An Experimental Study Investigating the Impact of Miscible and Immiscible Nitrogen Injection on Asphaltene Instability in Nano Shale Pore Structure

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukhtar Elturki ◽  
Abdulmohsin Imqam
Keyword(s):  
Pore Size ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Microscopy Imaging ◽  
Heterogeneous Distribution ◽  
Weight Percentage ◽  
Pore Sizes ◽  
Asphaltene Deposition ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Miscible gas injection has become the most used enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method in the oil and gas industry. The deposition and precipitation of aspahltene during the gas injection process is one of the problems during the oil production process. The asphaltene can deposit and plug the pores, which reduces the permeability in a reservoir; thus, decreasing the oil recovery and increasing the production costs. This research investigates the nitrogen (N2) miscible and immiscible pressure injections on asphaltene instability in shale pore structures . First, a slim-tube was used to determine the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of N2to ensure that the effect of both miscible and immiscible gas injection was achievable. Second, filtration experiments were conducted using a specially designed filtration apparatus to investigate the effect of nano pore sizes on asphaltene deposition. Heterogeneous distribution of the filter paper membranes was used in all experiments. The factors studied include miscible/immiscible N2injection and pore size distribution. Visualization tests were conducted to highlight the asphaltene precipitation process over time. The results showed that increasing the pressure increased the asphaltene weight percentage. The miscible N2injection pressure had a significant effect on asphaltene instability. However, the immiscible N2injection pressure had a lower effect on the asphaltene deposition, which resulted in less asphaltene weight percentage. For both miscible/immiscible N2injection pressures, the asphaltene weight percentage increased as the pore size of the filter membranes decreased. Visualization tests showed that after one hour the asphaltene clusters were clearly noticed and suspended in the solvent of heptane, and the asphaltene was fully deposited after 12 hours. Microscopy imaging of filter membranes indicated significant pore plugging from asphaltene, especially for smaller pore sizes.

Analysis of Nitrogen Minimum Miscibility Pressure MMP and Its Impact on Instability of Asphaltene Aggregates - An Experimental Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukhtar Elturki ◽  
Abdulmohsin Imqam
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Injection Pressure ◽  
Oil Composition ◽  
Oil Viscosity ◽  
Weight Percentage ◽  
Minimum Miscibility Pressure ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) is a critical parameter when undergoing miscible gas injection operations for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Miscibility has become a major term in designing the gas injection process. When the miscible gas contacts the reservoir oil, it causes changes in the basic oil properties, affecting reservoir oil composition and equilibrium conditions. Changes in conditions may also favor flocculation and deposition of organic solids, mainly asphaltene, which were previously in thermodynamic equilibrium. The main purpose of this study is to investigate how the most important parameters, such as oil temperature and oil viscosity, could affect the nitrogen (N2) MMP and the instability of asphaltene aggregation. Three sets of experiments were conducted: first, the determination of MMP was performed using a slim-tube packed with sand. The impact of crude oil viscosity using 32, 19, and 5.7 cp; and temperature using 32, 45, and 70 °C, were investigated. The results showed that the N2 MMP decreased when crude oil temperature increased. The temperature is inversely proportional to the N2 MMP due to the N2 remaining in a gaseous phase at the same conditions. In terms of viscosity, the MMP for N2 was found to decrease with the reduction in oil viscosity. Second, the effect of miscibility N2 injection pressure on asphaltene aggregation using 750 psi (below miscible pressure) and 1500 psi (at miscible pressure) was investigated using a specially designed filtration vessel. Various filter membrane pores sizes were placed inside the vessel to highlight the effect of asphaltene molecules on plugging the unconventional pore structure. The results demonstrated that increasing the pressure increased asphaltene weight percentage. The asphaltene weight percent was higher when using miscible injection pressure compared to immiscible injection pressure. Also, the asphaltene weight percentage increased when the pore size structure decreased. Finally, the visualization of asphaltene deposition over time was conducted, and the results showed that asphaltene particles started to precipitate after 2 hours. After 12 hours, the colloidal asphaltenes were fully precipitated.

