Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment on the Properties and Composition of High-Wax Crude Oil and Its Precipitates

High-wax crude oil was treated with ultrasound (sample weight 50 g, frequency 22 kHz, field intensity 8 W/cm(2)) for 10 min. The ultrasonic treatment led to an increase in the crude oil viscosity, viscous flow activation energy, specific energy of the break of the disperse system, congealing point, pour point, and precipitate amount and to changes in the precipitate structure. The oil fraction of the crude oil, precipitates, and raffinates was analyzed by IR spectroscopy and chromatography-mass spectrometry. The content of high-molecular-mass n-alkanes in oils from the precipitate of the ultrasonically treated crude oil considerably decreases.