Characteristics of temperature dropping and gelatination of the waxy crude oil-water two-phase system

Characteristics of gelatination of waxy crude oil determine the existence of transition from sol system to gel system during temperature dropping of the crude oil-water two-phase system. Such characteristics also present significant impacts to crude oil storage and transportation processes represented by gathering. In this paper, techniques and principles are developed for description of characteristics of temperature dropping and gelatination of the waxy crude oil-water twophase system, and rheological measurements are conducted for gelatination temperatures and structures of the non-Newton waxy crude oil-water two-phase system. Then, the changes in visco-elastic parameters of waxy crude oil with different water contents in different temperature dropping processes are identified to facilitate quantitative description of gelatination parameters of the waxy crude oil-water two-phase system. Additionally, universal characteristics of temperature dropping and gelatination processes of the waxy crude oil-water two-phase system are defined, and impacts and action mechanisms of temperature dropping rates and water contents of the system to gelatination are investigated. Relevant research results can provide reliable theoretic and experimental foundations for application and optimization techniques to maintain proper flow of waxy crude oil-water two-phase system with less energy consumption.