Selection of crystal modifier chemicals to reduce the pour point of paraffinic crude oils and to provide paraffin deposition inhibition has, in the past, been accomplished by laboratory physical testing. This paper presents a method for selection of these chemicals based on a technique of modeling the cooling rate behavior of paraffinic crude oils. Using this method to model the cooling rate characteristics of various crystal modifier compounds and comparing them to the modeled characteristics of crude oils provides selection criteria for matching the best crystal modifier to a particular crude oil.

Keywords:
society of petroleum engineers, crude oil, pour point, kinetic model, cloud point, reference curve, upstream oil & gas, paraffin, carbon chain length, modification
Copyright 1991, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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