title: Examining Asphaltene Solubility on Deposition in Model Porous Media.
abstract: Asphaltenes are known to cause severe flow assurance problems in the near-wellbore region of oil reservoirs. Understanding the mechanism of asphaltene deposition in porous media is of great significance for the development of accurate numerical simulators and effective chemical remediation treatments. Here, we present a study of the dynamics of asphaltene deposition in porous media using microfluidic devices. A model oil containing 5 wt % dissolved asphaltenes was mixed with n-heptane, a known asphaltene precipitant, and flowed through a representative porous media microfluidic chip. Asphaltene deposition was recorded and analyzed as a function of solubility, which was directly correlated to particle size and Péclet number. In particular, pore-scale visualization and velocity profiles, as well as three stages of deposition, were identified and examined to determine the important convection-diffusion effects on deposition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Yu-Jiun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tavakkoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, The Petroleum Institute , Post Office Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Nevin Thunduvila
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Petroleum Institute , Post Office Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Yap Yit
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Fatt
authors.affiliation: School of Computing and Engineering, University of Huddersfield , Huddersfield HD1 3DH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Petroleum Institute , Post Office Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goharzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Francisco M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Sibani Lisa
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Biswal