Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Outline
Introduction / Motivation
Asphaltene deposition simulator structure
Thermodynamic module
Deposition module
Conclusions
Future work
Acknowledgements
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/87/8738cover.html
Intervention costs
USD 500,000 for on-shore field
to USD 3,000,000 or more for a
deepwater well along with lost
production that can be more
than USD 1,000,000 per Day*.
http://baervan.nmt.edu/Petrophysics/group/intro2-asphaltenes.pdf
Uncertainties in literature
about asphaltenes
Motivation
Predict asphaltene
flow assurance issues
Ability to model
asphaltene phase
behavior as a function of
temperature, pressure,
and composition.
Improved operating
practices & risk mgt.
Literature review
Well bore modeling
Leontaritis 1997, Nghiem and Coombe 1998, Kohse and Nghiem 2004,
Wang and Civan 1999, 2001, 2005, Almehaideb 2004 - Surface
deposition, pore throat plugging and re-entrainment of deposited solids.
Boek et al., 2008, in press, SRD simulations considering asphaltenes as
spherical molecules.
Simulator Structure
Experimental
& Field Data
Experimental
& Field Data
Translator
Thermodynamic
Modeling Module
Deposition
Simulator
VLXE /
Multiflash
Asphaltene
deposition
profile &
thickness
Thermodynamic modeling
PC SAFT (Perturbed Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory)
Chapman et al., 1988, 1990
Molecules modeled as chains of
bonded spherical segments
Gross and Sadowski (2001)
proposed PC SAFT successful in
predicting phase behavior of large
molecular weight fluids
Asphaltene molecules.
Multiflash (Infochem) and VLXE
Parameters required to
characterize each component
of the mixture:
Segment size ( )
Number of segments in a
molecule (m)
Segment-segment interaction
energy ( /k)
e
/k
Thermodynamic modeling
Gonzalez, Ph.D. Dissertation, 2008
10,000
Precipitation
onset
12,000
8,000
Stable region
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
100
Unstable
region
300
T = 296 F (147 C)
10,000
8,000
Unstable
region
Precipitation
onset
6,000
Bubble point
4,000
Bubble point
VLE
200
Pressure, psia
Pressure, psia
9,000
14,000
VLE
2,000
400
500
Temperature,
F
Temperature, F
10
15
20
25
30
Comparison of experimental
bubble point and asphaltene
onset curves with PC SAFT
predictions for increased
nitrogen gas injection
Oil characterization & PC SAFT parameter estimation:
thermodynamic module
Exp. Data: Jamaluddin et al., SPE 74393 (2001)
Simulator Structure
Experimental
& Field Data
Translator
Thermodynamic
Modeling Module
VLXE /
Multiflash
P&T
Flow rate &
geometry
Precipitation,
Aggregation &
Deposition Rates
Experimental
& Field Data
Deposition
Simulator
Asphaltene
deposition
profile &
thickness
advection
diffusion
Proposed Model
Mass balance of asphaltene aggregates in a
controlled volume:
PRRC, NMT
Deposition test-1
Length
3245
cm
T= 70o C
Radius
0.0269
cm
Precipitant= C15
ml/hr
Flow time
63.2
Velocity
0.4888
Oil properties (M1)
hrs
1.50E-07
1.5E-07
cm/s
Saturates
62.9 wt%
Aromatics
21.4
Resins
13.28
Asphaltenes
2.42
(precipitant)
0.74 g/ml
(oil)
0.85 g/ml
(mixture)
0.82 g/ml
(mixture)
3.95 mPa s
Test1 - Sim
Test1 - Expt
Expt
Deposition
(g/cm
Depositionflux
flux,
g/cm2/s)
/s
Flow rate
1.00E-07
1.0E-07
5.00E-08
5.0E-08
0.00E+00
0.0E+00
0 0
0.4 0.6
0.6 0.8
0.8
0.20.2 0.4
Axial
length
(-)(-)
Axial
length
11
Capillary experiments
1.50E-07
Test2 - Sim
Test2 - Expt
Expt
22
Deposition
Depositionflux
flux,(g/cm
g/cm /s)
/s
1.5E-07
1.50E-07
1.00E-07
1.0E-07
5.00E-08
5.0E-08
0.00E+00
0.0E+00
00
Test1 - Sim
Test1 - Expt
1.00E-07
5.00E-08
0.00E+00
0.2
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.4
0.6 0.80.8
Axial
Axiallength
length(-)
(-)
1 1
3193
cm
Radius
0.0385
cm
Flow rate
11.68
ml/hr
Flow time
35.9
hrs
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
PC SAFT
Live oil composition Haskett and Tartera (1965), SARA Minssieux (1997)
Density prediction = 0.8096 g/cm3
Reported = 41.38 = 0.8185 g/cm3
Precipitation envelope
250
4000
2000
5000
4000
200
3000
2000
150
Temperature
Pressure
1000
100
0
0
0
0
100
200
300
400
Pressure (psi)
Temperature ( F)
6000
Pressure (psi)
Ponset-SAFT
Psat-SAFT
LowP-SAFT
P-T curve
0.5
Temperature ( F)
Ceq variation along the axial length was computed input to simulator.
Simulation parameters
Operating and kinetic parameters
Thickness, in
0
5000
5500
6000
D
e
p
t
h
,
f
e
e
t
335981 cm
11000 ft
5.715 cm
4.5 in dia
VZ, cm/s
179.36
6500
7000
7500
8000
8500
Asphaltene
deposition profile as
reported in (Haskett
and Tarterra, 1965)
1.65 in
9000
9500
Model prediction
PC SAFT
Pressure (psi)
12000
Psat - SAFT
Ponset - SAFT
LowP - SAFT
API reported* = 36 to 40
PC SAFT = 37. 7
8000
PC SAFT
thermodynamic
characterization.
4000
0
70
140
210
Temperature (oF)
*Kabir et al., SPE 71558, 2001
**Data from Chevron
280
350
Calculated Ceq
variation along the
length of well bore
input to simulator.
Operating parameters
L, cm
457200
15000 ft
R, cm
3.49
2.5 inch ID
VZ, cm/s
Time
240.01
2 months
0.6
T
h
i
c
k
n
e
s
s
,i
n
0.4
0.2
0
3000
4000
5000
6000
Well depth, ft
7000
8000
Summary
Development of Asphaltene deposition simulator I.
Thermodynamic module.
Deposition module.
Successful application of the simulator to predict
asphaltene deposition in capillary experiments.
Simulator used for deposition prediction in well
bores.
Two field cases studied. Thermodynamic model
of the live oil was developed and coupled with
the deposition module to predict deposition in
well bores.
A good qualitative and quantitative match
between reported field data and simulator
predictions has been obtained.
x
Y
Z
Future Activities
Protocol for deposition
prediction
Steps to be followed,
Tests to be conducted,
Parameters to be determined.
Propose set of experiments to
be performed to obtain
kinetic parameters used in
the simulation tool.
Model improvement to
address limitations of
the present simulator.
Incorporate effect of
aging
Acknowledgments
DeepStar
Chevron ETC
Schlumberger
New Mexico Tech
Infochem
VLXE