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Vapor–liquid equilibria data of three poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)/water liquid crystals (LCs) with CO2 has been obtained up to 6 bar. The investigated LCs consist of 60% (EO)3(PO)50(EO)3 (Pluronic L81), 70% (EO)8(PO)47(EO)8 (Pluronic L92), and 70% L92-NH2. The maximum CO2 loading of the LCs was 5–13 g CO2/kg sample. Pure L81 and L92 displayed higher absorption of CO2 than the LCs. Rheology measurements revealed that the increasing viscosity of the samples decreases the CO2 loading. Water diffusion in the LCs was qualitatively investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance, confirming that free water and tightly bound water are present in the LCs. 2020 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Xanthan gum and scleroglucan are assessed as environmentally friendly enhanced oil recovery (EOR) agents. Viscometric and interfacial tension measurements show that the polysaccharides exhibit favorable viscosifying performance, robust shear tolerance, electrolyte tolerance, and moderate interactions with surfactants. Non-ionic surfactants and anionic surfactants bind to xanthan gum and transform the backbone conformation from a strong helix to a more flexible structure, reducing the viscosifying efficacy of xanthan. In contrast, non-ionic surfactants and anionic surfactants bind to scleroglucan and increase the viscosifying efficacy by non-electrostatic interactions or imparted electrostatic effects. The two polysaccharides are technically viable as viscosifying agents in typical EOR injection fluid formulations.

A conservative analytical method is presented to provide reliable predictions for waxy oil pipeline shut-in and restart. A comprehensive bench-top characterization regimen establishes in situ gel properties, utilizing thermodynamic modeling, differential scanning calorimetry, and rheometry to forecast the wax-gel mechanical response. For flow commencement modeling, pressure wave propagation simulators have recently emerged with correct predictions for the acoustic, viscous, and gel degradation regimes. Scaling analysis shows that the viscous wave is determinative for achieving timely restart in long pipelines. The informed rheology serves as a useful input to simulate restart flows. For gelation and shut-in flow predictions, a heuristic approach is currently recommended.

Paraffin precipitation during pipeline transport of waxy crude oils gives rise to several challenges, including wax deposition, flow reduction, and gel formation, which adversely impacts pipeline performance. Small dosages of polymeric wax inhibitors or pour point depressants comprise an effective preventative measure. In this article, the structural character, functionality, and mechanisms of the polymeric additives targeting paraffin wax are reviewed, and factors influencing product efficacy are summarized. Most polymeric additives contain a nonpolar moiety as well as a polar moiety, with the exception of crystalline-amorphous copolymers. Via nucleation, adsorption, co-crystallization and solubilization interactions, polymeric additives alter the morphology and interface of precipitated wax crystals, inhibiting wax deposition, improving flow, and impeding gel formation. The presence of asphaltenes significantly impacts wax crystal morphology and interfaces, thus influencing the mechanism of polymeric ad...

Paraffin wax deposition is a ubiquitous phenomenon in the petroleum production industry. Many types of internal pipe coating materials have previously been tested for preventing wax deposition, but none have demonstrated successful performance. It has become increasingly evident that an improved knowledge of the chemistry and physics of wax deposition will be required in order to develop new wax-repellent materials. In particular, it is important to understand the mechanisms used to inhibit similar deposition problems in outside industries. In order to achieve these objectives, a state-of-the-art literature survey was performed to identify the role and function of nonstick and anti-adhesive surfaces in the food, paint, marine, automotive, biomedical, tribological, optical, and petroleum industries. Information was derived from academic, industrial, and intellectual property sources. This review presents a comprehensive compilation of materials and surface modification techniques that show potential for in...

Paraffin gel formation in sub-sea petroleum transportation pipelines is a common problem encountered during operational and emergency production shut-down periods. Restart of a gelled oil pipeline usually requires the application of a large pressure drop across the pipeline length. In severe cases, permanent wax plugs have formed, resulting in the loss of production capacity. In this investigation, the structural breakdown of a quiescently-formed model wax-oil gel is measured at shear rates ranging from approximately 10−5 sec−1 to 1 sec−1. It is demonstrated that gel breakdown can be mathematically modeled using a time-dependent Bingham equation in which the yield stress follows third order degradation kinetics. The Bingham plastic viscosity term becomes significant at shear rates above ∼10−1 sec−1 and follows a similar third order decay profile with time. When the imposed shear rate is altered in a step-wise manner during the course of the gel breakage, transient non-linear viscoelastic effects are also ...