ASPHALTENE DEPOSITION CONTROL USING CHEMICAL

CONTROL AGENTS

H.L. BECKER D.C. THOMAS W.R. DODDRIDGE D.B.

MCDOUGALL

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PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM PAPER NO. CIM 92-70 THIS IS A PREPRINT - SUBJECT TO CORREcnON I Asphaltene Deposition Control Using Chemical Control Agents By H.L. Becker D.C. Thomas VMchm, Inc W.R. Doddridge D.B. McDougall VVWchmn, Inc. ConWa LtcL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS PAPER IS TO BE PRESENTED AT THE CIM 1992 ANNUAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE IN CALGARY, JUNE 7-10, 1992. DISCUSSION OF THIS PAPER IS INVITED. SUCH DISCUSSION MAY BE PRESENTED AT THE TECHNICAL MEETING AND WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION IN CIM JOURNALS IF FILED IN WRI'TLNG
WITH THE TECHNICAL PROGRAM CHAIRMAN PRIOR TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETINC% The core flow test apparatus provides a method to ABST'RACr introdur-c asphaltene fouling into a core and study its removal by the use of chemical agents. Using core Tle deposition of asphaltenes in oil producing formations samples and asphaltenes from the production resource and production systems has caused problems for years. under consideration allows the selection of the best Selection of chemical control agents
in the past has been removal chemical. @ted to bulk dl-solution studies on samples retrieved from production systems. Until recently, the accepted way EMODUCMON to treat these problems has been through the use of xylene, toluene oi- other aromatic solvents. This method Asphaltenes are complex hetroatomic polar macro-qcles requires the use of large amounts of these solvents, as well con@g carbon, hydrogen, suinr, and oxygen. They are as a high frequency of treatment. This paper describes large and highly aromatic in nature, and occur in crude the
results of field testing and application of asphaltene oils as stabilized micelles. Resins and maltenes, which are control chemicals, and the use of laboratory tests to select molecular precursors of the asphaltenes, act to stabilize a asphaltene deposi@tion removal and prevention chemicals. dispersion of asphaltene particles. The asphaltenes are surrounded by the resins and maltenes polar heads, while Preliminary dispersant and solvency tests are conducted by their increasingly aliphatic tads
extend into the an asphaltene dispersant test in hexane. Chemicals which hydrocarbon (ofl) phase. When mechanical or chenidcal provide promising results in dissolving and dispersing forces become sufficiently great, these stab@g species asphaltenes in the non-solvent medium of hexane are are lost and the asphaltene particle becomes susceptible selected as can(Jidates for field application, or for to interaction with a s@arly destabilhmd asphaltene additional testing in a core flow deposition removal test. leading to flocculation and precipitation.
These destabilWng factors include: streaming potential caused by the fluid flow in the porous media of the formation which destabffiws asphaltenes by electrical potential, mechanical References and illustrations at end of paper. factors, and by the addition of foreign agents. These agents can be acid or other stimulation or workover fluids, 70-1