The Thixotropy of the Waxy Crude: A Novel Three-parameter Model

In China, over 80% of the crude is waxy crude oil, of which the influence of rheology on pipeline transportation is great and as the temperature reaches gel point, complex thixotropy will appear. The research on the thixotropy of the waxy crude, therefore, is of great importance for the design of pipeline transportation and production management, especially for the shutdown and restart-up of waxy crude pipelines. In this paper, taking Huabei Crude for example, the decline of shear stress is examined with-curve Method and a novel corresponding three-parameter model is established through experimental data fitting and validating with the data published. With advantages of high accuracy, few parameters, versatile application and handiness, this model can quantitatively describe the decline of the shear stress.