Asphaltene Thermodynamic Precipitation during Miscible Nitrogen Gas Injection

SPE Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Mukhtar Elturki ◽  
Abdulmohsin Imqam
Keyword(s):  
Pore Size ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Mixing Time ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Injection Pressure ◽  
Weight Percent ◽  
Asphaltene Precipitation ◽  
Nitrogen Gas ◽  
Recovery Method ◽  
Asphaltene Deposition

Summary For many years, miscible gas injection has been the most beneficial enhanced oil recovery method in the oil and gas industry. However, injecting a miscible gas to displace oil often causes the flocculation and deposition of asphaltenes, which subsequently leads to a number of production problems. Nitrogen gas (N2) injection has been used to enhance oil recovery in some oil fields, seeking to improve oil recovery. However, few works have implemented N2 injection and investigated its effect on asphaltene precipitation and deposition. This research investigated the N2 miscible flow mechanism in nanopores and its impact on asphaltene precipitations, which can plug pores and reduce oil recovery. First, a slimtube was used to determine the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of N2 to ensure that all of the experiments would be conducted at levels above the MMP. Second, filtration experiments were conducted using nanocomposite filter membranes to study asphaltene deposition on the membranes. A filtration apparatus was designed specifically and built to accommodate the filter membranes. The factors studied include N2 injection pressure, temperature, N2 mixing time, and pore size heterogeneity. Visualization tests were conducted to highlight the asphaltene precipitation process over time. Increasing the N2 injection pressure resulted in an increase in the asphaltene weight percent in all experiments. Decreasing the pore size of the filter membranes increased the asphaltene weight percent. More N2 mixing time also resulted in an increase in asphaltene weight percent, especially early in the process. Visualization tests revealed that after 1 hour, the asphaltene particles were conspicuous, and more asphaltene clusters were found in the test tubes of the oil samples from the filter with the smallest pore size. Chromatography analysis of the produced oil confirmed the reduction in the asphaltene weight percent. Microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the filter membranes indicated significant pore plugging from the asphaltenes, especially for the smaller pore sizes. This research highlights the severity of asphaltene deposition during miscible N2 injection in nanopore structures so as to understand the main factors that may affect the success of miscible N2 injection in unconventional reservoirs.

scholarly journals An experimental investigation of asphaltene stability in heavy crude oil during carbon dioxide injection

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 919-931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherif Fakher ◽  
Mohamed Ahdaya ◽  
Mukhtar Elturki ◽  
Abdulmohsin Imqam
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Pore Size ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Asphaltene Precipitation ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Injection ◽  
Oil Viscosity ◽  
Membrane Pore ◽  
Pore Sizes ◽  
Filter Membrane

