Prediction of the asphaltene deposition profile along a wellbore during natural production from a reservoir

Peyman Kor, Riyaz Kharrat

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The potential problem of asphaltene deposition during oil production has motivated both academics and industries to predict the asphaltene deposit profile in wellbores and pipelines. In this work, asphaltene deposition profile along an oil field well with the severe problem of asphaltene deposition was predicted. To do this, a comprehensive simulator for modeling of flow parameters such as pressure, temperature, and composition for a multiphase flow of oil, gas, and asphaltene from the reservoir to the surface was developed and coupled with the deposition model. By applying the simulator to an oil field well, it has been found that 60–70% of the total asphaltene thickness formed after 1 month of production, indicating that the problem of asphaltene deposition is bound to the initial stage of wellbore life. Moreover, the simulator was able to predict the accumulated asphaltene thickness and the time of wellbore plugging properly. This prediction is highly crucial if it is aimed to control the well performance and to optimize the productivity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2837-2844
Number of pages8
JournalEnergy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization and Environmental Effects
Volume38.2016
Issue number19
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Oct 2016
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright: © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

  • Asphaltene
  • deposition
  • flow assurance
  • precipitation
  • wellbore

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