Revisiting asphaltenes instability predictions by probing destabiliztion using a fully immersed quartz crystal resonator

Saidoun, Mohamed; Palermo, Thierry; Passade-Boupat, Nicolas; Gingras, Jean-Philippe; Carrier, Hervé; Daridon, Jean-Luc

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2019.04.025

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Several experiments were carried out in different live crude oils mainly using solid detection system or high pressure microscopy. Some experiments ,− show an increase in solubility with temperature, while the opposite was observed in some measurements performed in crude oil. ,− Some authors − reported a minimum in the asphaltene phase envelope caused by an increase followed by a decrease in solubility as a function of temperature. Finally, Kokal et al and Bahrami et al found a maximum on the asphaltene phase at temperature around 353 K. Their bell-shaped curve follows the same evolutionary trend as those measured here.…”

Section: Examples Of Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO₂–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure

et al. 2020

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An efficient strategy for developing a petroleum reservoir as well as designing a robust production system depends on the knowledge of the phase behavior of the fluids to be produced. Enhanced oil recovery projects, such as CO 2 flooding, are even more critical as their efficiency is strictly related to the fluid's phase behavior in response to the added gas. Nevertheless, studies able to assess the complete phase behavior diagram for CO 2 −crude oil mixtures are scarce. Among the main reasons, one can point out the unavailability of an experimental method able to investigate such complex systems. To overcome such a challenge, the development of an experimental setup able to determine fluid phase transitions and heavy organic solids formation in opaque oils in reservoir conditions is presented. The use of a new visualization system in combination with a recently developed acoustic wave sensor offers full external scrutiny of fluid samples under high-pressure conditions. The use of a charge coupled device that works in the short wavelength infrared range allows a direct observation of the transformations occurring in the system while the external parameters are changed. It reduces the study of dark oil to the convenient investigation of transparent fluids. The study of three different CO 2 −crude oil systems demonstrates that by taking advantage of the complementarity of the QCR setup and opaque visibility setup, it is possible to investigate the full phase diagram of dark oil systems.

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Section: Examples Of Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO₂–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure

et al. 2020

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“…The addition of strong precipitants could rapidly increase their supersaturation degree, thereby promoting their fast aggregation in solution over deposition at the boundary layer . These predictions were validated experimentally using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) inside a flow cell, where the deposition environment was varied by changing heptane/toluene volume ratios, hydrodynamic conditions (i.e., flow rates spanning from diffusion- to shear-limited deposition regimes), exposure or aging time, etc. − The same technique was also adapted to investigate asphaltene deposition in gas mixtures under extreme subsurface conditions . Such studies were very insightful in relating the properties of asphaltenes in bulk solutions to their adhesion behavior at fluid/solid interfaces.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…16−23 The same technique was also adapted to investigate asphaltene deposition in gas mixtures under extreme subsurface conditions. 24 Such studies were very insightful in relating the properties of asphaltenes in bulk solutions to their adhesion behavior at fluid/solid interfaces. It was found that the main factors governing the deposition rate were the number and size of destabilized particles under given kinetic and flow conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoscale Investigation of Asphaltene Deposition under Capillary Flow Conditions

et al. 2019

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This study proposes a novel approach to investigate the diffusion-limited deposition of asphaltenes in flow lines to better understand their nanoscale behavior at interfaces and aid in the development of more accurate remediation methods and modeling tools. Experiments were first designed by flowing asphaltene-in-toluene solutions through capillary polyetheretherketone tubes and imaging their cross-sectional areas using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. A two-step digital image analysis using machine-learning concepts was applied and consisted of a (1) denoising process by analyzing the local and global bias and variance and (2) binarization process to improve the quality of image segmentation. As a result of polydispersity, particles on the tube surface were categorized into nanoaggregates (1.5–4 nm), small clusters (SCs, 4–10 nm), medium clusters (MCs, 10–20 nm), large clusters (LCs, 20–100 nm), and extra-large clusters (XLCs, >100 nm). A Langmuir adsorption isotherm was measured in toluene with an adsorption free energy of −29 kJ/mol, in agreement with previous work. Nanoaggregates and SCs were the main constituents of the adsorption layer as a result of their high mass diffusivity. A competing behavior between aggregation and adsorption was observed as the asphaltene concentration increased in toluene. Enhanced self-assembly in the bulk phase led to a continuous decrease in the number of adsorbed particles. Adding n-heptane to toluene at different volume ratios prompted the deposition of MCs with a peak in the particle size, number, and mass density observed in the vicinity of the onset of precipitation. These clusters are potential precursors to fouling because they constitute the building blocks of larger particles that grow over time on the surface. Limiting their deposition could be achieved by either increasing the flow rate or introducing chemical inhibitors that promote the formation of larger aggregates in the bulk phase under given flow conditions. The novel insights gained from this study reveal that MC-rich petroleum fluids are more prone to flow assurance challenges and that effective flow enhancers are those that promote the aggregation of MCs into particles that are too large to deposit.

