화학공학소재연구정보센터
Energy & Fuels, Vol.32, No.4, 4911-4924, 2018
Gravitational Gradient of Asphaltene Molecules in an Oilfield Reservoir with Light Oil
In toluene, asphaltenes are dispersed as molecules at low concentrations, as nanoaggregates at moderate concentrations, and as clusters of nanoaggregates at high concentrations. These three asphaltene species are codified in the Yen-Mullins model. For reservoir crude oils, equilibrated asphaltene gradients can be modeled with the Flory-Huggins-Zuo equation of state (EoS). The gravity term and other terms depend on the particle sizes of the asphaltenes which are given in the Yen-Mullins model; these different asphaltene species (molecular and two nanocolloidal species) have been identified in gravity gradients in various reservoir studies. Here, the asphaltene gradient in a large reservoir is examined and found to be consistent with a molecular dispersion of asphaltenes in the crude oil. A variety of fluid and reservoir properties are evaluated to ensure validity of the analysis, particularly of thermodynamic equilibrium of the reservoir fluid. For crude oil samples throughout the reservoir, downhole fluid analysis (DFA), gas chromatography (GC), and two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCXGC) with cubic EoS and geochemical interpretation are consistent with fluid equilibration. Pressure measurement and production results are also consistent with fluid equilibration. This analysis is applicable to other reservoirs; molecular dispersions of asphaltenes are expected for other light oil reservoirs.