ABSTRACT
The mechanism of wax deposition has long been a matter of controversy. Phenomena, such as molecular diffusion, Brownian diffusion, shear dispersion, gelation, and Ostwald ripening have all been ascribed to the wax deposition process [1,2]. In the past, the primary motive for investigating wax deposition was to provide reliable forecasts of deposit growth rates in petroleum transport pipelines. Therefore, the focus of major earlier researches has been on the bulk fluid processes that drive the formation and growth of wax deposits. Little attention has been heeded to the surface processes that occur in conjunction with deposit formation, despite the fact that wax deposition is an inherent interfacial phenomenon. Recently, a renewed emphasis has been placed on the interfacial aspects of wax deposition, especially in regard to the activity and function of chemical additives [3]. The present research investigation stems from the need to understand the mechanism by which wax deposits initially adhere to solid surfaces in petroleum systems. A new analytical method is developed for studying wax deposition, and promises to provide new insight into the role of surface chemistry in the formation of incipient wax deposits.
