SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND EVALUATION OF ALLYL POLYMERIC ADDITIVES AS POUR POINT DEPRESSANT

Pour point depressants (PPDs) are commonly used as chemical wax inhibitors and rheological property improvers in the oil and gas industry in order to improve the flow ability of crude oil. In this study, polymeric additives based on stearyl acrylate (StA)-acrylic acid (AA)-allyl oleate (AO) were prepared via the free radical polymerization method. The obtained polymers were characterized by FTIR, 1H-NMR,GPC, TGA, and DTA. The results indicated the successful formation of the copolymers. The prepared polymers were investigated as PPDs and rheology modifiers for the Egyptian waxy North Qattara crude oils, and the results indicated that the pour point depression had a direct relationship with the concentrations of the prepared additives. The StA/AA additive (polymer I) achieved the greatest pour point reduction at 1500 ppm dose from 18 °C to 0 °C. In addition, the prepared polymeric additives reduced the yield stress and viscosity of the tested crude oil as compared to untreated crude oil. It can be concluded that the prepared copolymers could be used as effective pour point depressants.