A Joint Industry Project to investigate paraffin deposition in multiphase flowlines and wellbores was initiated at The University of Tulsa in May 1995. As part of this JIP, a computer program, based on the molecular diffusion theory, was developed for prediction of wax deposition during multiphase flow in pipelines and wellbores. The program is modular in structure and assumes a steady-state, one-dimensional flow, energy conservation principle. This paper will describe the simulator developed for predicting paraffin deposition during multiphase flow that includes coupling of multiphase fluid flow, solid-liquid-vapor thermodynamics, multiphase heat transfer, and flow pattern-dependent paraffin deposition. Predictions of the simulator are compared and tuned to the experimental data by adjusting the film heat transfer and diffusion coefficients and the thermal conductivity of the wax deposit.
Issue Section:
Technical Papers
1.
Erickson, D. D., Niesen, V. G., and Brown, T. S., 1993, “Measurement and Prediction of the Kinetics of Paraffin Deposition,” SPE 26548 presented at SPE 68th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, TX.
2.
Bern, P. A., Winthers, W. R., and Cairns, J. R., 1980, “Wax Deposition in Crude Oil Pipelines,” European Offshore Petroleum Conference and Exhibition, London, UK.
3.
Creek, J. L., Matzain A., Apte, M. S., Brill, J. P., Volk, M., Delle Case, E., and Lund, H., 1999, “Mechanisms for Wax Deposition,” presented at AIChE, National Spring Meeting, Houston, TX.
4.
Wilke
, C. R.
, and Chang
, P.
, 1955
, “Correlation of Diffusion Coefficient in Dilute Solutions
,” AIChE J.
, 1
, No 2
, pp. 264
–270
.5.
Hayduk
, W.
, and Minhas
, B. S.
, 1982
, “Correlations for Prediction of Molecular Diffusivities in Liquids
,” Can. J. Chem. Eng.
, 60
, pp. 295
–299
.6.
Creek, J. L., 1998, “Analyzing Why, How, and Under What Conditions Waxes, Hydrates, and Asphaltenes Will Form,” presented at HR Conference, Aberdeen, Scotland.
7.
Burger, E. D., Perkins, T. K., and Striegler, J. H., 1981, “Studies of Wax Deposition in the Trans-Alaska Pipeline,” JPT, pp. 1075–1086.
8.
Rygg, O. B., Rydahl, A. K. and Ronningsen, H. P., 1998, “Wax Deposition in Offshore Pipeline Systems,” presented at 1st North American Conference, In All Situations From Land-Based to Deep Water, MULTIPHASE TECHNOLOGY, Technology from the Arctic to the Tropics, Banff, Canada.
9.
Lund, H., 1998, “Investigation of Paraffin Deposition during Singe Phase Liquid Flow,” MS thesis, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK.
10.
Svendsen
, J. A.
, 1993
, “Mathematical Modeling of Wax Deposition in Oil Pipeline Systems
,” AIChE J.
, 39
, No. 8
, pp. 1377
–1388
.11.
Niesen, V. G. Brown, T. S., and Erickson, D. D., 1993, “Thermodynamic Measurement and Prediction of Paraffin Precipitation in Crude Oil,” SPE 26604 presented at SPE 68th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, TX.
12.
Dawson, S., 1995, “Simulation of Wax Deposition Case Study,” paper presented at the IBC Advances in Multiphase Operation and Offshore Conference, London, England.
13.
Hsu
, J. C.
, Elphingstone
, G. M.
, and Greenhill
, K. L.
, 1999
, “Modeling of Multiphase Wax Deposition
,” ASME J. Energy Resour. Technol.
, 121
, pp. 81
–85
.14.
Apte, M. S., Matzain A., Delle Case, E., Volk, M., Creek, J. L., and Brill, J. P., 1999, “Investigation of Multiphase Flow Paraffin Deposition,” paper presented at BHRG Multiphase Technology Conference, Cannes, France.
