Fluid distributions during light hydrocarbon charges into oil reservoirs using multicomponent Maxwell-Stefan diffusivity in gravitational field

Zuo, Julian Y.; Mullins, Oliver C.; Achourov, Vladislav; Pfeiffer, Thomas; Pan, Shu; Wang, Kang; Kollien, Terje; Primio, Rolando di

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2017.07.026

Cited by 12 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Asphaltenes derived from different sources share the same solubility characteristics by definition (e.g., toluene soluble, n-heptane insoluble), but the composition of asphaltenes derived from different sources can vary greatly. For example, a key chemical parameter that can differ is the aromaticity (measured by 13 C NMR), which for carbonaceous materials correlates strongly with the ratio of hydrogen to carbon. 49 Virgin petroleum asphaltenes (PAs), that is, petroleum asphaltenes that have not been subjected to any processing such as refining, have an aromaticity near 50% and an H:C ratio of ∼1.1.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Petroleum asphaltenes play a key role in many aspects of oil production and refining, and as a result they have been the subject of numerous investigations. − The solubility classification of asphaltenes ( n -heptane insoluble, toluene soluble) suggests that different asphaltenes could have similar aggregation properties. Petroleum asphaltene aggregation has numerous industrial consequences related to phase behavior and flow assurance, coking in refining, tar mat deposition in reservoirs, − and fluid gradients in reservoirs. − Thus, characterization of asphaltenes has focused on both their molecular structure and their aggregate structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nanoaggregates of Diverse Asphaltenes by Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics

Wang

Taylor

et al. 2017

Energy Fuels

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Asphaltene nanoaggregates from three diverse source materialscoal-derived asphaltenes dominated by aromatic carbon, petroleum asphaltenes with comparable abundances of aromatic and aliphatic carbon, and immature source-rock asphaltenes dominated by aliphatic carbonare examined by means of surface-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) coupled with laser desorption laser ionization mass spectrometry (L2MS). All three types of asphaltenes form nanoaggregates with aggregation numbers close to 7. Molecular dynamics calculations for proposed island molecular structures show the important roles that π-stacking and alkane steric hindrance play in nanoaggregate formation and structure. These results are discussed in terms of entropy and enthalpy changes. All results are consistent with the Yen-Mullins model, which bodes well for its expanded use in oilfield reservoir evaluations.

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Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoaggregates of Diverse Asphaltenes by Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics

Wang

Taylor

et al. 2017

Energy Fuels

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“…If a dip angle (θ) is taken into account and it is assumed that mechanical equilibrium is reached in the system, the molar flux vector in eq under isothermal conditions is then expressed as where Δρ = ρ – ρ i , and ρ i denotes the mass density of component i . C t , g , R , and T represent the total molar concentration, the gravitational acceleration, the gas constant, and the temperature, respectively.…”

Section: Modeling For Reservoir Fluid Geodynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The second term of eq is the molar flux from the gravitational contribution. Asphaltenes take different forms in oil during gas charge . They are often dispersed in oil as nanoaggregates (which are nanocolloidal) before gas charge.…”

Section: Modeling For Reservoir Fluid Geodynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Systematics in RFG processes are evident, and it is now routine to use an RFG perspective to evaluate reservoirs. Published case studies include reservoir compartmentalization, , and its inverse reservoir connectivity and fluid equilibration, ,,,− diffusive gradients in oilfields, − asphaltene migration via density inversions, − heavy oil and tar formation, − heavy oil equilibration, ,− biodegradation with a single reservoir charge of oil, biodegradation with multiple charges of oil, , biodegradation with spill-fill reservoir filling, and water washing of crude oil, , among many other concerns …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reservoir Fluid Geodynamics: The Chemistry and Physics of Oilfield Reservoir Fluids after Trap Filling

et al. 2017

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Oilfield reservoirs exhibit a wide array of complexities that have great impact on the efficiency of oil production. Major challenges include delineating overall reservoir architecture and the distributions of the contained fluids. Reservoir crude oils consist of dissolved gases, liquids, and dissolved solids (the asphaltenes); the corresponding compositional variations and phase transitions within reservoirs greatly impact production strategies and economic value. Standard workflows for understanding reservoir (rock) architecture are subsumed in the discipline “geodynamics”, which incorporates the initial rock depositional setting and subsequent alterations through geologic time to yield the present-day reservoir. However, reservoir fluids are not generally treated in such a systematic manner. Petroleum system modeling provides the timing, type, and volume of hydrocarbon fluids that charge into reservoirs. However, there is little treatment regarding how these fluids change after filling the reservoir. A significant limitation had been the lack of thermodynamic treatment of asphaltenes in reservoir crude oils. Consequently, projecting reservoir fluid properties away from the wellbore has been problematic. “Reservoir fluid geodynamics” (RFG) is the newly formalized discipline that incorporates changes in the distributions of reservoir fluids and phase transitions over geologic time. A key enabling advance is the recently developed ability to treat asphaltene gradients in oilfield reservoirs using the Flory–Huggins–Zuo equation of state (FHZ EoS) with its reliance on the Yen–Mullins model of asphaltenes. In addition, in situ downhole fluid analysis in oil wells provides accurate vertical and lateral fluid gradients in reservoirs in a cost-effective manner. Thermodynamic equilibrium can now be recognized; equilibrated fluids imply connected reservoirs, meaning a single flow unit. Disequilibrium fluid gradients imply ongoing or recent fluid processes in geologic time. The analysis of 35 oilfields (with more than 100 oil reservoirs) has allowed the identification of various reservoir fluid geodynamic processes. Some processes, such as biodegradation, have long been studied; nevertheless, even in these cases, inclusion of the thermodynamic modeling yields accurate predictions of distributions of key fluid attributes. Many other RFG processes are elucidated herein and are shown to impact major reservoir concerns for production. The resulting fundamental understanding of the physics and chemistry of these RFG processes enables measurements made at the wellbore to be used as a basis for accurate prediction of fluid properties throughout the reservoir.

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Simple Asphaltene Thermodynamics, Oilfield Reservoir Evaluation, and Reservoir Fluid Geodynamics

Mullins¹,

Zuo²,

Dumont³

et al. 2020

Handbook of Materials Modeling

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Fluid distributions during light hydrocarbon charges into oil reservoirs using multicomponent Maxwell-Stefan diffusivity in gravitational field

Cited by 12 publications

References 22 publications

Nanoaggregates of Diverse Asphaltenes by Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics

Nanoaggregates of Diverse Asphaltenes by Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics

Reservoir Fluid Geodynamics: The Chemistry and Physics of Oilfield Reservoir Fluids after Trap Filling

Simple Asphaltene Thermodynamics, Oilfield Reservoir Evaluation, and Reservoir Fluid Geodynamics

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