Qualification of Wax Control System

Abstract

A cold flow plant consists of a Water Management System (WMS) for separation and treatment of produced water, and a Wax Control System (WCS) for making solid wax particles that can travel through the long tieback line without further deposition on the pipe wall. Pre-conditioning to a level of 1-2% remaining water implies that avoidance of hydrate formation can be handled by reasonable volumes and traditional chemical methods. The Wax Control System enable a temperature independent transport of oil dominated flows by continuous removal of deposited wax from the pipe wall, allowing the solid wax particles to travel with the flow in the export line without any risk of further deposition of wax along the export pipeline. The technical qualification work included design and operation of a Pigging Loop that allowed continuously removal / handling of wax within a bundled pipeline.