A new insight into the modeling of asphaltene precipitation in crude oils using PC-SAFT equation of state

Abstract

PreviousNext No AccessRDPETRO 2018: Research and Development Petroleum Conference and Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 9-10 May 2018A new insight into the modeling of asphaltene precipitation in crude oils using PC-SAFT equation of stateAuthors: Aisha T. KhaleelMohammed I. L. AbutaqiyaMohammad TavakkoliFrancisco M. VargasAisha T. KhaleelDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States; Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.Search for more papers by this author, Mohammed I. L. AbutaqiyaDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United StatesSearch for more papers by this author, Mohammad TavakkoliEnnova LLC, Stafford, Texas 77477, United StatesSearch for more papers by this author, and Francisco M. VargasDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United StatesSearch for more papers by this authorhttps://doi.org/10.1190/RDP2018-41754282.1 SectionsAboutPDF/ePub ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Abstract Asphaltene precipitation occurs when the pressure of a crude oil system falls below the asphaltene onset pressure (AOP) which may lead to subsequent deposition and plugging of the production tubing. The AOP curve is usually obtained experimentally and serves as an input to Equation of State (EoS) models. In this work, we highlight the importance of defining asphaltene precipitation by both the AOP curve and the amount of asphaltene precipitated. This is because experiments performed on wellhead samples are most likely missing the heaviest asphaltene fractions that have already deposited in the wellbore. Although the absence of this fraction can significantly shift the AOP curve, it will not have a notable effect on the amount precipitated since it only accounts for a small fraction of the total precipitated asphaltenes. Additionally, using the AOP curve along with the amount of asphaltene precipitated, we have shown that modeling asphaltenes as a monodisperse fraction gives a lower onset pressure and magnifies the amount of asphaltene precipitated as compared to the actual polydisperse case. Providing a more accurate prediction gives a better understanding of the system. This allows the use of general strategies, such as simple pressure and temperature control to prevent asphaltene deposition problem. Keywords: asphaltene, modeling, equation of statePermalink: https://doi.org/10.1190/RDP2018-41754282.1FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byAn Investigation of the Effect of Asphaltene Polydispersity on Asphaltene Precipitation and Deposition Tendencies18 July 2022 | Energy & Fuels, Vol. 36, No. 16Characterization of crude oils and asphaltenes using the PC-SAFT EoS: A systematic reviewFuel, Vol. 291Role of Characterization in the Accuracy of PC-SAFT Equation of State Modeling of Asphaltenes Phase Behavior5 September 2019 | Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 58, No. 39Systematic Investigation of Asphaltene Deposition in the Wellbore and Near-Wellbore Region of a Deepwater Oil Reservoir Under Gas Injection. Part 1: Thermodynamic Modeling of the Phase Behavior of Polydisperse Asphaltenes8 January 2019 | Energy & Fuels, Vol. 33, No. 5 RDPETRO 2018: Research and Development Petroleum Conference and Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 9-10 May 2018ISSN (online):2159-6832Copyright: 2018 Pages: 233 publication data© 2018 Published in electronic format with permission by the Society of Exploration GeophysicistsPublisher:Society of Exploration Geophysicists HistoryPublished Online: 28 Jun 2018 CITATION INFORMATION Aisha T. Khaleel, Mohammed I. L. Abutaqiya, Mohammad Tavakkoli, and Francisco M. Vargas, (2018), "A new insight into the modeling of asphaltene precipitation in crude oils using PC-SAFT equation of state," SEG Global Meeting Abstracts : 179-182. https://doi.org/10.1190/RDP2018-41754282.1 Plain-Language Summary Keywordsasphaltenemodelingequation of statePDF DownloadLoading ...