An evaluation of new asphaltene inhibitors: Laboratory study and field testing
- Koninklijke/Shell Research E and P Laboratorium, Rijswijk (Netherlands)
- Koninklijke/Shell Laboratorium Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Three candidate asphaltene inhibitors have been laboratory tested for their effectiveness on a canadian crude. One inhibitor, an oil-soluble polymeric dispersant developed by Shell Chemicals, showed superior behavior compared with the others; flocculation titrations with n-heptane resulted in an optimum concentration of 1,300 ppm. PVT calculations, however, indicated that the prevailing conditions downhole can be quite favorable with respect to the amount of effective inhibitor compared with the atmospheric laboratory titrations, which appear to be quite sever tests. Therefore, lower initial concentrations were recommended for a field trial. The chemical could be injected continuously through a capillary string, thereby avoiding the lost oil production associated with solvent-cleaning operations. It have proved to be very effective at concentrations as low as 66 ppm, resulting in both a technically and economically successful trial.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 118769
- Journal Information:
- JPT, Journal of Petroleum Technology, Vol. 47, Issue 9; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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