Fouling

FOULING

The deposition of paraffin, salt or scale on flowline wells can materially reduce the cross-sectional area of the pipe and severely restrict flow.

Paraffin can usually be removed by scraping or by pumping hot oil or condensate through the lines. Salt and/or scale similarly may require removal by a pipeline scraper pig, or in some cases by chemical treatment. These factors should be carefully considered when designing and sizing the flowlines. If either of these factors are suspected, it may be wise to weight the estimated cleaning frequency with the cost of installing slightly larger pipelines.