Effect of multi-phase flow on asphaltene deposition: Field case application of integrated simulator

Abstract

Asphaltene is initially stable in the oil, but when there is a change in pressure, temperature, or composition, particles tend to phase out and form precipitants. Issues arise when those particles diffuse toward the wall and deposit, which contributes to reducing the flowing area and increasing the pressure drop. Preventing precipitation is the optimum solution to maintain the target production rate; however, it is challenging to avoid favorable precipitation conditions. Remedies and treatments to mitigate this issue cause the oil industry a considerable increase in expenditure and time; thus, it is necessary to develop a tool to accurately predict the deposition for a wide range of operating conditions, especially in multiphase flow. In this study, a multiphase simulator is developed by coupling thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, heat transfer, and asphaltene modules to predict the deposition. A deposition data obtained from a field case is used to validate the robustness of the simulator. The simulator results matched well with the asphaltene deposition and the equilibrium profile available in the literature. The simulation approach presented here offers useful insights into the effect of multiphase flow on asphaltene deposition and eventually aid in improving the accuracy of prediction. Using single-phase assumption under multiphase conditions contributed to a significant error in the prediction, and these inaccuracies may lead to a substantial economic and operational burden for the oil and gas industry.