TY - JOUR
T1 - Examining Asphaltene Solubility on Deposition in Model Porous Media
AU - Lin, Yu Jiun
AU - He, Peng
AU - Tavakkoli, Mohammad
AU - Mathew, Nevin Thunduvila
AU - Fatt, Yap Yit
AU - Chai, John C.
AU - Goharzadeh, Afshin
AU - Vargas, Francisco M.
AU - Biswal, Sibani Lisa
PY - 2016/8/17
Y1 - 2016/8/17
N2 - Asphaltenes are known to cause severe flow assurance problems in the near-wellbore region of oil reservoirs. Understanding the mechanism of asphaltene deposition in porous media is of great significance for the development of accurate numerical simulators and effective chemical remediation treatments. Here, we present a study of the dynamics of asphaltene deposition in porous media using microfluidic devices. A model oil containing 5 wt % dissolved asphaltenes was mixed with n-heptane, a known asphaltene precipitant, and flowed through a representative porous media microfluidic chip. Asphaltene deposition was recorded and analyzed as a function of solubility, which was directly correlated to particle size and Péclet number. In particular, pore-scale visualization and velocity profiles, as well as three stages of deposition, were identified and examined to determine the important convection-diffusion effects on deposition.
AB - Asphaltenes are known to cause severe flow assurance problems in the near-wellbore region of oil reservoirs. Understanding the mechanism of asphaltene deposition in porous media is of great significance for the development of accurate numerical simulators and effective chemical remediation treatments. Here, we present a study of the dynamics of asphaltene deposition in porous media using microfluidic devices. A model oil containing 5 wt % dissolved asphaltenes was mixed with n-heptane, a known asphaltene precipitant, and flowed through a representative porous media microfluidic chip. Asphaltene deposition was recorded and analyzed as a function of solubility, which was directly correlated to particle size and Péclet number. In particular, pore-scale visualization and velocity profiles, as well as three stages of deposition, were identified and examined to determine the important convection-diffusion effects on deposition.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84984797975&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b02376
DO - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b02376
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84984797975
VL - 32
SP - 8729
EP - 8734
JO - Langmuir
JF - Langmuir
SN - 0743-7463
IS - 34
ER -