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This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Oil and Gas India Conference and Exhibition held in Mumbai, India, 20–22 January 2010.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.
Abstract
Many oil fields producing waxy crude, face severe wax deposition problem in down hole tubulars and surface flow lines.
Sometimes this problem is also encountered at the face of producing zone in the well bore region due to changes in
temperature & pressure conditions. This problem frequently results in complete blockage of the crude passage and poses
severe production problem. Conventional methods such as thermal, magnetic, mechanical scraping, solvent cleaning and
chemical treatment etc. are not only cumbersome, costly and hazardous but provide only temporary respite. Two separate
microbial systems, capable of mitigating the vexed problem of paraffin deposition in oil well tubulars and surface flow lines
have been developed.
The microbial system for down hole tubular comprises of paraffin degrading bacterial (PDB) consortium named as
PDS-10, nutrient supplements and growth enhancer. Laboratory studies showed significant reduction in pour point and flow
behaviour of the crude. The process is effective up to 900C but maximum efficiency was observed at 550C. Field trial in 100
wells of different fields of Western & Eastern sector has shown that the treatment not only checked the paraffin deposition in
all the treated wells but also improved oil production by 20-80 % in many wells. Most of the treated wells flowed without any
wax deposition for 6-8 months after the treatment.
For flow assurance in surface flow lines bacterial consortium named as FIB-19, which shows high degree of wax
degradation capability has been developed. The bacterial consortium is aerophilic, mesophilic and remains active upto 430C.
Field trial in surface flow lines of twelve wells of Ahmedabad Asset was quite successful resulting in elimination of
requirement of line flushing for considerable time along with reduction in pressure in the flow line. The average period of
effectiveness of the jobs has been found to be around 4-5 months.
Introduction
Paraffin deposition resulting in loss of production is a perennial problem in the oil fields, globally. The problem gets even
worse during the winter with falling temperatures. These problems range from clogging reservoir flow paths and causing
premature abandonment of reserves, to increasing maintenance costs of pumps, rods, tubing, flow-lines, separators and
creating tank bottoms in the surface facilities. The paraffin wax constituent of petroleum crude begins crystallizing depending
on temperature and pressure. During vertical flow lowering of temperature results in freezing out of heavier fraction of the
paraffin from the crude. High temperature of the reservoirs keep these paraffinic compounds solubilized but below Wax
Appearance Temperature of crude, the surfaces of the well tubing, surface flow line get coated with layers of wax.
Deposited wax in well tubings, pipelines and other flow lines damages formations, causes operational problems with flow
restriction and partial or complete loss of production. Paraffin deposition gets compounded with high GOR, high volumes of
oil production, temperature loss, acid/ fracture jobs, gas lift etc. With the passage of time the wax deposition thickness
increases leading to decline in production. Ultimate being the formation of wax plug resulting in stoppage/blockage of
production.
Flow restriction caused by wax deposition is a global phenomenon with gigantic losses in terms of production. It leads to
periodic mechanical scrapping, pigging, shut-in, pipeline replacements, abandonment, equipment failures, extra power
requirement and increased man power needs. Traditional methods such as thermal, magnetic, solvent and chemical treatment,
mechanical scraping are not only cumbersome and costly but also hazardous and provide only temporary respite. Moreover
these are environmentally hazardous and toxic.
Therefore, looking for a methodology which mitigates the vexing wax deposition problem is the buzz word today in oil
2 SPE 129002
industry. This paper deals with processes developed for prevention of wax deposition in down hole well tubulars and surface
flow lines using different microbial consortium.
The microbial treatment developed, adequately prevents and mitigates the wax deposition problem providing a viable and
economical approach
Field Trials
Methodology
The microbial consortium is incubated at 55º C to obtain seed population of microbes. Biological solution to be injected in the
formation and tubing is prepared in the field with the seed population. The well bore region and the production tubing is
cleaned by mechanical scrapping and solvent wash using usual tools and specific quantity of the solvent squeezed into the well
to redissolve the deposited paraffin in tubulars and well bore. Biological solution is squeezed in well bore area and filled in the
tubulars. The microbial consortium was allowed to proliferate to produce bio-film on the surface of tubulars. The well was put
on production after 5 days.