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO2) injection is one of the most applied enhanced oil recovery methods in the hydrocarbon industry, since it has the potential to increase oil recovery significantly and can help reduce greenhouse gases through carbon storage in hydrocarbon reservoirs. Carbon dioxide injection has a severe drawback, however, since it induces asphaltene precipitation by disrupting the asphaltene stability in crude oil that bears even the slightest asphaltene concentration. This can result in severe operational problems, such as reservoir pore plugging and wellbore plugging. This research investigates some of the main factors that impact asphaltene stability in crude oil during CO2 injection. Initially, asphaltene precipitation, flocculation, and deposition were tested using visual tests without CO2 in order to evaluate the effect of oil viscosity and temperature on asphaltene stability and content in the crude oil. The results obtained from the visualization experiments were correlated to the Yen–Mullins asphaltene model and were used to select the proper chemical to alter the oil’s viscosity without strongly affecting asphaltene stability. After performing the visual asphaltene tests, a specially designed filtration vessel was used to perform the oil filtration experiments using filter membranes with a micron and nanometer pore size. The effect of varying CO2 injection pressure, oil viscosity, filter membrane pore size, and filter membrane thickness on asphaltene stability in crude oil was investigated. The results were then correlated with the Yen–Mullins asphaltene model to characterize the asphaltene size within the oil as well. Results showed that as the oil viscosity increased, the asphaltene concentration in the oil also increased. Also, the asphaltene concentration and filter cake thickness increased with the decrease in filter membrane pore size, since the asphaltene particles either plugged up the smaller pores, or the asphaltene nanoaggregates were larger than the pore sizes, and thus the majority of them could not pass. This research studies asphaltene instability in crude oil during CO2 injection in different pore sizes, and correlates the results to the principle of the Yen–Mullins model for asphaltenes. The results from this research can help emphasize the factors that will impact asphaltene stability during CO2 injection in different pore sizes in order to help reduce asphaltene-related problems that arise during CO2 injection in hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Theoretical and Numerical Investigation of Supersonic Multiphase Gas Injection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Da Zhu ◽  
Mohan Sivagnanam ◽  
Ian Gates
Keyword(s):  
Shock Wave ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Continuous Phase ◽  
Solid Particles ◽  
Gas Flows ◽  
Theoretical Derivation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Supersonic gas injection can help deliver gas uniformly to a reservoir, regardless of reservoir conditions. This technology has played a key role in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and in particular, thermal enhanced oil recovery operations. Most previous studies have focused on single phase gas injection whereas in most field applications, multiphase and multicomponent situations occur. In the research documented in this paper, we report on results of evaluations of compressible multiphase supersonic gas flows in which gas is the continuous phase is seeded with dispersed liquid droplets or solid particles. Theoretical derivation and numerical simulations with and without relative motions between continuous and disperse phases are examined first. The results illustrate that the shock wave structures and flow properties associated with the multiphase gas flows are different than that of single-phase isentropic flows. The existence and importance of relaxation zones after the normal shock wave in multiphase flow is described. Numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are conducted to show how the multiphase multicomponent flow affects gas phase injection under different conditions. The impact of solid/liquid mass loading on flow performance is discussed. Finally, the practical application of the findings is discussed.

Minimum Miscibility Pressure of CO2/Hydrocarbon Systems Within Nanopores

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Yang ◽  
Xiaoli Li
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Unconventional Reservoirs ◽  
Minimum Miscibility Pressure ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Fluid Systems ◽  
Confined Fluid ◽  
Miscible Gas Injection ◽  
Fluid Characterization ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Minimum miscibility pressure (MMP), as a key parameter for the miscible gas injection enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in unconventional reservoirs, is affected by the dominance of nanoscale pores. The objective of this work is to investigate the impact of nanoscale confinement on MMP of CO2/hydrocarbon systems and to compare the accuracy of different theoretical approaches in calculating MMP of confined fluid systems. A modified PR EOS applicable for confined fluid characterization is applied to perform the EOS simulation of the vanishing interfacial tension (VIT) experiments. The MMP of multiple CO2/hydrocarbon systems at different pore sizes are obtained via the VIT simulations. Meanwhile, the multiple mixing cell (MMC) algorithm coupled with the same modified PR EOS is applied to compute the MMP for the same fluid systems. Comparison of these results to the experimental values recognize that the MMC approach has higher accuracy in determining the MMP of confined fluid systems. Moreover, nanoscale confinement results in the drastic suppression of MMP and the suppression rate increases with decreasing pore size. The drastic suppression of MMP is highly favorable for the miscible gas injection EOR in unconventional reservoirs.

