Recent advances in applications of power ultrasound for petroleum industry

Application of Cavitation in Oil Processing: An Overview of Mechanisms and Results of Treatment

“…The treatment time has been found to be the governing parameter in reduced oil viscosity, and the optimal treatment time increases with asphaltene content; this is in agreement with the calculated data . On the basis of experiments, it can be argued that ultrasonic irradiation can, within optimal time, reduce asphaltene content in crude oil; after that, with an increase of time, the small molecules and free radicals reintegrate to form large oil molecules to increase its viscosity . Within this optimal irradiation time, the decomposition rate of asphaltenes is equal to the rate of asphaltene formation by the mechanism of free radicals generated by ultrasonic cavitation …”

“…19 On the basis of experiments, 20 it can be argued that ultrasonic irradiation can, within optimal time, reduce asphaltene content in crude oil; after that, with an increase of time, the small molecules and free radicals reintegrate to form large oil molecules to increase its viscosity. 21 Within this optimal irradiation time, the decomposition rate of asphaltenes is equal to the rate of asphaltene formation by the mechanism of free radicals generated by ultrasonic cavitation. 12 To fix and reinforce the reduction of oil viscosity, the treated oil can be added to various reactants.…”

Effects of reservoir rock pore geometries and ultrasonic parameters on the removal of asphaltene deposition under ultrasonic waves

“…The depth of penetration is mostly determined by the applied frequency, the nature of the ultrasonic probe, and the density of the rock formation (M. [21] . The lower the frequency, the deeper the penetration of the wave into the formation (M. [21] , [51] , while increasing the power will improve the cleaning effect. The 20 kHz frequency used in this study has been reported to penetrate up to 10 cm into the formation [22] , and was adequate to remediate the near wellbore formation damage induced by paraffin precipitates [41] .…”

Sonication of Petrochemical Industry Wastewaters

“…Highly toxic waste not only causes irreparable pollution to the environment but also poses threat to human health, and is not legally allowed to be discharged without treatment. Increasing use of fossil fuels leads to the increase of polyaromatics waste products, thus imposing a burden on treatment facilities [1]. Ultrasound shows great promise for both upstream and downstream of the petroleum industry due to its cleanliness, low cost and high efficiency [2].…”