and Demulsification Properties of Janus Type Magnetic Nanoparticles

2015 ◽  
Vol 1105 ◽  
pp. 264-268
Author(s):  
Nisar Ali ◽  
Qiu Yu Zhang ◽  
Bao Liang Zhang ◽  
Wajid Zaman ◽  
Sarmad Ali
Keyword(s):  
Iron Oxide ◽  
Magnetic Nanoparticles ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Water Interface ◽  
Water Droplets ◽  
Janus Nanoparticles ◽  
Natural Surfactants ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Emulsified Water ◽  
Solvent Washing

Water-in-oil emulsions are formed during crude oil production. Some natural surfactants (asphaltenes) aggregates are known to form viscoelastic film preventing coalescence of emulsified water droplets. The present research work investigates the interfacial properties and demulsifying capacity of Janus type magnetic nanoparticles. poly (methylmethacrylate-acrylicacid-divinylbenzene) iron oxide Janus nanoparticles with Interfacially active P(MMA-AA-DVB) block copolymer and iron oxide (magnetic) shows excellent interfacial and magnetic properties. Experiments performed at the oil-water interface indicates that Janus particles adsorb at the oil - water interface and separate the emulsified water from the external magnetic field. The external magnetic play important role demulsification of magnetically tagged emulsified water droplets, producing smaller volumes of sludge and decrease the hydrocarbon loss to waste aqueous phase. The chemical bonding of interfacially active P(MMA-AA-DVB) grafted with magnetic nanoparticles and the magnetic property of P(MMA-AA-DVB)/Fe3O4 allowed the used Janus nanoparticles to be readily recycled by magnetic separation and regenerated by solvent washing.

A Unified Model of Oil/Water Two-Phase Flow in the Horizontal Wellbore

SPE Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (01) ◽  
pp. 353-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiming Wang ◽  
Quan Zhang ◽  
Quanshu Zeng ◽  
Jianguang Wei
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Variable Mass ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Phase Variable ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Horizontal Wellbore ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Variable Mass Flow

Summary In this article, a more-general flow-pattern classification of oil/water two-phase flow in the horizontal wellbore is proposed first according to the theoretical analysis and previous research achievements, on the basis of which a simplification is then performed through reasonable incorporation, and the ultimate flow patterns considered for modeling are reduced to two categories containing only six standard patterns. By use of the classical two-fluid and homogeneous modeling methodologies stemming from oil/water two-phase flow in conventional pipes, combined with the simplified classification, a mechanistic model is developed to predict the flow characteristics including the flow patterns and pressure losses for oil/water two-phase variable-mass flow in the horizontal wellbore. Model implementation is performed on the basis of the universal principle that a system will stabilize to the equilibrium state of minimum energy. Overall performance of the mechanistic model is then validated against the new data sets measured upon a large-scale experimental apparatus at the China University of Petroleum (CUP), which is designed and constructed to simulate the gas/oil/water multiphase flow in horizontal wellbores with wall mass transfer. Results show that the model developed in this paper can not only properly predict the flow patterns of oil/water two-phase flow in the horizontal wellbore, but also has high prediction accuracy for the pressure drops. Compared with the new experimental data for oil/water two-phase variable-mass flow that covers a series of input water-volumetric fractions ranging from 10 to 90%, the highest absolute average percentage error of the new unified model is 12% and the whole error is 9.2%, which demonstrates an acceptable performance. Investigations conducted in this study further enrich and develop the theory of hydrodynamic calculation for oil/water flow in the horizontal wellbore with wall influx.

scholarly journals The Separation of Emulsified Water/Oil Mixtures through Adsorption on Plasma-Treated Polyethylene Powder

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1086
Author(s):  
Asma Abdulkareem ◽  
Anton Popelka ◽  
Patrik Sobolčiak ◽  
Aisha Tanvir ◽  
Mabrouk Ouederni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Droplet Size ◽  
Contact Time ◽  
Diesel Oil ◽  
Polluted Water ◽  
Order Kinetic ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Sonication Time ◽  
Oil Concentration ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Emulsified Water

This paper addresses the preparation and characterization of efficient adsorbents for tertiary treatment (oil content below 100 ppm) of oil/water emulsions. Powdered low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was modified by radio-frequency plasma discharge and then used as a medium for the treatment of emulsified diesel oil/water mixtures in the concentration range from 75 ppm to 200 ppm. Plasma treatment significantly increased the wettability of the LDPE powder, which resulted in enhanced sorption capability of the oil component from emulsions in comparison to untreated powder. Emulsions formed from distilled water and commercial diesel oil (DO) with concentrations below 200 ppm were used as a model of oily polluted water. The emulsions were prepared using ultrasonication without surfactant. The droplet size was directly proportional to sonication time and ranged from 135 nm to 185 nm. A sonication time of 20 min was found to be sufficient to prepare stable emulsions with an average droplet size of approximately 150 nm. The sorption tests were realized in a batch system. The effect of contact time and initial oil concentrations were studied under standard atmospheric conditions at a stirring speed of 340 rpm with an adsorbent particle size of 500 microns. The efficiency of the plasma-treated LDPE powder in oil removal was found to be dependent on the initial oil concentration. It decreased from 96.7% to 79.5% as the initial oil concentration increased from 75 ppm to 200 ppm. The amount of adsorbed oil increased with increasing contact time. The fastest adsorption was observed during the first 30 min of treatment. The adsorption kinetics for emulsified oils onto sorbent followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model.

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