Asphaltene Deposition Control by Chemical Inhibitors

Asphaltene Deposition Control by Chemical Inhibitors: Theoretical and Practical Prospects is the most advanced reference focused on chemical dispersants and inhibitors from both an experimental and modeling viewpoint. Adequate knowledge of the effective parameters in each treatment method, interactions, mechanisms and economic viewpoints involved in asphaltene treatment are crucial for future development, recovery forecast, and reserve prediction, hence this reference delivers on all these aspects. Sections cover the environmental impacts of asphaltene deposition, prevention methods, and experimental methods, both static and dynamic, to test the effectiveness of inhibitors on restricting asphaltene deposition.

Rounding out with modeling methods used to simulate asphaltene-inhibitor interactions and a workflow to select suitable inhibitors by technical, economic and environmental considerations, this book will give today’s engineers and researchers the right tool to mitigate formation damage in a sustainably responsible way.

• Focuses on inhibitors, mitigators and the interplay between the asphaltene-inhibitors
• Helps readers learn from experimental models and replicate treatments with screening workflows
• Includes case studies that help readers make sustainable and economically-sound decisions on treatments

Petroleum engineers; reservoir engineers; enhanced oil recovery researchers; chemical engineers

Chapter 1: Asphaltene and Asphaltene Precipitation/Deposition
Summary • Asphaltenes: Properties, structures, and thermodynamic behaviors • Asphaltene precipitation/deposition: Description and mechanisms • Theoretical and practical challenges in asphaltene deposition • Economic analysis and environmental prospects of asphaltene deposition • Research and development in asphaltenes • Current and future status of asphaltenes (uses and problems)

Chapter 2: Asphaltene Precipitation/ Deposition Control Methods
Summary • Asphaltene removal: description, methods, and mechanisms o Chemical o Physical • Preventing asphaltene precipitation: Description, methods, and mechanisms o Chemical methods  Thermodynamic inhibitors: deasphalted oil, resins  Kinetic inhibitors o Physical methods:  Pressure and temperature:  Ultrasonic • Common industrial practices • Theoretical and practical challenges in controlling asphaltene deposition/precipitation • Final remarks • References

Chapter 3: Fundamentals of Chemical Inhibitors of Asphaltenes
Summary • Chemical inhibitors • History/background of inhibitors • Types and structure of chemical inhibitors • Kinetic inhibitors o Surfactant o Nanoparticle Inhibitors o Polymeric Inhibitors o Commercial Inhibitors • Thermodynamic inhibitors o Organic Inhibitors o Aromatic and cycloalkanes solvent o Ionic liquids • Physical and chemical properties • Properties and prevention mechanisms of chemical inhibitors o Surfactants o Nanoparticles o Polymers o Organic Inhibitors o Ionic Liquids • Importance/application of inhibition • Costs of chemical inhibitors • Final remarks • References

Chapter 4: Properties of Asphaltene Chemical Inhibitors • Summary • Characterization techniques to determine properties of chemical inhibitors o Chemical structure o Chemical molecular weight Vapor pressure osmometry (VPO) Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) o SARA Analysis o Elemental Analysis o Solubility parameter o Charge Density in Ionic Liquids o Nanoparticle composition o Nanoparticle Shape o The specific surface of nanoparticles o Size of nanoparticles o Surface acidity of nanoparticles o Sustainability • Thermodynamic behaviors of chemical inhibitors • Stability of inhibitors o Effect of temperature o Effect of inhibitor type o Effect of inhibitor concentration o Effect of water and salinity • Final remarks • References

Chapter 5: Experimental Investigation of Asphaltene Deposition Control by Chemical Inhibitors • Summary • Experimental methods o Static methods  Spectrophotometric Thermal techniques Visual methods o Dynamic analysis Rheology (viscosity measurement) techniques Porous media • Parametric sensitivity analysis o Effects of process/operational conditions Static pressure and temperature Dynamic pressure and temperature Static process Dynamic process o Effects of fluid properties Concentration and type of inhibitors Type and concentration of asphaltene in synthetic oil Type of oil Type of precipitant and solvent Effect of water or brine o Effects of reservoir properties Core Bead packs Micromodel Flow loop and tubes • Final remarks • References

Chapter 6: Modelling and Simulation Investigation of Asphaltene Deposition Control by Chemical Inhibitors • Summary • Thermodynamic Models o Fundamental methods o Cubic Equation of State (Cubic EoS) o Empirical methods • Molecular Methods o Molecular Dynamics o Monte Carlo o Quantum mechanics • Dynamic models • Simulation tools • Parametric sensitivity analysis o Effects of process/operational condition o Effects of fluid properties o Effects of dynamic properties • Final remarks • References

Chapter 7: Inhibitor screening: technically, environmentally and economically, and testing workflow
Summary • Critical Parameters for Screening Inhibitors • Technical Screening o Workflows o Inhibitor type selection • Non-technical effective factors on inhibitor selection o Feasibility o Economic cost o Environmental impacts • Final remarks • References