The Ruby Wax interview7 Nov 2023 21:03
The paraffin wax content of Seal Lion oil samples was measured as being around 20% by volume. Wax is of course a hydrocarbon, and is capable of being processed in a refinery, so it has value; it’s not waste.
The question has been asked “How to produce and transport it?” and whether there are risks attached.
It is well known that the Sea Lion crude oil is liquid at reservoir temperature but solid at room temperature because of the wax content.
Back in 2011, an extended well test was conducted, with pour point depressants injected into the well and with vacuum insulated tubing used to maintain temperature and liquid flow. The test fluids were burnt away through a flare boom. So, there is no difficulty producing the stuff.
As for storage and transportation, there are well-known options. Many tankers and FPSO vessels have heater coils in the cargo tanks, fed by hot water from waste heat in the engine exhausts. This keeps the cargo in a warm liquid state. You can use diluents such as light oil or diesel as a spiking agent in the tanker but that reduces the efficiency of the tanker voyage.
There is no need to have any local or Chinese facilities to deal with wax, as suggested.
As for Venezuela comparisons, their crude oil is not waxy, it is bituminous, and again it needs to be heated or diluted for transport. Different problem, same solution.
I once worked in a refinery in Kuwait and the bitumen pumps often tripped out at night and I was dragged out of bed to deal with it. The plant operators said it was an electrical problem because the circuit breaker tripped, but in reality, it was the plant operator’s problem because they had dozed off and had lost steam for the heating coils, rendering the bitumen solid!
Stop getting worked up about this, or just go for a Brazilian.
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