Field Pilot
The first field trial of the developed microbial system was carried out successfully in a well in Kalol field of Western sector of
ONGC where the well flowed without scraping for almost two years with increase in liquid production rate2 (figure 3a). Field
trials were conducted in 14 more wells from different fields. Each well gave excellent results in terms of extensive scraping
free period as compared to pre job scraping frequency and improved well liquid. The average life span of active life of the
microbes was found to be 6-8 months but the success saga in well tubulars ranged from 3 months to more than a year (figure
3b).
Field Response
The success of the job was evaluated on the basis of measure of post job scrapping free period in the well tubulars against the
number of scrapings required before the job. Wells showing 3 months of uninterrupted flow after the job with improved flow
SPE 129002 3
behaviour were classified as successful jobs. The unrestricted flow of the well, thereby reducing the manpower deployed for
scrapping, the time involved, expensive chemicals used and other associated cleaning jobs in the well besides scrapping
accounts for success of the job. The well bore cleaning achieved with the squeezing of microbial culture is an additional
benefit. Increased output in oil flow is the final attribute to the success of the job.
Commercialization
Based on the encouraging results achieved during field testing the technology has been extended to commercial level in the
fields of ONGC as well as Oil India Ltd. A new joint venture company of ONGC and The Energy & Resources Institute, New
Delhi, named as ONGC -TERI Biotech Ltd. (OTBL) has been formed to take up the jobs on commercial scale.
Mechanism
Bacteria can remove paraffin from oil pipelines by dispersion and/or solubilization. In dispersion, bacterial metabolic
byproducts such as fatty acid, alcohols and surfactants loosen the paraffin deposits. Under fluid flow, the paraffin is broken
apart and removed. Once in suspension, the paraffin can be broken down further or it may continue through the system as a
solid in suspension. In solubilization the bacteria break down the heavier fractions into smaller ones, thus increasing the
percentage of volatiles in the crude oil. They may also form a slimy film coating on the inner walls of the pipeline as in case of
down hole tubulars, thus preventing/ delaying the nuclei of wax crystallization to form and further aggravate into wax
deposition problem of huge proportions.
Field Trials
Methodology
The microbial consortium is incubated at 37º C, to obtain seed population of microbial consortium. The surface flow line was
cleaned with solvents to achieve dissolution of paraffin and other deposited material in the flow line. Biological slurry in the
field was prepared with seed population and nutrients. The flow line was completely filled with the biological solution,
allowing the microbial consortium to proliferate for 5 days and develop a coating of the bio-film in the flow line.
Field Pilot
Initial Field pilot was carried out in one well of Limbodra field of Western sector of ONGC4. It was 1.75 km long
4 SPE 129002
interconnected flow line with another well. The temperature of the flow line recorded in March 2007 was 400C at well head
end and 390C at the GGS end. The line pressures used to shoot up to as high as 8.5 KSC. The well produced paraffinic crude
having wax content in the range 25%, thus facing severe paraffin problem and requiring frequent pigging. The surface flow
line of the well was cleaned of all deposits by hot oil circulation and solvent flushing prior to the microbial treatment.
After microbial treatment, the flow line was closed for 5 days incubation to allow the microbes to flourish. The well was
monitored after putting back on production and performance of the microbial treatment was evaluated in terms of reduction in
the line pressure at the time of flowing and requirement of line flushing job.
Response
After the job the flow line could be sustained on continuous flow for a period of four to five months without any requirement
of line flushing. The flow line pressure came down to the range of 5.0 to 6.5 KSC from 8.0-8.05 KSC before the job and no
further increase in line pressure since has been observed. The success of the job is thus accounted through reduction in line
pressure and eliminating the need of line flushing for at least 3 months.
