SPE 92794

Modeling of the Asphaltene Precipitation in Bangestan Reservoir of Kupal Field

M. Jamshidnezhad, NIOC
Copyright 2005, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc.
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 14th SPE Middle East Oil & Gas Show and
Conference held in Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, Bahrain, 1215 March 2005.
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Proposal
Modeling of asphaltene precipitation in Bangestan reservoir of
Kupal field in southwest of Iran is the purpose of this study.
The modeling technique based on the representation of the
precipitated asphaltene as a pure dense phase and division of
the heaviest component in the oil into non-precipitating and
precipitating components. A set of dummy experimental data
was used to tune an equation of state based model that
represents the asphaltene as pure component solid. Results of
the work show that the chosen model could accurately
represent the behavior of the fluids of this reservoir.
Experiences in NISOC fields prove that when solid
precipitation is about 10 % (w/w), the problem of asphaltene
will serious. Based on this study, we concluded that at about
5300 psia the amount of solid is 10 %. Therefore, when
pressure in the Bangestan reservoir of Kupal field approach to
this critical pressure (5300 psia) gas should be injected. Now,
NISOC reservoir-engineering department are providing a plan
for gas injection in order to increasing pressure in this
reservoir.
Bangestan reservoir
The Bangestan reservoir of Kupal field started producing
in 1989 under primary depletion. The reservoir has
undersaturated oil with the production mechanisms being fluid
and rock expansion along with gravity drainage.
Reservoir performance indicates that the reservoir has no
aquifer support. Table 1 summarizes the fluid properties.
According to the experience in National Iranian South Oil
Co. (NISOC) fields, asphaltene precipitation becomes a
problem when solid precipitation is about 10 wt %. Therefore,
when pressure in the Bangestan reservoir of Kupal field
approaches the 5,300 psia critical pressure, as determined
from the modeling, gas should be injected.
Asphaltene precipitation from the reservoir fluids during
oil production is a serious problem because the precipitation
plugs the formation (Figure 1). Currently, NISOC uses

improvised mechanical and chemical cleaning methods in

wellbores to maintain production, but these methods are timeconsuming and expensive.
Generally, asphaltenes tend to remain in solution or in
colloidal suspension under reservoir temperature and pressure
conditions. They may start to precipitate once the stability of
the colloidal suspension is destabilized by changes in
temperature or pressure during primary depletion.1
Asphaltenes also have been reported to become unstable as a
result of mixing of fluid streams [2] as well as from gas
injection during improved oil recovery (IOR) operations [3-6].
For these reasons, NISOC needed experimental
measurements of asphaltene precipitation at reservoir and
stock-tank conditions to determine the condition at which the
precipitation occurs. The experiments measured asphaltene
precipitation at stock-tank condition and estimated the
precipitation from live oil at reservoir conditions.
Asphaltene modeling
The saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes (SARA)
analysis of the stock-tank oil shows that the stock-tank oil has
a composition of 26.88 wt % saturates, 67.99 wt % aromatics,
4.47 wt % resins, and 0.66 wt % asphaltenes.
Table 2 summarizes the Bangestan reservoir fluid
composition.
The model of the precipitation of the asphaltene phase
used a multiphase flash calculation in which fluid phases are
described with the Peng-Robinson equation of state and the
precipitated solid phase is represented as a pure component.
The analysis includes an additional equation to model the
fugacity of the asphaltene component in the solid phase.
References 7-8 provide the thermodynamic model for the
asphaltene component, flash algorithm, and application of the
model for the asphaltene formation.
Splitting the heaviest component of the oil into
precipitating and non-precipitating components specifies the
asphaltene component. These two components have the same
critical properties and acentric factors; however, the
precipitating component has higher binary interaction
coefficients with light components up to C5.
The following equation calculates the mole fraction of the
asphaltene component:
Xasph MWasph = Wasph Mwoil..(1)

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SPE 92794

In the equation Xasph. is mole fraction of asphaltene, Wasph.

