Effect of poly (ethylene-butene) and nano-aluminium oxide blend on the viscosity of Nigerian crude oil

Abstract

AbstractWax deposition in production tubing and pipelines is very critical in Nigeria petroleum industry. It can lead to a reduction in production, shut-in of wells, choking of flow lines, failure of downhole equipment, increased power requirement and loss in revenue. In the bid to address this issue, a Niger Delta crude oil sample was characterized in this study to know its wax deposition tendency and other chemical properties. The effect of temperature on the viscosity of the crude oil sample was studied, and the degree of viscosity reduction (DVR) of the crude oil sample in the presence of poly (ethylene-butene) (PEB) and nano-aluminium oxide (Al2O3) blend at different temperatures was evaluated. 100 ppm of nano-Al2O3 blend with 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm and 5000 ppm of PEB, respectively, was added to the crude oil sample at different temperatures, and the degree of viscosity reduction (DVR) in each blend at 10 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C, 30 °C and 35 °C was evaluated. The blend with 2000 ppm of PEB with 100 ppm nano-Al2O3 is the best for offshore application as it gave the highest DVR of 77.9% and 73.7% at 10 °C and 15 °C, respectively, while the other blends gave a DVR of about 70% at 10 °C and 15 °C. As the crude sample temperature approached the wax appearance temperature of 29 °C, the DVR of PEB/Al2O3 blend drastically reduced. PEB/Al2O3 blend inhibited wax precipitation, and at low temperatures, a significant reduction in the viscosity of the crude oil sample was observed, which makes it a good recommendation for offshore application.