Mitigation of Paraffin Wax Deposition in Nigerian Waxy Crude Oils Using Locally Sourced-Based Additives: A Review

This review investigates the impact of locally sourced plant-based additives on the paraffin wax deposition tendency of Nigerian waxy crude oils. The potential of plant-based materials such as castor, jatropha, orange seed, and cashew nut oils to decrease wax deposition, and hence crude oil flowability, has been studied, being less expensive and more ecologically friendly substitutes for synthetic wax inhibitors. With paraffin inhibition efficiency (PIE) of up to 79% and pour point reductions of up to 17% at low concentrations (0.1 - 0.3 %v/v), these bio-based additives have proven to be highly effective, improving rheology by altering the shape of wax crystals, resulting in smaller, more spherical structures, and lowering viscosity and yield stress. According to organization studies, blended formulations like 40:60 castor-jatropha mix perform better than single oils, having improved efficacy when working in tandem with solvents or surfactants. Advancements in polymer-based systematically and nanocomposites have broadened the toolkit for wax inhibitions and encouraged the reduction of high molecular weight paraffins. However, existing research gaps include: environmental impact evaluations, long-term performance statistics, field-scale validation, and crude-specific optimization. This review highlights that in order to completely determine the viability of plant-based additives as sustainable wax inhibitors, mechanistic research, pilot studies, and economic analysis are required. For the Nigerian Petroleum sector, this information will direct the creation of effective environmentally responsible and locally sourced flow assurance solutions.