Novel Organic Solids Deposition and Control Device for Live-Oils: Design and Applications

Abstract

A novel laboratory-scale flow assurance tool termed an "organic solids deposition and control (OSDC)" device has been developed to assess the potential for and severity of organic solids deposition problems from hydrocarbon fluids at realistic production and/or transportation conditions. The OSDC device is a shear cell based on Couette−Taylor flow with a cylindrical geometry. The shear cell geometric parameters are optimized to maximize the Reynolds number. The OSDC device mimics the typical pipeline production conditions of temperature, pressure, composition, turbulence, shear rate, surface type, and roughness. These key parameters can be accurately and independently controlled, allowing the deposition tests to be conducted over a wide range of conditions. Deposition tests were performed on live waxy and asphaltenic oils. Reproducible deposits have been generated under consistent test conditions. Wax deposition rates from OSDC are comparable to those found in pilot-scale flow loops while using orders of magnitude less fluid.