Environmental and Energy Engineering

Improvement of oil flowability by assembly of comb-type copolymers with paraffin and asphaltene

  1. Li Li1,
  2. Jun Xu1,
  3. Jack Tinsley2,
  4. Douglas H. Adamson3,
  5. Brian A. Pethica2,
  6. John S. Huang2,
  7. Robert K. Prud'homme2,*,
  8. Xuhong Guo1,*

Article first published online: 27 JUL 2011

DOI: 10.1002/aic.12729

Issue

AIChE Journal

AIChE Journal

Volume 58, Issue 7, pages 2254–2261, July 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Li, L., Xu, J., Tinsley, J., Adamson, D. H., Pethica, B. A., Huang, J. S., Prud'homme, R. K. and Guo, X. (2012), Improvement of oil flowability by assembly of comb-type copolymers with paraffin and asphaltene. AIChE J., 58: 2254–2261. doi: 10.1002/aic.12729

Author Information

  1. 1

    State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China

  2. 2

    Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544

  3. 3

    Dept. of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, CT 06269

*Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 7 JUN 2012
  2. Article first published online: 27 JUL 2011
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 7 JUL 2011 10:20AM EST
  4. Manuscript Revised: 11 MAY 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 2 JAN 2011

Funded by

  • Halliburton Energy Services Inc
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Numbers: 20774028, 51003030, 51003028
  • 111 Project Grant. Grant Number: B08021
  • Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
  • Key Basic Research Project of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. Grant Number: 10JC1403800
  • Scientific and Technological Project of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. Grant Number: 10111100103

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Keywords:

  • crude oil;
  • flowability;
  • paraffin;
  • asphaltene;
  • comb polymer

Abstract

Comb-type (maleic acid alkylamides-co-α-octadecene) copolymers (MACs) assemble with long-chain n-paraffins and asphaltenes by the hydrophobic alkyl branches and polar groups, respectively, and improve flowability of crude oils upon cooling. Their effects on the crystallization of paraffins from model oils were studied by rheology, optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. Upon cooling, MACs change the size and shape of paraffin crystals and reduce the yield stresses of gels generated by precipitated solids. Deposition of wax was significantly suppressed by MAC as observed using a laboratory-scale deposition apparatus. MACs are more effective than poly(ethylene-butene) copolymers in improving the flowability of crude oils containing asphaltenes. The interactions between the carboxyl and amide groups of MAC with the polar aromatic asphaltenes appear to stabilize crudes through the steric effects of the long alkyl groups of MAC polymers, thereby reducing the strength of paraffin/asphaltene gels formed on cooling. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012

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