Cracking Paraffin Chains

 

On this episode of Microbes At Work, host Tyler Kern talked with Bill Lantz, CEO at JGL Solutions. The duo dug into cracking paraffin chains and how JGL works to prevent these chains from causing issues in the oil well.

“Long-chain hydrocarbons are usually considered paraffin in the oil field,” Lantz said. “Paraffin is the wax, just like candle wax. The long chains are comprised of the oil, and they cause the oil to thicken up like the candle wax, and then you’ve got a problem in the oil well.”

JGL uses microbes to break the chains and actually change them to lower-carbon chains, also known as cracking. This is similar to what oil refineries do to improve the oil. When this occurs successfully, the paraffin is no longer present, and it makes better quality oil.

“What you get from that is the paraffin is no longer there, and it’s now a lower carbon chain of oil,” Lantz said, “You don’t get the plugging and the hot oil.”

There are times when it becomes so hard and thick in a well that it shuts it down. When it gets to this stage, not only is the well shut down, but it can lead to costly equipment repair.

Mechanically, there are a couple of ways you can deal with paraffin. Oil companies pay hot oilers to come and heat the oil to over 200 degrees and run it down the well, which helps melt the wax. Long-chain hydrocarbons increase the pour point of the oil, and, when the oil cools, it starts to harden. This is something that shouldn’t happen in the well.

Using microbes, JGL breaks the carbon chain down without the need to heat the oil. This saves time and money on hot oiling.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Mission
Why Is the Mission of Benchmark So Important
December 23, 2025

As pharmaceutical innovation accelerates, the margin for error narrows, making quality assurance not just a regulatory necessity but a public good. Benchmark’s mission sits at the intersection of progress and protection—helping manufacturers stay aligned with FDA standards so life-saving therapies reach patients faster and safer. By keeping cleanrooms compliant and companies out of trouble, Benchmark…

Read More
Benchmark
What Is It Like for You to Be Part of the Benchmark Products Teams Now
December 23, 2025

Being part of the Benchmark Products team today means working at the intersection of precision manufacturing and deeply human collaboration, especially in the high-stakes world of cleanroom and sterility assurance solutions. As the organization grows, employees describe a culture that still feels familial—one where clear communication, personal accountability, and genuine care for customers drive…

Read More
Cleaning
Do Your Friends Ever Ask You For Cleaning Tips
December 23, 2025

In a media landscape increasingly shaped by privacy constraints, data clean rooms have emerged as a quiet but powerful way for brands to collaborate without exposing sensitive information, even if, as Will Sepsis quips, some partners would still prefer that “ignorance is bliss.” That tension—between curiosity and caution—captures the moment we’re in, where understanding…

Read More
Clean
Do You Friends Ask You For Cleaning Methods or Clean Their Home
December 23, 2025

At Benchmark Products, where cleanroom precision is part of everyday work, professionals often discover that specialized knowledge doesn’t always translate neatly into casual conversations—especially when friends jokingly wonder if you’ll critique their homes or turn them into germaphobes. The reality is that cleanroom science is about controlled environments and risk mitigation at an industrial scale,…

Read More