A method for lowering the cloud/pour point of a waxy crude oil in locations where size and/or weight of the facility may need to be limited (i.e. arctic zones and offshore). The major components of the system comprise a fractionation/quench tower and a reaction furnace. The furnace has sufficient heat input to initiate thermal cracking of wax and the fractionation tower is operated at a temperature sufficient to flash off light hydrocarbons but also low enough to quench thermal cracking reaction. The feed to the furnace comprises a portion of the bottoms stream from the tower and the furnace output is fed back into the tower bottom to be quenched.