FLOW ASSURANCE

Asphalten
e
PROBLEMS &
SOLUTIONS

GROUP MEMBERS
GROUP #1:

GROUP #6:

AHMED HUSSIEN ABD EL

AZIZ
ESLAM YAKAN MOURAD

AHMED SAEED

AHMED GAMAL
ABD EL RAHMAN EL HADY

ABD EL HAMED ABDO

MOHAMED
AHMED EL ATTAR

MOHAMED ABD EL MONEM

SAEED
DOAA ABD EL WAHAB
AYMAN DOSOKY HUSSIEN
MAHMOUD GHONEM
HASSAN
MOHAMED ABD EL MONEM
MOSELHY
SHAABAN MOHAMED SALEM

Agenda

INTRODUCTION
OCCURRENCE & CONDITIONS
FACTORS AFFECTING Asphaltene SOLUBILITY
PREDICTION METHODS
MODELING THE ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
MITIGATION METHODS
CONCLUSIONS
REFRENCES

INTRODUCTION
Definitions:
High molecular weight aromatic-organic substance
The heaviest fraction in M.wt. and aromaticity
Carry intrinsic charge (- /+)
Asphalt refers to combination of asphaltenes and resins

INTRODUCTION
Properties:
Asphaltene M.wt. ranges from 1000 : 100,000
Micro-particle density 1.2 g/cc
Remain in solution or colloidal suspension at Pres&Tres
Precipitated when stability disrupted

OCCURRENCE & CONDITIONS

Destabilization of asphaltenes stability occurs when removes the
resin protective layer might lead to flocculation and precipitation of
asphaltenes.

OCCURRENCE & CONDITIONS

Asphaltenes deposits can occur in:
Near wellbore and perforation
Piping system and facilities
Into reservoir while different recovery methods or
stimulation process

FACTORS AFFECTING
Asphaltene SOLUBILITY
Crude oil composition:
Asphaltene solubility is higher when the crude is heavier and more
aromatic

Pressure effect:
By decreasing the pressure, the relative volume fraction of the light
components within the crude oil increases.
Below the bubble point, asphaltenes are more soluble again due to
evaporation of light crude oil components

Temperature effect:
Temperature has a less pronounced effect on aggregation
increase in temperature generally affects the aggregation of
asphaltenes by decreasing the solvating power of the crude oil

PREDICTION METHODS
Fluid Compositional Characterization
Residuum Formation
Composition of Asphaltene
SARA(Saturate Aromatic Resin Asphaltene)
Pressure Depletion

Experimental Measurements
Isothermal Depressurization Techniques
High-Pressure Microscopy (HPM)
High-Temperature and High-Pressure Filtration

PREDICTION METHODS
Fluid Compositional Characterization
Residuum Formation: treatment of the
residuum with liquid propane with
temperatures not exceed 70oF precipitates
the resins and asphaltenes

PREDICTION METHODS
Fluid Compositional Characterization
Composition of Asphaltene

PREDICTION METHODS
Fluid Compositional Characterization
SARA(Saturate Aromatic Resin Asphaltene)

PREDICTION METHODS
Fluid Compositional Characterization
Pressure Depletion: Asphaltenes are known to
aggregate by pressure depletion.

EXPERIMENTAL MEASURMENTS
Schematic representation of the thermodynamic
conditions of the flow assurance elements:

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
Two approaches are used for modeling
asphaltene precipitation:
The asphaltene precipitation process is
thermodynamically reversible.
Asphaltenes are solid particles colloidally
suspended in crude oil, which are stabilized
by adsorbed resin molecules.

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
Nghiem et al. (1993 and 1997) proposed a
thermodynamic model that is capable of describing the
asphaltene precipitation behavior over a wide range of
pressure, temperature, and composition conditions.
The model is based on treating the asphaltene as a pure
solid phase while the gas and oil are modeled with a
cubic equation of state

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
The
two components must have identical
critical properties and be a centric, with a
default set of physical property values as
given by:

Where:
: critical temperature of asphaltene fraction.
: critical pressure of asphaltene fraction.
: acentric factor of asphaltene fraction.