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“…Therefore, a combination of analytical techniques is necessary to evaluate the overall bulk fluid behavior, especially for small aggregation particles that could not be detected by optical or light scattering techniques. 32 Phase transitions for different live or synthetic reservoir fluids and related characteristics, e.g., aggregation and morphology, are recognized to be scarce in the literature. A common approach to study the phase behavior of crude oil at reservoir conditions is the evaluation of their mixtures with typical industrial gases, e.g., methane, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phase Behavior for Crude Oil and Methane Mixtures: Crude Oil Property Comparison

et al. 2019

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A wide variation in composition and thermodynamic properties is expected for different reservoir fluids, from the simplest one containing only methane and light compounds to those with high compositional complexity. In this work, phase behavior of six different reservoir fluids recombined with methane was compared and contrasted. From our past work (Experimental Study of the Phase Behavior of Methane and Crude Oil MixturesRomero YanesJ. F.FeitosaF. X.FlemingF. P.de Sant’AnaH. B. Romero Yanes, J. F. Feitosa, F. X. Fleming, F. P. de Sant’Ana, H. B. Fuel2019255115850), a low asphaltene crude oil [28.0° American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity, 0.68 wt % n-C7 asphaltenes], referred to here as BRO, has presented a complex phase behavior when mixed with methane, especially when the methane content is around 75.0 mol %. On the basis of these results, the phase behavior of six different crude oils mixed with 75.0 mol % methane was studied in this work. The main characteristics of samples can be summarized as follows: a light condensate fluid (P1, 44.0° API gravity, and no detected n-C7 asphaltenes), three medium crude oils [(P2, 30.8° API gravity, and 0.09 wt % n-C7 asphaltenes), (P3, 26.0° API gravity, and 0.54 wt % n-C7 asphaltenes), and (P4, 25.1° API gravity, and 0.12 wt % n-C7 asphaltenes)], and two heavier crude oils [(P5, 19.5° API gravity, and 2.69 wt % n-C7 asphaltenes) and (P6, 18.7° API gravity, and 2.09 wt % n-C7 asphaltenes)]. From these fluids, mixtures with methane were prepared and their phase behavior was evaluated using a constant composition expansion test, coupled with a near-infrared solid detection system and high-pressure microscopy. For P1 and P4 systems, a unique phase transition at the bubble point was detected. On the other hand, for P2 and P3 systems, non-typical multiphase equilibria were observed associated with asphaltene precipitation, similar to that described for the BRO mixture. Phase segregation with no fractal geometry was observed from the phase transition onset pressure to the bubble pressure for P2, BRO, and P3 crude oils. Additionally, BRO and P3 show minor aggregation at pressures above the bubble pressure, with rapid redissolution when gas evolves at saturation pressures. P5 and P6 systems have phase transitions at a higher pressure because of their high asphaltene content. Phase transitions and related characteristics were associated with crude oil solvency for heavy compounds and their stability.

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Revisiting asphaltenes instability predictions by probing destabiliztion using a fully immersed quartz crystal resonator

Cited by 10 publications

References 46 publications

Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO₂–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure

Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO₂–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure

Nanoscale Investigation of Asphaltene Deposition under Capillary Flow Conditions

Phase Behavior for Crude Oil and Methane Mixtures: Crude Oil Property Comparison

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Revisiting asphaltenes instability predictions by probing destabiliztion using a fully immersed quartz crystal resonator

Cited by 10 publications

References 46 publications

Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO2–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure

Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO2–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure

Nanoscale Investigation of Asphaltene Deposition under Capillary Flow Conditions

Phase Behavior for Crude Oil and Methane Mixtures: Crude Oil Property Comparison

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Product

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Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO₂–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure

Combined Investigations of Fluid Phase Equilibria and Fluid–Solid Phase Equilibria in Complex CO₂–Crude Oil Systems under High Pressure