Challenges Inherent in the Development of Predictive Deposition Tools for Asphaltene Containing Hydrocarbon Fluids

Abstract

The correlation and prediction of deposit formation are at the core of flow assurance, risk assessment, and other reservoir fluid management issues and are equally important for heavy oil or bitumen partitioning and upgrading. Asphaltene deposition in particular is a key topic in both sectors. Hydrocarbons from condensate-rich reservoir fluids to bitumen + diluent mixtures share constituents, from asphaltenes and resins to pentane, and can all be classified as asymmetric from a phase behavior perspective. The phase dia-grams for these asymmetric fluids are characterized by zone of four-phase behavior surrounded by three-phase and two-phase regions in both pressure-composition at constant temperature, and pressure–temperature at constant composition diagrams. Adherent asphaltenic solid and liquid deposits only arise within some multiphase zones. Zones such as the SL1, SL1V, L1L2V, and L1L2 are prone to the production of adherent asphaltenic deposits particularly when combined with intermittent or laminar flow. By incorporating incomplete approaches prevalent in both sectors into qualitative four component phase diagrams, one can illustrate key aspects of the phase diagrams for the entire range of fluids, as well as the challenges faced with respect to the prediction of specific phase behaviors. In this article we present and illustrate some of these challenges and propose a path toward their resolution.