The paper introduces a unique methodology of preventing and controlling the formation of paraffin deposits in oil pipelines, which is a matter of urgency in regions with negative temperatures, including the Arctic regions. The paper presents the configuration and specific parameters of the developed measuring unit. The proposed measuring unit is capable of detecting the formation of a paraffin layer during its early stages and predicting its composition. Simultaneous use of two radioisotope sensors allows increasing the performance capabilities of the measuring unit, namely to detect the formation of a paraffin layer in the early stages and to issue a signal to amplify the control signal to control the oil pipeline paraffinisation. In addition, the use of a radioisotope unit instead of a single sensor will increase the accuracy of component-wise flow rate measurement, by making an allowance for paraffin deposits formation. The use of customized information processing algorithms also allows determining oil viscosity with high accuracy. The paper deals with an optimization of a system for automated control of a promising method of electric heating via the skin-cables, wherein safety factors of up to 36% are currently used, i.e. in most cases, 1/3 excess electric power is generated. The safety of using the radioisotope measuring technique is proven.

The paper is devoted to the development of a system for predicting pipeline paraffinisation, which is a matter of urgency in oil transportation to ensure resource-saving and facilitating sustainable development of the oil industry. The paper focuses on the composition analysis of measuring instruments, the combined use of which can fix the values of all physical parameters right at the time of paraffin formation. To date, the need for such measurements is due to the absence of a precise model for the process of formation of paraffin deposits and correlating dependencies between the process of paraffinisation and physical factors causing it, as well as the absence of possibility to create a forecasting system without this information. Its creation has become possible as a result of introducing advanced methods for measuring the degree of pipeline paraffinisation and oil stream viscosity, critical for the aforesaid data collection. The paper discusses the process of pipeline paraffinisation, presents the selected methods for measuring the desired values, as well as describes the required measuring equipment. The developed system of sensors is characterized by the absence of contact with the medium being measured, full automation, and minimum number of elements. Economically feasible stages of the system development and implementation were selected.