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Phase Behavior Modeling of Asphaltene Precipitation for Heavy Crudes: A Promising Tool Along with Experimental Data

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Abstract

Thermodynamic modeling is known as a promising tool for phase behavior modeling of asphaltene precipitation under different conditions such as pressure depletion and CO2 injection. In this work, a thermodynamic approach is used for modeling the phase behavior of asphaltene precipitation. The precipitated asphaltene phase is represented by an improved solid model, while the oil and gas phases are modeled with an equation of state. The PR-EOS was used to perform flash calculations. Then, the onset point and the amount of precipitated asphaltene were predicted. A computer code based on an improved solid model has been developed and used for predicting asphaltene precipitation data for one of Iranian heavy crudes, under pressure depletion and CO2 injection conditions. A significant improvement has been observed in predicting the asphaltene precipitation data under gas injection conditions. Especially for the maximum value of asphaltene precipitation and for the trend of the curve after the peak point, good agreement was observed. For gas injection conditions, comparison of the thermodynamic micellization model and the improved solid model showed that the thermodynamic micellization model cannot predict the maximum of precipitation as well as the improved solid model. The non-isothermal improved solid model has been used for predicting asphaltene precipitation data under pressure depletion conditions. The pressure depletion tests were done at different levels of temperature and pressure, and the parameters of a non-isothermal model were tuned using three onset pressures at three different temperatures for the considered crude. The results showed that the model is highly sensitive to the amount of solid molar volume along with the interaction coefficient parameter between the asphaltene component and light hydrocarbon components. Using a non-isothermal improved solid model, the asphaltene phase envelope was developed. It has been revealed that at high temperatures, an increase in the temperature results in a lower amount of asphaltene precipitation and also it causes the convergence of lower and upper boundaries of the asphaltene phase envelope. This work illustrates successful application of a non-isothermal improved solid model for developing the asphaltene phase envelope of heavy crude which can be helpful for monitoring and controlling of asphaltene precipitation through the wellbore and surface facilities during heavy oil production.

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Abbreviations

b i :

EOS “b” parameter for component i, m3·kmol−1

d ik :

Interaction coefficients between components i and k

e :

Dimensionless adjustable parameter

f :

Solid fugacity, kPa

f * :

Reference solid fugacity, kPa

f ij :

Fugacity of component i in phase j with volume shift, kPa

\({f_{ij} ^{0}}\) :

Fugacity of component i in phase j without volume shift, kPa

F g :

Mole fraction of gas phase

F s :

Mole fraction of solid phase

N ij :

Quantity of component i in phase j, mol

N t :

Total quantity in hydrocarbon phases, mol

P :

Pressure, kPa

P * :

Reference pressure, kPa

P ci :

Critical pressure of component i, kPa

R :

Gas constant, kPa·m3·kmol−1·K−1

s i :

Dimensionless volume shift

T :

Temperature, K

T ci :

Critical temperature of component i, K

v ci :

Critical volume of component i, m3·kmol−1

v ck :

Critical volume of component k, m3·kmol−1

v j :

Molar volume of phase j with volume shift, m3·kmol−1

\({v_j^0 }\) :

Molar volume of phase j without volume shift, m3·kmol−1

Ω b :

Dimensionless EOS parameter

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Ave., 11365-9465, Tehran, Iran

    M. Tavakkoli, M. Masihi & M. H. Ghazanfari

  2. Petroleum Research Center, Petroleum University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

    R. Kharrat

  3. iReservoir.com, Inc., Denver, CO, USA

    S. Fadaei

Authors
  1. M. Tavakkoli
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  2. R. Kharrat
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  3. M. Masihi
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  4. M. H. Ghazanfari
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  5. S. Fadaei
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Correspondence to M. Tavakkoli.

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Tavakkoli, M., Kharrat, R., Masihi, M. et al. Phase Behavior Modeling of Asphaltene Precipitation for Heavy Crudes: A Promising Tool Along with Experimental Data. Int J Thermophys 33, 2251–2266 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-012-1315-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-012-1315-9

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