Asphaltenes: The oil industry’s cholesterol - graphic

Asphaltenes, often described as the oil pipe’s equivalent of cholesterol, can cause significant – and costly – problems to the hydrocarbon industry.

Asphaltenes, often described as the oil pipe’s equivalent of cholesterol, can cause significant – and costly – problems to the hydrocarbon industry. Source: The Vargas Research Laboratory at Rice University

The National staff

Heavy, viscous and with a tendency to stick together, asphaltenes, are used to produce asphalt that forms roads, clog up pipelines and can make transporting and refining black gold extremely difficult.

Updated: June 27, 2015, 12:00 AM