Handling Congealing Oils and Paraffin - Handling Congealing Oils and Paraffin in Salt Creek Field, Wyoming (with Discussion)

This paper summarizes the results of laboratory tests conducted to determine the properties of the paraffin or rod-wax encountered in the Salt Creek field, Wyoming. It also describes field tests and methods employed to cope with the paraffin problem. The conclusions to bo drawn from the laboratory work are: 1. Samples of Salt Creek paraffin range in consistency from soft lo hard, the melting points varying from 120" to 156" V. 2. Masses of soft paraffin are soluble to an appreciable extent in crude oil and its liquid fractions at temperatures somewhat below the melting point of the paraffin. Hard paraffin is very slightly soluble. under these conditions. 3. Agitation apparently increases the amount of paraffin that will go into solution. 4. Paraffin congeals from solutions upon cooling to the point of saturation ation, which is in all cnscs below thc melting point of the paraffin. 5. Crutltl oil is tlie most effective. of all the solvents for holding paraffin in solution. 6. Pressure alone does not appreciably affect the solubility of paraffin in crude oil nor does it aid materially in holding paraffin in solution when the temperature is reduced. 7. Natural gas in solution under pressure does not appreciably increase the solubility of paraffin in crude oil, hut is effective in holding paraffin in solution when the temperature is reduced. 8. A foreign body introduced into a solution of paraffin in oil is imrnediately coated with paraffin if the temperature of the solution is at or below the melting point of the paraffin, and the object is considerably cooler than the solution. It may not be entirely correct to ray that paraffin is taken into solution; it is impossible that the paraffin may be in suspension rather than in solution.