Investigating the effect of copolymer type and initial temperature on preventing deposition process in wax/asphaltene nanostructure using molecular dynamics simulation

Abstract

The accumulation of crude oil deposits, particularly wax and asphaltene, in surface tanks, oil transmission lines, and oil formations is a major challenge for the oil industry. This study used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effect of copolymer type and initial temperature (Temp) on preventing deposition in Fe3O4@SiO2/wax/asphaltene nanostructures. This study aimed to investigate the effect of varying the initial temperature and the use of various copolymer types (Poly (methyl methacrylate), Ethylene-vinyl acetate) on the nanostructure's viscosity and aggregation time. The viscosity and aggregation time of the nanostructure were investigated concerning the initial temperature. The results indicate that the viscosity of 1108 mPa/s and the aggregation time of 8.59 ns were induced by the presence of Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, whereas the viscosity of 1221 mPa/s and the aggregation time of 7.77 ns reduced by Poly (methyl methacrylate). Increasing the temperature from 300 to 350 K increased the aggregation time from 8.59 to 8.91 ns and decreased the viscosity from 1108 to 936 mPa/s. These findings were crucial for improving flow assurance, production efficiency, equipment integrity, and environmental responsibility in the oil industry.