Commercialization
Based on the encouraging results achieved during field testing, the technology was extended to commercial level in the fields
of ONGC through OTBL. 55 km length of surface line of different wells has been treated with the FIB-19 microbial culture.
Conclusions
• The developed microbial consortia PDS-10 is highly effective in controlling paraffin deposition in tubular and well bore
region.
• Microbial consortia FIB-19 has been successful in controlling wax deposition in surface flow lines.
• The innovative developed microbial systems are cost effective and environment friendly.
References
1. Lal, Banwari, Sood Nitu, Reddy, M.R.V.P., Swaleh Abu, Rambaran and Kumar Vinod. Development of thermophilic micro-
aerophilic paraffin degrading bacterial consortium TERI Project No. 2002MB62, TERI, New Delhi, August 2004 Unpublished
Report.
2. Misra T.R., Khurana, R.K, Chauhan K.J, Biswas, S.K., Kumar, Ashok, Singh, Nimmi. Field Trial of paraffin degrading bacterial
consortium active upto 900C in selected wells of Ahmedabad Asset, IRS, ONGC, Ahmedabad September 2006 Unpublished
Report
3. Lal Banwari, Sharma, P.M., Mandal, Ajoy Kumar, Dwivedi Manish, Swaleh Abu, Kumar Vinod. Development of microbial
system for improving flow efficiency of crude oil in surface flow lines. Project No. 2006MB38, TERI, New Delhi, April 2007
Unpublished Report.
4. Misra T.R., Chauhan K.J., Biswas, S.K., Kumar Ashok, Rana, Dolly Pal. Field Trial of Microbial System for Improving Flow
Efficiency of Crude Oil in Surface Flow Lines IRS, ONGC, Ahmedabad April 2008 Unpublished Report
SPE 129002 5
Acknowledgement
We are grateful to the Management of Oil & Natural Gas Corporation for granting permission to present this work. Authors
express their indebtedness to Dr. R.V. Marathe, GGM-Head of Institute, IRS, ONGC, Ahmedabad for providing facilities for
taking up this innovative project and always being the source of motivation especially during the course of field trials. Thanks
are also due to the Management of The Energy & Resources Institute, New Delhi for extending collaboration for the studies.
90
80
Figure 1 Photomicrograph of paraffin Degrading Figure 2 Paraffin degrading efficiency of PDS-10 at different
Bacterial Consortium (PDS-10) temperatures
7
12
6
Scrapping Frequency
10
No. of scrapping
5
8 4
6 3 Job done
4 Partial deposition 2
Jo b d o ne
2 No scrapping 1 No scrapping
0 0
June'06
Oct'06
Dec'06
Feb'07
June'07
Oct'07
Dec'07
Feb'08
Oct'06
Oct'07
Aug'06
April'07
Aug'07
Dec'05
Feb'06
Aug'06
Dec'06
Feb'07
Aug'07
Dec'07
Feb'08
April'06
June'06
April'07
June'07
Time
Tim e
Figure 3a Scrapping frequency in pilot well Pre and Post Fig 3b Scrapping Frequency in Well Pre and Post Microbial Job
Microbial Job
60-99 days
10%
< 60 days
Well Problem
Figure 4 Scrapping free profile of wells post microbial job Figure 5 Microphotograph of FIB-19
6 SPE 129002
d eg rad atio n o f Paraffin Wax (% )
80 >200 Days
10% 14%
70
60 100-199 Days
50
40 50-99 days
30 28% 19%
20 upto 50 days
10
0 under observation
30 OC 37 OC 40 OC 43 OC 45 OC
Temperature
10% 19% Line problem
Figure 6 Paraffin degradation by FIB-19 at different temperatures Figure 7 Line Flushing Profile in Surface Flow Lines Post
microbial job
Table: 1 Representative Parameters of Few Wells for Microbial Paraffin Control Job
in Well Tubulars