A hydrocarbon compound that often precipitates on production components as a result of the changing temperatures and pressures within the production system. Heavy paraffins occur as wax-like substances that may build up on the completion components and may, if severe, restrict production. Paraffin is normally found in the tubing close to surface. Nevertheless, it can form at the perforations, or even inside the formation, especially in depleted reservoirs or reservoirs under gas-cycling conditions.

Chemical Formula Paraffin Wax:
Paraffin refers to a mixture of alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons) with the general molecular formula CnH2n+2. For paraffin usually, „n“ is within a range of 18-32.
For paraffin wax, the one found in oil pipelines, „n“ can be up to 75. The solidification point for hard paraffin is between 50-60°C.

Paraffin wax is one constituent of crude oil.
When transporting the crude through the piping system, solidifying paraffin wax can become a problem. It sticks to the inner piping walls and steadily reduces its cross-section. In general, this issue is called waxing.