STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF AN EXTERNAL ELECTRIC FIELD ON THE MOBILITY OF PARAFFINIC CRUDE OILS

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using electric fields as a method for to inhibit the formation of paraffin deposits in the production and transport of paraffinic crude oils. A capillary viscometer was designed and constructed, and then adapted to an electric field generator. This experimental setup allowed generating electric fields of different amplitudes. Capillaries tubes of different diameters were used in order to obtain different exposures times of the oil to the electric field. The variables used to quantify the effect of the electric field on the oil were the mass flow, viscosity, cloud point, and pour point. The experimental data shows that the application of the electric field to oil from Colorado 67 and Colorado 36 wells resulted in an increase of viscosity, cloud point, and pour point. These results suggest that exposure of oil to the electric field accelerates the precipitation process of organics and therefore it is not recommended for implementation in the studied wells.