Use of Limonene as a Biodegradable Surfactant for the Inhibition and Removal of Paraffins in Oil Production Operations

Abstract

Paraffin buildup is one of the most common problems in oil production operations. The agglomeration of these alkanes in the production tubing and the surface flow lines not only lowers the production rate but also results in an additional damage repair cost. It also represents a threat to both the operation of the equipment (rods and subsoil pumps) and to the environment, and it is a risk for the personnel who carry out the paraffin removal work, since the conventional chemicals used, such as xylene and toluene, are highly toxic and polluting. The presence of paraffins in crude oil is frequent in unconventional fields or share oil fields, which have API gravity values greater than 35. In conventional fields, cases of paraffinic crude oil can be found; especially in the final part of the field's life cycle. In the present work, crude oil samples were used from a conventional field located in the Talara Basin, in Northern Peru, which had an API gravity (ASTM D1298) of 36.