Influence of asphaltenes on the performance of electrical treatment of waxy oils

Electrical treatment is emerging as an efficient approach to improve the cold flowability of crude oils. In this work, waxy model oils under static state were electrically treated by an in-house apparatus. The influence of asphaltenes, the most aromatic of the heaviest components of crude oil, on the performance of electrical treatment was systematically examined for the first time. The presence of asphaltenes was found to significantly undermine the effectiveness of electrical treatment on waxy oils, and this negative influence became more pronounced at higher asphaltene contents. The effect of asphaltenes was largely independent on their aggregation state. Interestingly, although asphaltenes generally have a negative effect on electrical treatment of waxy oils, increasing polarity of asphaltenes alleviates this unfavorable effect. The results from microscopic analysis suggest that the less pronounced change in the size distribution of wax crystals might be one of the reasons for the unfavorable effects of asphaltenes on electrical treatment of waxy oils.