Problems arising in crude oil production by deposition of asphaltenes and ways of their prevention

Conference · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Gen. Pap., Prepr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6903388

Rahimian, I

Each crude oil contains asphaltenes as colloidal components. In most cases, these asphaltenes will be dispersed in a stabilized state, i.e. stable under changing natural temperature and pressure conditions. Their colloidal stability is believed to be caused by solvation effects of organophillic groups of the micellae-forming molecules. In oil field processing it is known since a long time, that under certain conditions asphaltenes may precipitate from the crude oil, forming sludges which may tamp the oil-bearing formation or may be deposed inside the production tubing, inhibiting in both cases the normal production of further crude oil. To prevent such effects, the most important examination should be the determination of ranges of pressure and temperature within which asphaltenes will precipitate from the crude oil under consideration. For this, a sample of (gas loaded) crude oil, taken under field conditions, must be transferred to an autoclave. Its flocculation behavior must be studied as well by pressure release at varying temperatures under isothermal conditions as by temperature decrease under isobaric conditions. It is concluded that the flocculation limit of asphaltenes obviously does not depend on the bubble pressure of the oil/gas-system.

• Research Organization: Institut fur Erdolforschung, Walther-Nernst-Str. 7, 3392 Clausthal-Zellerfeld
• OSTI ID: 6903388
• Report Number(s): CONF-860911-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Gen. Pap., Prepr.; (United States) Journal Volume: 31:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400* -- Petroleum-- Processing
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040500 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Properties & Composition
ASPHALTENES
ASPHALTS
AUTOCLAVES
BITUMENS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLOCCULATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS SATURATION
ISOTHERMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PRECIPITATION
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
PRESSURE EFFECTS
PROCESSING
REMOVAL
SAMPLING
SATURATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLUDGES
STABILIZATION
TAR
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS