Asphaltene precipitation in crude oils: Theory and experiments

AIChE Journal

Volumn 50, Issue 10, 2004, Pages 2552-2570

  Buenrostro Gonzalez, Eduardo ^a   Lira Galeana, Carlos ^a   Gil Villegas, Alejandro ^b   Wu, Jianzhong ^c  

^a INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETRÓLEO   (Mexico)

^b UNIVERSITY OF GUANAJUATO   (Mexico)

^c University of California Riverside   (United States)

Author keywords

Asphaltene precipitation; Liquid liquid equilibria; SAFT VR EOS; Thermodynamic model

Indexed keywords

ASPHALT; BUBBLES (IN FLUIDS); EQUATIONS OF STATE; HIGH PRESSURE EFFECTS; PARAFFINS; PHASE DIAGRAMS; PRECIPITATION (CHEMICAL); TITRATION;

ASPHALTENES; COMPOSITION INTERVALS; ISOTHERMAL EXPANSION;

CRUDE PETROLEUM;

ASPHALT; ASPHALTENE; HEPTANE; PETROLEUM; UNCLASSIFIED DRUG;

CRUDE OIL;

ARTICLE; BUBBLE COLUMN REACTOR; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; EXPERIMENTAL MODEL; ISOTHERM; LIQUID; MATHEMATICAL MODEL; MCMILLAN MAYER THEORY; MEASUREMENT; MEXICO; PRECIPITATION; PREDICTION; PRESSURE MEASUREMENT; SAMPLING; STATISTICAL ANALYSIS; TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT; THEORETICAL MODEL;

EOS;

EID: 4644313205     PISSN: 00011541     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1002/aic.10243     Document Type: Article

References (80)

1. Andersen, S. I., "Dissolution of Solid Boscan Asphaltenes in Mixed Solvents," Fuel Sci. Technol. Int., 12, 51 (1994).
2. Aquino-Olivos, M. A., S. I. Andersen, and C. Lira-Galeana, "Comparisons Between Asphaltenes from the Dead and Live-Oil Samples of the Same Crude Oils," Petrol. Sci Technol., 21, 1017 (2003).
3. Aquino-Olivos, M. A., E. Buenrostro-Gonzalez, S. I. Andersen, and C. Lira-Galeana, "Investigation of Inhibition of Asphaltene Precipitation at High Pressure Using Bottomhole Samples," Energy Fuels, 15, 236 (2001).
4. Bilheimer, J. S., B. H. Sage, and W. N. Lacey, "Multicondensate Phases in the n-Pentane-Tetralin-Butane System," Trans. AIME, Nov., 283 (1949).
5. Boduszynski, M. M., "Composition of Heavy Petroleums. 2. Molecular Characterization," Energy Fuels, 2, 597 (1988).
6. Boublík, T. J., "Hard Sphere Equation of State," Chem. Phys., 53, 471 (1970).
7. Buch, L., H. Groenzin, E. Buenrostro-Gonzalez, S. I. Andersen, C. Lira-Galeana, and O. C. Mullins, "Molecular Size of Asphaltene Fractions Obtained from Residuum Hydrotreatment," Fuel, 82, 1075 (2003).
8. Buckley J. S. "Prediction the Onset of Asphaltene Precipitation from Refractive Index Measurements," Energy Fuels, 13, 328 (1999).
9. Buenrostro-Gonzalez, E., M. Espinosa-Peña, S. I. Andersen, and C. Lira-Galeana, "Characterization of Asphaltenes and Resins from Problematic Mexican Crude Oils," Petrol. Sci. Technol., 19, 299 (2001a).
10. Buenrostro-Gonzalez, E., H. Groenzin, C. Lira-Galeana, and O. C. Mullins, "The Overriding Chemical Principles that Define Asphaltenes," Energy Fuels, 15, 972 (2001b).
11. Burke, N. E., R. E. Hobbs, and S. F. Kashou, "Measurement and Modeling of Asphaltene Precipitation," J. Petrol Technol., 42, 1440 (1990).
12. Carnahan, N. F., L. Quintero, D. M. Pfund, J. L. Fulton, R. D. Smith, M. Lapel, and K. Leontaritis, "A Small Angle X-ray Scattering Study of the Effects of Pressure on the Aggregation of Asphaltene Fractions in Petroleum Fluids Under Near-Critical Solvent Conditions," Langmuir, 9, 2035 (1993).
13. Chapman, W. G., K. E. Gubbins, G. Jackson, and M. Radosz, "SAFT: Equation of State Solution Model for Associating Fluids," Fluid Phase Equilibria, 52, 31 (1989).
14. Chapman, W. G., K. E. Gubbins, G. Jackson, and M. Radosz, "New Reference Equation of State for Associating Liquids," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 29, 1709 (1990).
15. Chueh, P. L., and J. M. Prausnitz, "Vapor-Liquid Equilibria at High Pressures: Calculation of Partial Molar Volume in Non Polar Liquid Mixtures," AIChE J., 13, 1099 (1967).
16. Chung, F., P. Sarthi, and R. Jones, "Modeling of Asphaltene and Wax Precipitation," Topical Report NIPER-498, U.S. Dept. of Energy, January (1991).
17. Davies, L. A., A. Gil-Villegas, and G. Jackson, "An Analytical Equation of State for Chain Molecules Formed from Yukawa Segments," J. Chem. Phys., 111, 8659 (1999).
18. De Boer, R., K. Leeloyer, M. Eigner, and A. van Bergen, "Screening of Crude Oils for Asphalt Precipitation: Theory, Practice, and the Selection of Inhibitors," Soc. Petrol. Eng., Feb., 55 (1995).
19. Espinat, D., and J. C. Ravey, "Colloidal Structure of Asphaltene Solutions and Heavy-Oil Fractions Studied by Small Angle Neutron and X-Ray Scattering," SPE 25187, SPE International Symposium on Oilfield Chemistry, New Orleans, LA, (Mar. 2-5, 1993).
20. Firoozabadi, A., Thermodynamics of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs, McGraw-Hill, New York (1999).
21. Fotland, P., H. Anfinsen, H. Foerdedal, and H. P. Hjermstad, "The Phase Diagrams of Asphaltenes: Experimental Technique, Results and Modeling on Some North Sea Crude Oils," Symposium on the Chemistry of the Asphaltene and Related Substances, Cancun, Mexico (1997).
22. Fu, Y.-H., and S. I. Sandler, "A Simplified SAFT Equation of State for Associating Compounds and Mixtures," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 34, 1897 (1995).
23. Galindo, A., L. A. Davies, A. Gil-Villegas, and G. Jackson, "The Thermodynamics of Mixtures and the Corresponding Mixing Rules in the SAFT-VR Approach for Potentials of Variable Range," Mol. Phys. 93, 241 (1998a).
24. Galindo, A., A. Gil-Villegas, G. Jackson, and A. N. Burgess, "SAFT-VRE: Phase Behavior of Electrolyte Solutions with the Statistical Associating Fluid Theory for Potentials of Variable Range," J. Phys. Chem. B, 103, 10272 (1999).
25. Galindo, A., A. Gil-Villegas, P. J. Whitehead, G. Jackson, and A. N. Burgess, "Prediction of Phase Equilibria for Refrigerant Mixtures of Difluoromethane (HFC-32), 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluorethane (HFC-134a), and Pentafluoroethane (HFC-125a) using SAFT-VR," J. Phys. Chem. B, 102, 7632 (1998b).
26. 10) using SAFT-HS Approach," Mol. Phys., 93, 57 (1998).
27. Gil-Villegas, A., A. Galindo, P. J. Whitehead, S. Mills, and G. Jackson, "Statistical Associating Fluid Theory for Chain Molecules with Attractive Potentials of Variable Range," J. Chem. Phys., 106, 4168 (1997).
28. Godbole, S. P., and K. J. Thele, "EOS Modeling and Experimental Observations of Three-Hydrocarbon-Phase Equilibria," SPE 24936, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Washington, DC, Oct. 4-7 (1992).
29. Groenzin, H., and O. Mullins, "Molecular Size and Structure of Asphaltenes from Various Sources," Energy Fuels, 14, 667 (2000).
30. Hammami, A., C. H. Phelps, T. Monger-McClure, and T. M. Little, "Asphaltene Precipitation from Live Oils; An Experimental Investigation of Onset Conditions and Reversibility," Energy Fuels, 14, 14 (2000).
31. Hirschberg, A., L. N. J. de Jong, B. A. Schipper, and J. G. Meyers, "Influence of Temperature and Pressure on Asphaltene Flocculation," Soc. Petrol. Eng. J., June, 283 (1984).
32. Islam, M. R., "Role of Asphaltenes on Oil Recovery and Mathematical Modeling," Asphaltenes and Asphalts, Vol. 1, T. F. Yen and G. Chilingarian, eds., Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, p. 249 (1994).
33. Israelachvili, J. N., Intermolecular and Surface Forces, Academic Press, San Diego, CA (1991).
34. James, N. E., and A. K. Mehrotra, "V-L-S Multiphase Equilibrium in Bitmen-Diluent System," Can. J. Chem. Eng., 66, 870 (1988).
35. Joshi, N. B., O. C. Mullins, A. Jamaluddin, J. Creek, and J. McFadden, "Asphaltene Precipitation from Live Crude Oil," Energy Fuels, 15, 979 (2001).
36. Katz, D. L., and A. Firoozabadi, "Predicting Phase Behavior of Condensate/Crude-Oil Systems Using Methane Interaction Coefficients," J. Petrol. Technol., Nov., 1649 (1978).
37. Kawanaka, S., S. J. Park, and G. A. Mansoori, "Organic Deposition from Reservoir Fluids: A Thermodynamic Predictive Technique," SPE Reservoir Eng., May, 185 (1991).
38. Kohse, B. F., L. X. Nghiem, H. Maeda, and K. Ohno, "Modelling Phase Behavior Including the Effect of Pressure and Temperature on Asphaltene Precipitation," SPE 64465, SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Brisbane, Australia, Oct. 16-18 (2000).
39. Kokal, S. L., J. Najman, S. G. Sayegh, and A. E. George, "Measurement and Correlation of Asphaltene Precipitation from Heavy Oils by Gas Injection," J. Can. Petrol. Technol., 31, 24 (1992).
40. Kokal, S. L., and S. G. Sayegh, "Asphaltenes: The Cholesterol of Petroleum," SPE 29787 presented at the SPE Middle East Oil Show, Bharain, Mar. 11-14 (1995).
41. Koots, J. A., and J. G. Speight, "Relation of Petroleum Resins to Asphaltenes," Fuel, 54, 179 (1975).
42. Lee, L. L., Molecular Thermodynamics of Nonideal Fluids, Butterworths, Boston, MA (1988).
43. Leontaritis, K. J., "The Asphaltene and Wax Deposition Envelopes," Fuel Sci. Technol. Int., 14, 13 (1996).
44. Leontaritis, K. J., and G. A. Mansoori, "Asphaltene Flocculation During Oil Production and Processing: A Thermodynamic Colloidal Model," SPE 16258, SPE International Symposium on Oil Field Chemistry, San Antonio, TX, Feb. 4-6 (1987).
45. Leontaritis, K. J. and G.A. Mansoori, "Asphaltene Deposition. A Survey of Field Experiences an Research Approaches," J. Petrol. Sci. Eng., 1, 229 (1988).
46. Lhioreau, C., J. Briant, and R. Tindy, "Influence de la Pression sur la Floculation des Asphaltenes," Rev. Inst. Fr Pét., 22, 797 (1967).
47. Lira-Galeana, C., and A. Hammami, "Wax Precipitation in Petroleum Fluids: A Review," Asphaltenes and Asphalts, Vol. 2, T. F. Yen and G. Chilingar, eds., Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, Chap. 21 (2000).
48. MacMillan, D. J., J. E. Tackett, M. A. Jessee, and T. G. Monger-McClure, "A Unified Approach to Asphaltene Precipitation: Laboratory Measurement and Modeling," J. Petrol. Technol., 47, 788 (1995).
49. Mannistu, K. D., H. W. Yarranton, and J. H. Masliyah, "Solubility Modeling of Asphaltenes in Organic Solvents," Energy Fuels, 11, 615 (1997).
50. Mansoori, G. A., N. F. Carnahan, K. E. Starling, and J. Leland, "Equilibrium Thermodynamic Properties of the Mixture of Hard Spheres," Chem. Phys., 54, 1523 (1971).
51. McQuarrie, D., Statistical Mechanics, Harper-Collins, New York (1976).
