Synthesis of cyclohexanone-alcohol hemiketals and evaluation as flow improver for waxy crude oil

In this paper, four novel cyclohexanone-alcohol hemiketals (KL-1, KL-2, KL-3, KL-4) as waxy crude oil flow improver have been prepared by cyclohexanone and 1-pentanol, 1-Hexanol, 1-heptanol, 1-octanol. Evaluation results demonstrate the hemiketal compounds have obvious effect on the viscosity and pour point of Henan crude oil. DSC analysis showed that waxing point and waxing peak decreased to a certain degree in 0.05% hemiketal solutions. Wax crystal morphology analysis indicated the four hemiketals played a role of nucleation in the process of waxy crude oil decoagulation, and in that way acts as waxy crude oil flow improver.