Review of the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Producing Waxy Crude Oils

Ana M. Sousa (), Tiago P. Ribeiro, Maria J. Pereira and Henrique A. Matos
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Ana M. Sousa: CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Tiago P. Ribeiro: Tal Projecto Lda., 1350-252 Lisbon, Portugal
Maria J. Pereira: CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Henrique A. Matos: CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal

Energies, 2022, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-23

Abstract: Within the oil and gas industry, there is unanimity that wax deposits-driven pipeline blockages are a critical environmental concern and an economic liability of up to billions of dollars. However, a quantitative assessment of such an impact and, especially, of the different individual impacts that add up is absent from the current scientific literature. Such a gap is a deterrent for better-focused research. Given the production transition to heavy and paraffinic oils, harsh climatic zones, and extremely deep offshore oilfields, an extensive investigation is increasingly needed. The current endeavour was inspired by such a challenge and a review of the most recent technical and scientific publications was devised. A PRISMA-inspired and adapted methodology for systematic reviews was adopted. Over two hundred research articles, conference papers, books, theses, reviews, public databases and industry and government agencies reports were considered. As a result, a significant research gap is filled, both with the compilation, critical revision, and systematisation of the dispersed published scientific and technical data on the matter and with the definition of a quantitative economic impact appraisal for the wax deposition issue.

Keywords: wax deposition; environmental impact; economic impact; waxy crude oils; flow assurance; review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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