Abstract
In this work, three multi-alkyl polyamines, i.e., pentahexadecyl diethylenetriamine (PHDETA), hexahexadecyl triethylenetetramine (HHTETA) and heptahexadecyl tetraethylenepentylamine (HHTEPA), were synthesized and evaluated as pure flow improvers for crude oil. Under certain conditions, PHDETA, HHTETA and HHTEPA were able to improve the flow properties of L401 crude oil samples by reducing the viscosity of the crude oil by 97.5%, 94.3% and 97.1%, respectively. The three synthesized alkyl polyamines PHDETA, HHTETA and HHTEPA were able to reduce the viscosity of L1316 crude oil to a maximum of 94.3%, 93.7% and 94.9%, respectively. The pour point of L401 crude oil could be greatly reduced by 3.1 °C, 3.3 °C and 3.4 °C with PHDETA, HHTETA and HHTEPA, respectively. The pour point of L1316 crude oil with PHDETA, HHTETA and HHTEPA was strongly decreased by 2.8 °C, 2.9 °C and 3.2 °C, respectively. Photomicrographs showed the co-crystallization of L401 and L1316 crude oil in the presence of PHDETA, resulting in the formation of a non-close-packed network of wax crystals. The multi-alkyl polyamines have multiple alkyl side chains that extend in different directions into the oil phase and can co-crystallize with the wax molecules, allowing the wax crystals to disperse.
Funding source: Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi University
Funding source: National Natural Science Foundation of China
Award Identifier / Grant number: 51974252
Funding source: Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China
Award Identifier / Grant number: 2020JQ-775
Funding source: Xi’an Shiyou University
Award Identifier / Grant number: YC19113078
About the authors
Zhichao Zhou is a graduated student of applied chemistry.
Sanbao Dong is Ph.D. of applied chemistry.
Xiaolong Zhang is master of applied chemistry.
Jie Zhang is professor of applied chemistry.
Hua Song is professor of applied chemistry.
Gang Chen is professor at the Xi'an Shiyou University. His main research areas are oilfield chemistry and petroleum chemistry. He is member of Chinese Chemical Society and Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China. He has finish 20 research projects; published more than 40 research papers; and is reviewer of 15 academic journals.
Acknowledgment
We thank the work of Modern Analysis and Testing Center of Xi’an Shiyou University.
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Author contributions: Zhichao Zhou and Gang Chen conceived the experiments; Zhichao Zhou and Sanbao Dong performed the experiments and drafted the manuscript; Xiaolong Zhang made adsorbents characterization; Jie Zhang analyzed and interpreted the characterization regarding the data; Hua Song and Gang Chen advised the work and edited the manuscript.
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Research funding: The work was supported financially by the Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi University, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51974252), the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (2020JQ-775), and Postgraduate Innovation Fund Project of Xi’an Shiyou University (YC19113078).
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Conflict of interest statement: We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of the manuscript.
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