Asphaltene Deposition in Porous Media Micromodels: Experimental Studies and Comprehensive Permeability-Reducing Mechanisms

Mahmoudi, Maedeh; Esmaeilian, Nima; Zokaee Ashtiyani, Farzin; Dabir, Bahram

doi:10.22050/ijogst.2022.327070.1626

Asphaltene Deposition in Porous Media Micromodels: Experimental Studies and Comprehensive Permeability-Reducing Mechanisms

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Maedeh Mahmoudi ¹

Nima Esmaeilian ²

Farzin Zokaee Ashtiyani ³

Bahram Dabir ⁴

¹ MS Student, Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

² Ph.D., Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

³ Professor, Department of Textile Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Professor, Petroleum Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22050/ijogst.2022.327070.1626

Abstract

Asphaltene-induced formation damage is one of the complicated processes of permeability damage in porous media, particularly in the near-wellbore area. Asphaltene particles precipitate out of the bulk fluid phase during production due to pressure drop, which may reduce permeability owing to the deposition of asphaltene nanoparticles on porous media surfaces and the plugging of pore throats by larger asphaltene agglomerates. Asphaltene precipitation and deposition in production tubes and surface facilities are well-documented concerns, and many solutions for managing them are available. However, the effects of asphaltene in the reservoir, particularly in the near-wellbore zone, are little known. In this study, using an artificial porous medium, experimental data on pressure drop due to changes in parameters such as the flow rate, the type of precipitant n-alkane solvent (n-heptane alkane solvent and n-decane), and the percentage of precipitant are obtained. Next, the permeability reduction from asphaltene deposition in a porous medium is calculated. Experimental data are fitted with the proposed quasi-experimental models at different time intervals to identify the dominant mechanism in reducing clogging. One of the study’s accomplishments is determining the principal mechanism of permeability reduction (in vitro) using a reasonably basic model with the least dependent parameters and a decent approximation. According to the findings, pore throat plugging becomes the dominant mechanism of permeability reduction although filtration cake formation and surface deposition may exist during the tests.

Highlights

The mechanism of asphaltene deposition and fouling in porous media are studied;
Asphaltene deposits and permeability loss in porous media are investigated;
The impact of the different parameters on asphaltene accumulation is discussed.

Keywords

Asphaltene deposition

Glass micromodel

Permeability damage

porous media

Solvent injection

Subjects

Chemical Engineering – Transport phenomena

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