- Conference Article
- 10.4043/36438-ms
Overcoming Wax Deposition Challenges Using Heated Online Sand Sampling for Reliable Sand Surveillance: A Case Study from Malaysia
- Mar 30, 2026
- T Ragunathan + 3 more +3
Abstract Online Sand Sampling (OSS) has become a critical monitoring procedure in mature oil fields to mitigate erosion risk and maintain production integrity especially in the Malaysian upstream sector. However, the application of conventional OSS systems in wax-prone crude environments is often compromised when operating temperatures approach or fall below the Wax Appearance Temperature (WAT). Under such conditions, wax nucleation can lead to the obstruction of sampling lines and mesh filters, resulting in unreliable or failed sand sampling and limiting the effectiveness of sand monitoring. This paper presents the offshore deployment of a Heated Online Sand Sampler as a solution designed to maintain the fluid temperature above the WAT throughout the sampling system. The Heated OSS was implemented on a Malaysian offshore platform producing low-API waxy crude, where previous conventional OSS attempts failed due to wax-induced blockage. By maintaining controlled thermal conditions along the sampling path, uninterrupted sampling was achieved, enabling reliable physical sand capture under operating conditions previously considered unsuitable for OSS. The field results demonstrate that the Heated OSS successfully eliminated wax-related clogging and provided representative sand samples across multiple wells, confirming its operational robustness and suitability for offshore deployment. Therefore, this study highlights the Heated OSS as an effective solution for restoring reliable sand monitoring capability in mature, low-API producing assets.
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