Use of quaternary ammonium salts for paraffin removal

Claim 1

A METHOD OF REMOVING DEPOSITS OF NORMALLY SOLID PARAFFINS FROM METAL SURFACES IN CONTACT WITH A HYDROCARBON FLUID WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF INJECTING BETWEEN 1 AND 20 GALLONS OF A SOLUTION OF QUANTERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MONOALKYL QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, DIALKYL QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, AND MIXED MONOALKYL AND DIALKYL QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, HAVING FROM 5 TO 20 CARBON ATOMS IN EACH ALKYL GROUP IN AN ALCOHOLIC SOLVENT INTO A WELL TUBING PLUGGED BY PARAFFIN DEPOSITS, INJECTING A VOLUME OF WATER INTO SAID TUBING, FOLLOWING THE LOAD IN SAID TUBING WITH A STREAM OF NATURAL GAS FROM AT LEAST ABOUT PIPELINE PRESSURE FOR A PERIOD OF 1 TO 60 MINUTES WHILE THE ANNULUS IS VENTED TO THE ATMOSPHERE, SHUTTING THE WELL IN UNTIL THE WELL PRESSURE EXCEEDS THE PIPELINE PRESSURE, FLOWING GAS FROM SAID WELL FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 1 HOUR TO 7 DAYS TO AGITATE THE INJECTED FLUIDS, AND VENTING SAID TUBING TO THE ATMOSPHERE, THEREBY PERMITTING SPORADIC DISCHARGE OF CHUMKS OF PARAFFIN FROM SAID TUBING BY THE FLUID ENERGY OF SAID HYDROCARBON FLUID WHICH CONTINUES UNTIL UNIMPEDED FLOW OF SAID HYDROCARBON FLUID IS RESTORED.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF REMOVING DEPOSITS OF NORMALLY SOLID PARAFFINS FROM METAL SURFACES IN CONTACT WITH A HYDROCARBON FLUID WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF INJECTING BETWEEN 1 AND 20 GALLONS OF A SOLUTION OF QUANTERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MONOALKYL QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, DIALKYL QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, AND MIXED MONOALKYL AND DIALKYL QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SALTS, HAVING FROM 5 TO 20 CARBON ATOMS IN EACH ALKYL GROUP IN AN ALCOHOLIC SOLVENT INTO A WELL TUBING PLUGGED BY PARAFFIN DEPOSITS, INJECTING A VOLUME OF WATER INTO SAID TUBING, FOLLOWING THE LOAD IN SAID TUBING WITH A STREAM OF NATURAL GAS FROM AT LEAST ABOUT PIPELINE PRESSURE FOR A PERIOD OF 1 TO 60 MINUTES WHILE THE ANNULUS IS VENTED TO THE ATMOSPHERE, SHUTTING THE WELL IN UNTIL THE WELL PRESSURE EXCEEDS THE PIPELINE PRESSURE, FLOWING GAS FROM SAID WELL FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 1 HOUR TO 7 DAYS TO AGITATE THE INJECTED FLUIDS, AND VENTING SAID TUBING TO THE ATMOSPHERE, THEREBY PERMITTING SPORADIC DISCHARGE OF CHUMKS OF PARAFFIN FROM SAID TUBING BY THE FLUID ENERGY OF SAID HYDROCARBON FLUID WHICH CONTINUES UNTIL UNIMPEDED FLOW OF SAID HYDROCARBON FLUID IS RESTORED.