This
study aims to theoretically investigate the performance of
an ionic liquid-based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES), methyltrioctylammonium
chloride:glycerol (1:2), as an asphaltene deposition inhibitor. To
do so, the concept of surface energy was implemented by applying the
extended DLVO (Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek)
theory. Accordingly, the impact of surface energy components in terms
of electrostatic (EL), acid–base (AB), Lifshitz–van
der Waals (LW), and Brownian (Br) interactions on the deposition process
has been examined. In addition, the works of cohesion and adhesion
between different interacting bodies involved in the deposition process
have been determined. The results revealed that AB interactions played
an essential role in the inhibition of asphaltene deposition by reducing
the propensity of asphaltene toward the dolomite surface. The total
interaction energy also showed that the presence of HDES would take
the interaction energy of asphaltene-dolomite from attraction toward
the repulsive state as much as 125%. Furthermore, the calculated works
of cohesion/adhesion proved that the addition of HDES to the model
oil could retard asphaltene particles’ cohesion, thus preventing
them from aggregation and subsequent deposition onto the dolomite
surface. It was also shown that HDES, dissolved in the model oil,
would primarily be attracted by asphaltene rather than its own molecules,
hence producing HDES-asphaltene conjugates in the medium. Finally,
the lower affinity of asphaltenes toward the dolomite surface in the
presence of HDES was confirmed using the work of adhesion. The theoretical
approach, proposed in this study, can provide a guideline to evaluate
the intermolecular interactions between interacting bodies during
the asphaltene deposition process, including asphaltene, inhibitor,
reservoir rock, and oleic medium.