Asphaltene Thermodynamic Flocculation during Immiscible Nitrogen Gas Injection

SPE Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Mukhtar Elturki ◽  
Abdulmohsin Imqam
Keyword(s):  
Pore Size ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Filter Paper ◽  
Mixing Time ◽  
Injection Pressure ◽  
Weight Percent ◽  
Asphaltene Precipitation ◽  
Nitrogen Injection ◽  
The Impact

Summary Gas-enhanced oil recovery is one of the most advantageous enhanced oil recovery methods. Nitrogen is one of the most investigated gases because of its beneficial properties. However, during its interaction with crude oil, nitrogen can induce asphaltene deposition, which may result in severe formation damage and pore plugging. Few works have investigated the impact of nitrogen on asphaltene instability. This research studied the immiscibility conditions for nitrogen in nanopores and the impact of nitrogen on asphaltene precipitations, which could lead to plugging pores and oil recovery reduction. A slimtube was used to determine the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of nitrogen to ensure that all the experiments would be carried out below the MMP. Then, filtration experiments were conducted using nanofilter membranes to highlight the impact of the asphaltene particles on the pores of the membranes. A special filtration vessel was designed and used to accommodate the filter paper membranes. Various factors were investigated, including nitrogen injection pressure, temperature, nitrogen mixing time, and pore size heterogeneity. Supercritical phase nitrogen was used during all filtration experiments. Visualization tests were implemented to observe the asphaltene precipitation and deposition mechanism over time. Increasing the nitrogen injection pressure resulted in an increase in the asphaltene weight percent in all experiments. Decreasing the pore size of the filter membranes resulted in an increase in the asphaltene weight percent. Greater asphaltene weight percents were observed with a longer nitrogen mixing time. Visualization tests revealed that asphaltene clusters started to form after 1 hour and fully deposited after 12 hours in the bottom of the test tubes. Chromatography analysis of the produced oil confirmed that there was a reduction in the heavy components and asphaltene weight percent. Microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the filter paper membranes found that significant pore plugging resulted from asphaltene deposition and precipitation. This research investigated asphaltene precipitation and deposition during immiscible nitrogen injection to understand the main factors that impact the success of using such a technique in unconventional shale reservoirs.

scholarly journals Prediction of asphaltene precipitation upon injection of various gases at near-wellbore conditions: A simulation study using PC-SAFT EoS

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saba Mahmoudvand ◽  
Behnam Shahsavani ◽  
Rafat Parsaei ◽  
Mohammad Reza Malayeri
Keyword(s):  
Phase Behavior ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Maximum Point ◽  
Asphaltene Precipitation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Tertiary Oil Recovery ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Oil Type

The depletion of oil reservoirs and increased global oil demand have given impetus to employ various secondary and tertiary oil recovery methods. Gas injection is widely used in both secondary and tertiary modes, though the major problem associated with this process is the precipitation and deposition of asphaltene, particularly at near-wellbore conditions. In-depth knowledge of asphaltene phase behavior is therefore essential for the prediction of asphaltene precipitation. Previous studies reported the impact of gas injection on asphaltene phase behavior, but the knowledge of precipitation of asphaltene as a function of different mole fractions of injected gas is also imperative. In this study, the thermodynamic model of PC-SAFT EoS is used to discern the phase equilibrium of asphaltene by analyzing the asphaltene drop-out curve during gas injection. Asphaltene drop-out curves of two different live oil samples are analyzed by injecting CO2, CH4, and N2 gases at different mole percentages and temperatures. The results revealed that PC-SAFT EoS can serve as a reliable tool for estimating bubble pressure and asphaltene onset pressure for a wide range of temperatures, pressures, and compositions. The simulation results for the injection of CO2, CH4, and N2 also showed that CO2 gas gives minimum asphaltene precipitation. It reduces the size of the drop-out curve or moves it toward higher pressures. CH4 and N2 expand the drop-out curve by raising the upper onset point. CH4 increases the maximum point of the drop-out curve for two types of oil studied (A and B) at two different temperatures. N2 raises the maximum point of oil type “A” by approximately 57% at 395 K, while it has no effect on the maximum point of oil type “B”. In addition, reducing the temperature resulted in either decrease or increase of asphaltene solubility, demonstrating that the impact of temperature on asphaltene precipitation is closely related to the composition of the crude.

