Modeling Of Well Drilling Heating On Crude Oil Using

Microwave

Melania Suweni Muntini, Yono Hadi Pramono, and Yustiana,*

Physics Department, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya

Kampus ITS, Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111

Abstract.
As the world's oil reserves are dwindling, some researchers has been prompted to make a
breakthrough to further improve the efficiency of exploration and production. One of the
technologies used are heating the crude oil. This paper presents the modeling results of heat
treatment on crude oil using microwave energy. Modeling is conducted by assuming that the
diameter of the well is 11,16 cm, the heat source is applied on the surface of the well, and the cut-
off frequency in the air and on crude oil are 1,56 GHz. and 0.91 GHz, respectively. The energy
generated by the microwave radiation is converted into heat energy which is absorbed by the crude
oil. Consequently, this energy increases the temperature of crude oil through a heat transfer
mechanism. The results obtained showed that the temperature of crude oil is about 200C at a
depth of 62.5c m, and at a distance of 3 cm from the center of the well. Temperature along the well
is following the exponential function, which is from the center of the well, in the direction radially
outward from the cylinder axis. It has been observed that the temperature decreases as measured
from the well surface along the cylinder.
Keywords: crude oil, microwave, modeling, temperature, boreholes

INTRODUCTION
Crude oil is a mixed hidrocarbon compound which has a long chain and various melting
point. In further crude oil processing using heat treatment, the chemical structure has changed,
which is a molecular decomposition (cracking process), molecular fusion (polymerization and
alkilation process), or structural molecule deformation (reforming process). In the crude oil
processing, heat treatment is the most influential process both from the point of view of quality
and production cost. Therefore, there are several ways made to increase the efficiency as well as
pushing the production cost[1,2].
In this paper, it has been discussed about the heating crude oil simulation using
microwave. Flow equation or heat propagation on fluid, as a result of microwave exposure
(incident wave), able to convert the electromagnetic wave energy to heat energy as follow [3,4,5]:

+ = 2 + (1)

COMPUTATION METHOD
Microwave generator used in this modeling is magnetron magnetron (MICRO DENSHI
UM-1500), with a monochromatic wave of TE11 mode, and dan is operated on the frequency of
2.45 GHz, with a maximum power input 1.5 kW (Ratanadecho et al., 2002). Wave is transmitted
along the z-axis through a cylindrical waveguide with 1000 m length, and a diameter of 4 inch, and
the depth of crude oil is 20 cm, and the temperature is 200C.
 The built model in this research is using the representation of heat flow in the fluid, and
microwave energy, as these equations:

+ = 2 + (21)

= 20 (tan )||2 (22)

The numerical form and equation are:

+1
,,, ,,,
106 (23)
,,,

Equation model of local heat generator is = 20 (tan )||2 with a dielectric loss
factor value. The Q value obtained then is used as the input in the equation (21).

(a)

(b)
FIGURE 2. Frequency of Wave Generator (a) 0.91GHz and (b) 1.56 GHz in the same medium.
Figure 2 shows that the temperature around the center of cylinder is the highest, and then
decreases following the variation of radius. The temperature is getting lower as the position
radially outward to the edge. For the temperature along z-axis is following an exponential
function, which is lowered as it is radially inside. As shown in figure 2, the temperature obtained
in 0.625 m depth with a radius of 0.3 m is about 200C, and it is getting lower as it goes outside to
the edge. This is the result of the propagating heat from the side to the edge of cylinder, as well as
to the inside of cylinder.
Figure 2(a) shows the simulation result when microwave is activated at frequency of 1
GHz, and figure 2(b) shows the result when the source is activated at frequency of 2 GHz. The
simulation result shows that a higher frequency can cause a faster heat propagation.
CONCLUSION
There is a high possibility of utilising microwave to heat up the crude oil. It is also
necessary to consider the wave frequency as well as the propagation direction in the heat transfer
modeling.
At frequency of 0.91 Hz and 1.56 Hz from the microwave source, it has been obtained
that the temperature of crude oil is about 200C at a depth of 62.5 cm, and at a distance of 3 cm
from the center of the well. Temperature along the well is following the exponential function,
which is from the center of the well, in the direction radially outward from the cylinder axis. It has
been observed that the temperature decreases as measured from the well surface along the
cylinder.

Acknowledgments
THE AUTHOR WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE RESEARCH TEAM MEMBER WHO HAS
BEEN WORKING HARD ON THIS RESEARCH.

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