Solutions to Ensure Efficient Transportation for Multiphase Gas - liquid Waxy Flow Through the RC - DM - RC - 4 - RC - 4 - RP - 1 Pipelines at Nam Rong - Doi Moi Oilfield

Abstract

The Nam Rong - Doi Moi oilfield is located between Block 09 - 3 and Block 09 - 1 in the Cuu Long Basin, on Vietnam's continental shelf. It is operated by the Vietnam - Russia Joint Venture (Vietsovpetro) and has been performing efficiently. Production from the Nam Rong - Doi Moi oilfield is transported via subsea pipelines RC - DM → RC - 4, RC - 4 → RC - 5, and RC - 5 → RP - 1 to the floating production storage and offloading vessel FSO - 6. Crude oil exploited from offshore oilfields in Vietnam generally has a high paraffin (wax) content. Transporting this type of oil through subsea pipelines often leads to undesirable issues that can affect the pipeline’s transport capacity. Specifically, the crude oil from the Nam Rong - Doi Moi field is known to contain high wax content, which poses several risks due to the formation of paraffin deposits inside the pipeline. To ensure safe transportation, various techniques have been employed, including pipe insulation, mechanical removal, and the use of wax inhibitors. Among these, wax inhibitors have recently emerged as highly effective solutions for mitigating gelation and improving crude oil flow. This work introduces a solution using wax inhibitors to reduce the pour point of crude oil transported from the Nam Rong - Doi Moi oilfield. In addition, simulations of the probability of paraffin deposition in the pipeline were conducted using the OLGA software. The results indicate a high likelihood of wax formation and recommend the use of the TPD - 1210 depressant as an effective treatment. This research makes a significant contribution to the transportation of high - paraffin - content crude oil through subsea pipelines and is applicable to other oilfields in Vietnam with similar conditions.