The Impact Of Gas Injection On The Oil Recovery Of A Giant Naturally Fractured Carbonate Reservoir

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Badakhshan ◽  
H. Golshan ◽  
H.R. Musavi-Nezhad ◽  
F.A. Sobbi
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Carbonate Reservoir ◽  
Naturally Fractured ◽  
Fractured Carbonate ◽  
The Impact

Fluid Characterization for Miscible EOR Projects and CO2 Sequestration

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (05) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristian Jessen ◽  
Erling Halfdan Stenby
Keyword(s):  
Phase Behavior ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Reservoir Simulation ◽  
Co2 Sequestration ◽  
Gas Injection ◽  
Numerical Diffusion ◽  
Injection Process ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Multicomponent Gas ◽  
The Impact

Summary Accurate performance prediction of miscible enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) projects or CO2 sequestration in depleted oil and gas reservoirs relies in part on the ability of an equation-of-state (EOS) model to adequately represent the properties of a wide range of mixtures of the resident fluid and the injected fluid(s). The mixtures that form when gas displaces oil in a porous medium will, in many cases, differ significantly from compositions created in swelling tests and other standard pressure/volume/temperature (PVT) experiments. Multicontact experiments (e.g., slimtube displacements) are often used to condition an EOS model before application in performance evaluation of miscible displacements. However, no clear understanding exists of the impact on the resultant accuracy of the selected characterization procedure when the fluid description is subsequently included in reservoir simulation. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of the quality of two different characterization procedures over a broad range of reservoir fluids (13 samples) for which experimental swelling-test and slimtube-displacement data are available. We explore the impact of including swelling-test and slimtube experiments in the data reduction and demonstrate that for some gas/oil systems, swelling tests do not contribute to a more accurate prediction of multicontact miscibility. Finally, we report on the impact that use of EOS models based on different characterization procedures can have on recovery predictions from dynamic 1D displacement calculations. Introduction During the past few decades, a significant effort has been invested in the studies and development of improved-oil-recovery processes. From a technical point of view, gas injection can be a very efficient method for improving the oil production, particularly in the case when miscibility develops during the displacement process. The lowest pressure at which a gas should be injected into the reservoir to obtain the multicontact miscible displacement—the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP)—has consequently attained a very important status in EOR studies. Various methods for measuring and calculating the MMP have been proposed in the literature. Many of these are based on simplifications such as the ternary representation of the compositional space. This method fails to honor the existence of a combined mechanism controlling the development of miscibility in real reservoir fluids. Zick (1986) and Stalkup (1987) described the existence of the condensing/vaporizing mechanism. They showed that the development of miscibility (MMP) in multicomponent gas-displacement processes could, independent of the mechanism controlling the development of miscibility, be predicted accurately by 1D compositional simulations. A semianalytical method for predicting the MMP was later presented by Wang and Orr (1997), who played an important role in the development and application of the analytical theory of gas-injection processes. Jessen et al. (1998) subsequently developed an efficient algorithm for performing these calculations, reducing the MMP calculation time to a few seconds even for fluid descriptions of 10 components or more. Later, Jessen et al. (2001) used this approach to generate approximate solutions to the dispersion-free, 1D-displacement problem for multicomponent gas-injection processes. Analytical and numerical methods for predicting the performance of a gas-injection process depend on an EOS to predict the phase behavior of the mixtures that form in the course of a displacement process. The role of the phase behavior in relation to numerical diffusion in compositional reservoir simulation has been pointed out previously by Stalkup (1990) and by Stalkup et al. (1990). Recently, Jessen et al. (2004) proposed a method to quantify the interplay of the phase behavior and numerical diffusion in a finite-difference simulation of a gas-injection process. By analyzing the phase behavior of the injection-gas/reservoir-fluid system, a measure of the impact, referred to as the dispersive distance, can be calculated. The dispersive distance is useful when designing and interpreting large-scale compositional reservoir simulations.

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