Development and verification of a software module for predicting the distribution of wax deposition in an oil well based on laboratory studies

Wax deposition is a costly problem for the O&G industry. Over the years, researchers from various countries have been trying to create a model for predicting the formation of these deposits. This work aims to create and verify a methodology for predicting the formation of these deposits in the production string of an oil well. The novelty of the proposed technique lies in the use of laboratory studies of real fluids to assess the rate of paraffin formation. Based on the studies performed, they are processed and digitized, after which, using the proposed algorithm and considering the physical parameters of the formation of deposits, the distribution of deposits along the length of the tubing string at a specific point in time is simulated. Verification of the paraffin formation model consisted in comparing the calculated and actual deposit profiles obtained during the workover of the well. The results of the comparison indicate that the presented model estimates the thickness of deposits in various sections of the oil well with high accuracy. The application of the developed methodology allows increasing the accuracy of modeling various processes in an oil field, optimizing well maintenance costs, and evaluating the effectiveness of various wax deposition control technologies. •A method for predicting the formation of deposits based on laboratory studies is proposed.•The results of using this method are verified on field data and show high accuracy.•The influence of the sampling site was assessed and a correction factor was presented to account for this parameter.