Subsea flowlines can develop a wax restriction before pressure or production trends look abnormal. By the time they do, the cheapest response options may be gone.
In this case study, evoleap’s Performance Monitoring helped a Gulf of Mexico operator spot developing wax build-up in a subsea tieback with no pigging capability. The proprietary Performance Index rose sharply while measured pressure drop and production rate stayed within their normal historical scatter.
Inside the wax restriction case study
- How evoleap compared field data with calibrated OLGA expectations to separate real change from normal variation
- How the team ruled out other explanations before recommending action
- Why a third-party host and limited remediation options raise the stakes
- An illustrative response ladder, from in-service chemical adjustment to vessel intervention
After the operator doubled wax-dispersant injection, the Performance Index returned to its normal range and wax arrived at the production platform, confirming the diagnosis.
For a longer-term view of the same approach, see Case Study: Proactive Flow Assurance Through Smarter Surveillance.