15.
Chilton
, T. H.
, and Colburn
, A. P.
, 1934
, Ind. Eng. Chem.
, 26
, p. 1183
1183
.16.
Forsdyke, I, 1995, internal report: British Petroleum.
17.
Apte, M. S., 1999, “Investigation of Paraffin Deposition during Multiphase Flowin Pipelines and Wellbores,” MS thesis, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK.
18.
Multiphase Solutions Inc. (MSI), 1997, “A Thermodynamic Model for Predicting Vapor/Liquid/Solid Equilibria of Hydrocarbon Systems,” submitted to WAX JIP members.
19.
Xiao, J. J., Shoham, O., and Brill, J. P., 1990, “A Comprehensive Mechanistic Model for Two-Phase Flow in Pipelines,” SPE 20631 presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, LA.
20.
Kaya, A. S., 1998, “Comprehensive Mechanistic Modeling of Two-Phase Flow in Deviated Wells,” MS thesis, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK.
21.
Kim, D, Sofyan, Y., Ghajar, A. J., and Dougherty, R. L., 1997, “An Evaluation of Several Heat Transfer Correlations for Two-Phase Flow With Different Flow Patterns In Vertical and Horizontal Tubes,” Proc., National Heat Transfer Conference, Baltimore, MD.
22.
Sieder
, E. N.
, 1936
, Ind. Eng. Chem.
, 28
, pp. 1429
–1435
.23.
Kudirka
, A. A.
, Grosh
, R. J.
, and Mcfadden
, P. W.
, 1965
, “Heat Transfer in Two-Phase Flow of Gas-Liquid Mixtures
,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam.
, 4
, No. 3
, pp. 339
–344
.24.
Shah
, M. M.
, 1981
, “Generalized Prediction of Heat Transfer During Two Component Gas-Liquid Flow in Tubes and Other Channels
,” AIChE Symp. Ser.
, 77
, No. 208
, pp. 140
–151
.25.
Knott
, R. F.
, Anderson
, R. N.
, Acrivos
, A.
, and Petersen
, E. E.
, 1959
, “An Experimental Study of Heat Transfer to Nitrogen-Oil Mixtures
,” Ind. Eng. Chem.
, 51
, No. 11
, pp. 1369
–1372
.26.
Aggour, M. A., 1978, “Hydrodynamics and Heat Transfer in Two-Phase Two-Component Flow,” Ph.D. theisis, University of Manitobal, Canada.
27.
Rezkallah
, K. S.
, and Sims
, G. E.
, 1987
, “An Examination of Correlations of Mean Heat Transfer Coefficients in Two-Phase and Two-Component Flow in Vertical Tubes
,” AIChE Symp. Series
, 83
, pp. 109
–114
.28.
Ravipudi, S. R., and Godbold, T. M., 1978, “The Effect of Mass Transfer on Heat Transfer Rates for Two-Phase Flow in a Vertical Pipe,” Proc., 6 th Int. Heat Transfer Conf., Toronto, Canada, Vol 1, pp. 505–510.
29.
Matzain, A., Apte, M. S., Zhang, H.-Q., Volk, M., Brill, J. P., and Creek, J. L., 2000, “Investigation of Paraffin Deposition during Multiphase Flow in Pipelines and Wellbores—Part 1: Experiments,” presented at ETCE/OMAE 2000, New Orleans, LA.
30.
Marathon Oil Company, 1999, “Fluid Characterization and Property Evaluation: Final Report, submitted to WAX JIP members.
31.
Petukhov, B. S., 1970, “Heat Transfer and Friction in Turbulent Pipe Flow with Variable Physical Properties,” Advances in Heat Transfer, eds., J. P. Hartnet and T. V. Irvine, Academic Press, 6, New York, NY, pp 505–564.
32.
Creek, J. L., 1999, personal communication.
Copyright © 2001
by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.
