The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil Pipelines
Crude oil plays an important role in providing the energy supply of the world, and pipelines have long been recognized as the safest and most efficient means of transporting oil and its products. However, the transportation process also faces the challenges of asphaltene-paraffin structural interact...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2016-04-01
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| Series: | Catalysts |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/6/5/61 |
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| author | Zhihua Wang Xueying Yu Jiaxu Li Jigang Wang Lei Zhang |
| author_facet | Zhihua Wang Xueying Yu Jiaxu Li Jigang Wang Lei Zhang |
| author_sort | Zhihua Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Crude oil plays an important role in providing the energy supply of the world, and pipelines have long been recognized as the safest and most efficient means of transporting oil and its products. However, the transportation process also faces the challenges of asphaltene-paraffin structural interactions, pipeline pressure losses and energy consumption. In order to determine the role of drag-reducing surfactant additives in the transportation of crude oils, experiments of wax deposition inhibition and drag reduction of different oil in pipelines with a biobased surfactant obtained by enzymatic syntheses were carried out. The results indicated that heavy oil transportation in the pipeline is remarkably enhanced by creating stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with the surfactant additive. The wax appearance temperature (WAT) and pour point were modified, and the formation of a space-filling network of interlocking wax crystals was prevented at low temperature by adding a small concentration of the surfactant additive. A maximum viscosity reduction of 70% and a drag reduction of 40% for light crude oil flows in pipelines were obtained with the surfactant additive at a concentration of 100 mg/L. Furthermore, a successful field application of the drag-reducing surfactant in a light crude oil pipeline in Daqing Oilfield was demonstrated. Hence, the use of biobased surfactant obtained by enzymatic syntheses in oil transportation is a potential method to address the current challenges, which could result in a significant energy savings and a considerable reduction of the operating cost. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:59:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6836644718424989b3c23920bebaa218 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4344 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:59:07Z |
| publishDate | 2016-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Catalysts |
| spelling | doaj.art-6836644718424989b3c23920bebaa2182022-12-22T03:16:53ZengMDPI AGCatalysts2073-43442016-04-01656110.3390/catal6050061catal6050061The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil PipelinesZhihua Wang0Xueying Yu1Jiaxu Li2Jigang Wang3Lei Zhang4Key Laboratory for Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory for Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaSchool of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, AustraliaKey Laboratory for Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory for Enhanced Oil & Gas Recovery of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaCrude oil plays an important role in providing the energy supply of the world, and pipelines have long been recognized as the safest and most efficient means of transporting oil and its products. However, the transportation process also faces the challenges of asphaltene-paraffin structural interactions, pipeline pressure losses and energy consumption. In order to determine the role of drag-reducing surfactant additives in the transportation of crude oils, experiments of wax deposition inhibition and drag reduction of different oil in pipelines with a biobased surfactant obtained by enzymatic syntheses were carried out. The results indicated that heavy oil transportation in the pipeline is remarkably enhanced by creating stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with the surfactant additive. The wax appearance temperature (WAT) and pour point were modified, and the formation of a space-filling network of interlocking wax crystals was prevented at low temperature by adding a small concentration of the surfactant additive. A maximum viscosity reduction of 70% and a drag reduction of 40% for light crude oil flows in pipelines were obtained with the surfactant additive at a concentration of 100 mg/L. Furthermore, a successful field application of the drag-reducing surfactant in a light crude oil pipeline in Daqing Oilfield was demonstrated. Hence, the use of biobased surfactant obtained by enzymatic syntheses in oil transportation is a potential method to address the current challenges, which could result in a significant energy savings and a considerable reduction of the operating cost.http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/6/5/61enzyme catalysisbiobased surfactantdrag reductionwax precipitationoil-pipeDaqing oilfield |
| spellingShingle | Zhihua Wang Xueying Yu Jiaxu Li Jigang Wang Lei Zhang The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil Pipelines Catalysts enzyme catalysis biobased surfactant drag reduction wax precipitation oil-pipe Daqing oilfield |
| title | The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil Pipelines |
| title_full | The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil Pipelines |
| title_fullStr | The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil Pipelines |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil Pipelines |
| title_short | The Use of Biobased Surfactant Obtained by Enzymatic Syntheses for Wax Deposition Inhibition and Drag Reduction in Crude Oil Pipelines |
| title_sort | use of biobased surfactant obtained by enzymatic syntheses for wax deposition inhibition and drag reduction in crude oil pipelines |
| topic | enzyme catalysis biobased surfactant drag reduction wax precipitation oil-pipe Daqing oilfield |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/6/5/61 |
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