Innovative project aims to reduce wax deposits in oil pipelines

Muscat: The project aimed to reduce the wax deposits in oil pipelines is one of the winning project in Upgrade Programme under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

The project aimed address the issue of wax deposits in crude oil pipelines and to reduce the carbon emissions.

Al Waleed bin Yousef Al Maharbi, CEO of the project said that the idea of the project focuses on the use of ultrasound waves used in various oil and gas sectors for developing an effective method that is friendly to environment for elimination of wax deposits in oil pipelines.

Wax deposits in pipelines is one of the key issues facing oil companies which may increase the cost of maintenance and reduce the efficiency of transport, he added.  He said that the project uses ultrasound waves for elimination of wax deposits.

The ultrasound waves operate in high frequencies which generates vibrations leading to formation of bubbles in the crude oil which explode to crush the heavy wax particles into smaller particles that prevent reformation of wax deposits, he added.

The use of this technology would reduce the use of chemicals and electrical heating, which results in reduction of the cost and increase the productivity.