Performance Evaluation and Comparative Analysis of Avocado Seed Oil as a Sustainable Flow Improver for Waxy Crude-Oil in the Niger Delta Region

Precipitation and deposition of paraffin wax in subsea pipelines remain a critical flow assurance challenge in the Niger Delta petroleum industry. As crude oil temperatures drop below the Wax Appearance Temperature (WAT) during transport, high-molecular-weight alkanes crystallize to form an interlocking gel network, leading to increased viscosity, pressure drops, and potential pipeline blocking. Conventional remediation using synthetic Pour Point Depressants (PPDs) like Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) is economically demanding due to importation costs and poses environmental toxicity risks. This study evaluates the technical feasibility of Avocado Seed Oil (ASO), derived from agricultural waste, as an eco-friendly wax inhibitor. Bio-oil was extracted via Soxhlet extraction using n-hexane and characterized using Gas Chromatography (GC). Its rheological performance was tested on a medium waxy crude sample (API: 32.08°, Wax Content: 33.28%) and benchmarked against commercial EVA. Results indicate that ASO contains 52.23% Oleic acid, a potent crystal modifier. At an optimum concentration of 3% w/v, ASO depressed the pour point from 38°C to 31°C (T = 7°C), matching the efficiency of the synthetic EVA. Furthermore, rheological analysis revealed a significant reduction in plastic viscosity and yield stress at temperatures approaching the pour point (C). The study establishes Avocado Seed Oil as a viable, cost-effective, and sustainable alternative for flow assurance in the Niger Delta waxy crude oil.