Multi-Purpose Paraffin Additives for Deposit Control, Anti-Settling and Wax Softening in Oil-Based Fluids

Abstract

An additive may be added to an oil-based fluid having at least one wax foulant therein. The additive may be or include an alpha olefin copolymer, an alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin, an alkyl acrylate, a polyalkyl methacrylate, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer, ethylene vinyl acetate terpolymer, imidazoline, and combinations thereof. The additive may alter at least one property of the wax foulant as compared to an otherwise identical oil-based fluid absent the additive. The altered property may be or include the amount of wax foulant deposited, the amount of paraffinic wax dispersed, settling rate of the paraffinic wax foulant, viscosity of the paraffinic wax foulant, shape of the paraffinic wax foulant, such as but not limited to softening the wax foulant, and combinations thereof.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method for improving at least one property of at least one wax foulant within an oil-based fluid, the method comprising:
 adding an effective amount of an additive to improve at least one property of the at least one wax foulant, where the additive is selected from the group consisting of an alpha olefin copolymer, an alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin, an alkyl acrylate, a polyalkyl methacrylate, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer, ethylene vinyl acetate terpolymer, imidazoline, and combinations thereof; and   wherein the at least one property is selected from the group consisting of the amount of wax foulant deposited, the amount of wax foulant dispersed, settling rate of the wax foulant, viscosity of the wax foulant, shape of the wax foulant, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the effective amount of the additive ranges from about 10 ppm to about 10000 ppm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the alpha olefin copolymer is selected from the group consisting of alpha olefin maleic anhydride copolymers, esters of alpha-olefin maleic anhydride copolymers, imides of alpha-olefin maleic anhydride copolymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the alpha olefin copolymer has a ratio based on weight of alpha-olefin to maleic anhydride ranging from [about 0.9 alpha olefin to about 1 maleic anhydride] to [about 1.1 alpha olefin to about 2 maleic anhydride]. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the average molecular weight of the alpha olefin copolymer ranges from about 2,000 to about 50,000. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the phenol-formaldehyde resin has a carbon chain selected from the group consisting of a carbon chain of greater than 20 carbons, a carbon chain ranging from 6 carbons to 12 carbons, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the oil-based fluid is selected from the group consisting of a production fluid, a crude oil, a shale oil, a black wax crude, a yellow wax crude, a synthetic crude, an oil sand, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the alpha olefin has a carbon chain ranging from 18 carbons to 50 carbons. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one wax foulant is present within the oil-based fluid in a total amount ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt %. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one wax foulant has a carbon chain selected from the group consisting of a carbon chain ranging from about 10 carbons to about 20 carbons, 20 carbons to 30 carbons, greater than 30 carbons, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A method of refining an oil-based fluid having at least one paraffinic wax therein, the method comprising:
 adding an effective amount of an additive to improve at least one property of the at least one paraffinic wax foulant, where the additive is selected from the group consisting of an alpha olefin copolymer, an alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin, an alkyl acrylate, a polyalkyl methacrylate, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer terpolymer, imidazoline, and combinations thereof; wherein the amount of the additive within the oil-based fluid ranges from about 10 ppm to about 10000 ppm; and   wherein the at least one property is selected from the group consisting of the amount of paraffinic wax foulant deposited, the amount of paraffinic wax foulant dispersed, settling rate of the paraffinic wax foulant, viscosity of the paraffinic wax foulant, shape of the paraffinic wax foulant, and combinations thereof; and wherein the temperature of the oil-based fluid ranges from about −40 C to about 100 C.   
     
     
         23 . A treated wax composition, where the composition comprises:
 at least one wax foulant; and   an effective amount of an additive to an improve at least one property of the at least one wax foulant, where the additive is selected from the group consisting of an alpha olefin copolymer, an alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin, an alkyl acrylate, a polyalkyl methacrylate, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer, ethylene vinyl acetate terpolymer, imidazoline, and combinations thereof;   wherein the at least one property is selected from the group consisting of the amount of wax foulant deposited, the amount of wax foulant dispersed, settling rate of the wax foulant, viscosity of the wax foulant, shape of the wax foulant, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         24 . The treated wax composition of  claim 23 , further comprising an oil-based fluid. 
     
     
         25 . The treated wax composition of  claim 24 , wherein the oil-based fluid is selected from the group consisting of a production fluid, a crude oil, a shale oil, a black wax crude, a yellow wax crude, a synthetic crude, an oil sand, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The treated wax composition of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one wax foulant is present within the oil-based fluid in a total amount ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt %. 
     
     
         27 . The treated wax composition of  claim 23 , wherein the effective amount of the additive ranges from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm. 
     
     
         28 . The treated wax composition of  claim 23 , wherein the alpha olefin copolymer is selected from the group consisting of alpha olefin maleic anhydride copolymers, esters of alpha-olefin maleic anhydride copolymers, imides of alpha-olefin maleic anhydride copolymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The treated wax composition of  claim 26 , wherein the alpha olefin copolymer has a ratio based on weight of alpha-olefin to maleic anhydride ranging from [about 0.9 alpha olefin to about 1 maleic anhydride] to [about 1.1 alpha olefin to about 2 maleic anhydride]. 
     
     
         30 . The treated wax composition of  claim 23 , wherein the average molecular weight of the alpha olefin copolymer ranges from about 2,000 to about 50,000. 
     
     
         31 . The treated wax composition of  claim 23 , wherein the phenol-formaldehyde resin has a carbon chain selected from the group consisting of a carbon chain of greater than 20 carbons, a carbon chain ranging from 6 carbons to 12 carbons, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The treated wax composition of  claim 23 , wherein the alpha olefin has a carbon chain ranging from 18 carbons to 50 carbons. 
     
     
         33 . The treated wax composition of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one wax foulant has a carbon chain selected from the group consisting of a carbon chain ranging from about 10 carbons to about 20 carbons, 20 carbons to 30 carbons, greater than 30 carbons, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         34 . A treated wax composition comprising:
 at least one wax foulant;   an oil-based fluid; and   an effective amount of an additive to improve at least one property of the at least one wax foulant, where the additive is selected from the group consisting of an alpha olefin copolymer, an alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin, an alkyl acrylate, a polyalkyl methacrylate, ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer, ethylene vinyl acetate terpolymer, imidazoline, and combinations thereof;   wherein the at least one property is selected from the group consisting of the amount of wax foulant deposited, the amount of wax foulant dispersed, settling rate of the wax foulant, viscosity of the wax foulant, shape of the wax foulant, and combinations thereof.