Heavy Crude Oil Viscosity Reduction and the Impact of Asphaltene Precipitation

CATEGORY: HEAVY CRUDE
Heavy Crude Oil Viscosity Reduction and the Impact of Asphaltene Precipitation
Abstract
Osamah A. Alomair *† and Abdulwahab S. Almusallam ‡
dr.alomair@ku.edu.kw
†Department of Petroleum Engineering, ‡Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait University, Khaldiya Campus, Kuwait
Energy Fuels, Article ASAP, DOI: 10.1021/ef4015636, Publication Date (Web): November 4, 2013
Abstract
Pipeline transportation of heavy or extra-heavy crude oil is difficult, especially without prior reduction of oil viscosity to values sufficient to ensure oil fluidity. Viscosity reduction can be achieved with various sophisticated methods. Researchers studied a variety of blending techniques to reduce the viscosity of heavy crude oil.
The blending of Middle East heavy crude oil with light crude oil or with one of its distillates, such as kerosene or diesel, as diluents was conducted over the entire range of weight fractions at 20 °C and atmospheric pressure. The heavy oil viscosity was decreased from 4000 to 500 cP, representing an 88% reduction.
A negative performance of the heavy oil with diluent mixtures was identified based on the asphaltene precipitation phenomenon, which was observed to depend on not only the type and composition of the diluents used but also the concentration of each diluent.
Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ef4015636

Modeling and simulation of asphaltene precipitation by normal pressure depletion

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, Volume 109, September 2013, Pages 123–132
Modeling and simulation of asphaltene precipitation by normal pressure depletion
Noemi Araújo Esquivel da Silva, Victor Rodrigues da Rocha Oliveira, Gloria Meyberg Nunes Costa,
Programa de Engenharia Industrial – Escola Politécnica – Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Prof. Aristides Novis, 2, Federação, 40210-630 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Abstract
Researchers analyzed a number of variables affecting asphaltene deposition by normal pressure depletion using the Hirschberg et al. (1984) model and experimental data from literature. Results demonstrate that the traditional Hirschberg et al. (1984) model can be applied successfully with suitable modifications to the oil characterization, the calculation of oil and the asphaltene solubility parameter.
Authors show that a quantitative representation of asphaltene deposited due to pressure depletion can be obtained with great precision with a minimum amount of experimental data.
Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920410513001988