is weight fraction of asphaltene, MWasph is the molecular
weight.
Modeling results
Figures 2 shows the precipitated asphaltene formation
behavior as a function of pressure for five different
percentages of asphaltene at 160 F. Because no experimental
measurement of asphaltene content at reservoir temperature
and pressure conditions were available, the analysis used five
dummy values of asphaltene content, as follows: 0.33 wt %,,
0.22 wt %, 0.11 wt %, 0.08 wt %, and 0.05 wt %
As expected, these figures show that the maximum amount
of asphaltene occurs very near the bubblepoint pressure. In
addition, because asphaltene problems are occurring at the
current 6,000-psi reservoir pressure, it is assumed that
reservoir has an asphaltene content greater than 0.22 wt %.
References
1. De Boer, R.B, and Leeriooyer, K., Screening of Crude oils for
Asphalt Precipitation, Paper No. SPE 24987, SPE European
Petroleum Conference, Cannes, France, Nov. 16-18 1992.
2. Catalan, L.L., Jamaluddin, A.K.M., Stephanic, D.W., McNichol,
P.A., Solids Problem at the Ring Border Gas Plant, Journal of
Canadian Petroleum Technology, Vol. 37, No. 37 (1998), pp.
48.
3. Koch, H.A. High Pressure Gas Injection is a Success, World Oil,
143, Oct. 1956, p. 260.
4. Thomas, F.B., Proposed Screening Criteria for Gas Injection
Evaluation, Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, Vol.
37 (1998), p. 14.
5. Burke, N.E., Hobbs, R.E. and Kashou, S.F., Measurement and
Modeling of Asphaltene Precipitation, JPT, November 1990,
pp.1440.
6. Leontartis, K.J., and Mansoori, G.A., Asphaltene Deposition: A
survey of Field Experiences and Research, J. Pet. Sci. Eng.,
Vol. 1, Aug. 1988, pp.229.
7. Nghiem, L.X., Hassam, M.S., Nutakki, R. and George, A.E.D.
Efficient Modeling of Asphaltene Precipitation, Paper No. SPE
26642, SPE 68th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition,
Houston, Oct. 3-6, 1993.
8. Nghiem, L.X. and Coombe, D.A., Modeling of asphaltene
Precipitation During Primary Depletion, Paper No. SPE 36106,
Fourth Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering
Conference, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Apr. 23-26
April 1996.

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SPE 92794

Table 1. Reservoir and fluid characteristics

Company

NISOC

Field

Kupal

Formation

Bangestan
o

Reservoir Temperature( F)

160

Reservoir Pressure(psia)

6000

Bubble point at 160 oF(psia)

3725

GOR (SCF/STB)

1360

OIL API

34.3

Table 2. Composition of reservoir fluid

Components

Composition

Molecular weight

Molecular weight Specific Gravity

(mol percent)

of C12+

of reservoir oil

of C12+ @60/60

of residual oil

H2S

1.85

260

81

0.8861

81

N2

0.1

CO2

3.71

C1

46.53

C2

8.76

C3

4.98

iC4

0.93

nC4

2.39

iC5

0.86

nC5

1.06

FC6

2.64

FC7

2.73

FC8

1.31

FC9

2.19

FC10

1.67

FC11

1.52

C12+

16.77

Total

100

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Molecular weight

SPE 92794

Figure 1. Asphaltene Precipitation Problem on the Field production rate

175000
165000

Asphaltene Formation
Problem

Monthly Production,bbl

155000
145000
135000
125000
115000
105000
95000
85000
75000
2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Year

Figure 2. precipitated asphaltene formation behavior as a function of pressure for five different percentages of asphaltene at 160 F

0.40

Solid Precipitate %wt

0.35
0.30

0.33%wt

0.25

0.22%wt

0.20

0.11%wt

0.15

0.08%wt
0.05%wt

0.10
0.05
0.00
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Pressure,psia

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8000

9000