52. Michelsen, M. L., "The Isothermal Flash Problem," Fluid Phase Equilibria, 82, 117 (1982).
53. Miller, J. T., R. B. Fisher, P. Thiyagarajan, R. E. Winans, and J. E. Hunt, "Subfractionation and Characterization of Mayan Asphaltene," Energy Fuels, 12, 1290 (1998).
54. 2 Induce Organic Deposition," SPE 16713, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, TX, Sep. 27-30 (1987).
55. Müller, E. A., and K. E. Gubbins, "Molecular-Based Equations of State for Associating Fluids: A Review of SAFT and Related Approaches," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 40, 2193 (2001).
56. Murgich, J., "Intermolecular Forces in Aggregates of Asphaltenes and Resins," Petrol. Sci. Technol., 20, 983 (2002).
57. Nagarajan, R., and E. Ruckenstein, "Theory of Surfactant Self-Assembly: A Predictive Molecular Thermodynamic Approach," Langmuir, 7, 2934 (1991).
58. Ortega-Rodriguez, A., S. A. Cruz, A. Gil-Villegas, F. Guevara-Rodriguez, and C. Lira-Galeana, "Molecular View of the Asphaltene Aggregation Behavior in Asphaltene-Resin Mixtures," Energy Fuels, 17, 1100 (2003).
59. Ortega-Rodriguez, A., Y. Duda, F. Guevara-Rodriguez, and C. Lira-Galeana, "Stability and Aggregation of Asphaltenes in Asphaltene-Resin-Solvent Mixtures," Energy Fuels, 18(3), 674 (2004).
60. Pan, H. Q., and A. Firoozabadi, "Thermodynamic Micellization Model for Asphaltene Precipitation from Reservoir Crude at High Pressure and Temperatures," SPE 38857, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, TX, Oct. 5-8 (1997).
61. Pan, H. Q., and A. Firoozabadi, "Complex Multiphase Equilibrium Calculations by Direct Minimization of Gibbs Free Energy Using Simulated Annealing," SPE Res. Eval. & Eng., Feb., 36 (1998).
62. Peneloux, A., E. Rauzy, and R. Freze, "A Consistent Correlation for Redlich-Kwong-Soave Volumes," Fluid Phase Equilibria, 8, 7 (1982).
63. Peng, D. Y., and D. B. Robinson, "A New Two-Constant Equation of State," Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam., 15, 59 (1976).
64. Peramanu, S., B. B. Pruden, and P. Rahimi, "Molecular Weight and Specific Gravity Distributions for Athabasca and Cold Lake Bitumens and Their Saturate, Aromatic, Resin and Asphaltene Fractions," Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 38, 3121 (1999).
65. Prausnitz, J., M. R. N. Lichtenthaler, and G. G. Azevedo, Termodinámica Molecular de los Equilibrios de Fases, 3rd ed., Prentice-Hall, Madrid (2000).
66. Press, W. H., S. A. Teukolsky, W. T. Vetterling, and B. P. Flannery, Numerical Recipes: The Art of Scientific Computing, 2nd Edition, Cambridge Univ. Press, New York (1992).
67. Rassamdana, H., and M. Sahimi, "Asphaltene Floculation and Deposition. 1. Onset of Precipitation," AIChE J., 42, 3318 (1996).
68. Reid, R. C., J. M. Prausnitz, and B. E. Poling, Properties of Gases and Liquids, 4th Edition, McGraw Hill, New York (1984).
69. 2 of Rich-Gas Flooding," J. Petrol. Technol., Sep., 1171 (1977).
70. Sheu, E., and S. Acevedo, "Effect of Pressure and Temperature on Colloidal Structure of Furrial Crude Oil," Energy Fuels, 15, 702 (2001).
71. Shields, D., "Predicting Asphaltene and Wax Deposition Problems in Mexican Wells," Offshore, Sep., 84 (2000).
72. Speight, J. G., The Chemistry and Technology of Petroleum, Marcel Dekker, New York (1999).
73. Thomas, F. B., D. B. Bennion, D. W. Bennion, and B. E. Hunter, "Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Solids Precipitation from Reservoir Fluid," J. Can. Petrol. Technol., 31, 22 (1992).
74. Ting, P. D., G. J. Jirasaki, and W. G. Chapman, "Modeling of Asphaltene Phase Behavior with the SAFT Equation of State," Petrol. Sci. Technol., 21, 647 (2003).
75. Tutle, R. N., "High-Pour-Point and Asphaltic Crude Oils and Condensates," J. Petrol. Technol., 21, 1192 (1983).
76. Twu, C. H., "An Internally Consistent Correlation for Predicting the Critical Properties and Molecular Weights of Petroleum and Coal-Tar Liquids," Fluid Phase Equilibria, 16, 137 (1984).
77. Victorov, A. I., and A. Firoozabadi, "Thermodynamic Micellization Model of Asphaltene Precipitation from Petroleum Fluids," AIChE J., 42, 1753 (1996).
78. Wu, J., J. M. Prausnitz, and A. Firoozabadi, "Molecular- Thermodynamic Framework for Asphaltene-Oil Equilibria," AIChE J., 44, 1188 (1998).
79. Wu, J., J. M. Prausnitz, and A. Firoozabadi, "Molecular Thermodynamics of Asphaltene Precipitation in Reservoir Fluids," AIChE J., 46, 197 (2000).
80. Yn-arranton, H. W., and J. H. Masliyah, "Molar Mass Distribution and Solubility Modeling of Asphaltenes," AIChE J., 42, 3533 (1996).