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
The vapor and liquid phases are described by an
EOS, such as the Peng-Robinson EOS, with the
Peneloux volume shift parameter.
The modified fugacity of component i in the vapor
phase, fVi , and liquid phase, f Li , is given by:

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES

Equation is in a generalized form of the asphaltene fugacity

that can be used to study the effect of pressure and
temperature on asphaltene precipitation.

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
THE F-H Model:
A model has been used to describe the
asphaltene precipitation mechanism by a
polymeric solution theory.
In this case, large asphaltene molecules are
supposed to be similar in their structures and
behaviors to polymer molecules and the
deasphalted oil acts as a solvent.

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
As the asphaltene is supposed to be a polymeric like
substance dissolved in crude oil, the polymeric solution
theory was used for the prediction of asphaltene
precipitation in crude oil.

The solubility parameter

MODELING THE
ASPHALTENE DEPOSITES
The amount of asphaltene precipitation in an oil
sample has been calculated at different proportions
of n-Heptane, n-Hexane, and n-Pentane
precipitants based on the F-H model and the
modified F-H model.
The SRK EOS and the sample mixing roles have
been used for calculation of the solubility parameter
and the molar volume.

MITIGATION METHODS

Chemical Techniques
Mechanical Techniques
Thermal Treatment Techniques

Chemical Techniques
Dispersants: work by surrounding the asphaltene
molecules similar to the natural resin materials
Antifoulant: to inhibit the attachment and growth of
deposits on surfaces and walls
Aromatic solvents(e.g. toluene and xylene): to redissolve the asphaltene deposits
E.g. Tarchek, Paragon, PAD, Parasperse.

Chemical Techniques

1St step, entails cleaning out and flowing back the well, then pumping in activator and an oil
spacer.
The activator binds to the formation enhancing absorption of the
inhibitor without changing formation wettability.

2nd step, the precipitation-inhibitor chemical is injected

3rd step, comprises a postflush with crude oil,
Final step, the well is shut in for 12 to 24 hours, giving the activator and inhibitor time to form a
complex before

production begins.

Mechanical Techniques
Coiled tubing: enter the pipeline and used to inject
asphaltene solvents/inhibitors
Dual Completion: with the purpose of:
Using the second tubing string for solvent
Access for lowering production testing devices
Wireline cutting: can be used to remove asphaltene solids
inside the wellbore, provided the wellbore can be easily
accessed.
Pigging: used to remove asphaltenes inside manifolds and
pipelines.

Mechanical Techniques
Pigging:
effective for cleaning the tubing and lines
Compared to wax, asphaltenes are brittle and hard,
thus special pigs are required
Pigs with disks and cups should be used
pigging operations often require production shutdown

Disc & Cup

Foam

Thermal Treatment Techniques

Removal of deposits by hot fluid
works by melting the organic deposits
Insure that the melted organics are not redeposited, That is when:
the hot fluid introduced to the formation becomes
saturated with melted paraffin
the formation temperature is lower than the cloud
point of the hot fluid.

Conclusions
Asphaltenes are best knows for the problems they
cause as solid deposits that obstruct flow in the
production system.
EOS provides models to predict conditions of
Asphaltene presentations.
Asphaltenes can be mitigated chemically,
mechanically, and thermally.

REFERENCES
Ahmed, Tarek H. Equations of state and PVT analysis:
applications for improved reservoir modeling, Gulf
Publishing Co.,2007
Boyun Guo, Shanhong Song, Ali Ghalambor, Tian Lin.
2014. Offshore Pipelines Design, Installation, and
Maintenance. Chapter 15 Flow Assurance: Asphaltene
Prevention and Remediation: 207-208.
Akbarzadeh K., Hammami A., Kharrat A., Zhang A. 2007.
AsphaltenesProblematic but Rich in Potential, Oileld
Review: 39-41.
G.Ali Mansoori. 2010. Remediation of Asphaltene and
other Heavy Organic Deposits in Oil Wells and in
Pipelines: 12-23.