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Flow Assurance
THE TERM FLOW ASSURANCE is used to
evaluate the effects of fluid hydrocarbon
solids (i.e., asphaltene, wax, and hydrate)
and their potential to disrupt production
due to depositionin the flow system.
For example,
The Venezuelan Boscan crude, which is
very heavy, containing 17% of
asphaltenes, was produced nearly trouble
free. On the other hand, the Algerian
Hassi-Messaond crude, which is very
light, contains only 0.062% of
asphaltenes, met with difficulties during
production.
Pressure effect
Asphaltenes are also known to aggregate by pressure
depletion alone.
By decreasing the pressure, the relative volume fraction
of the light components within the crude oil increases.
This causes an increase in the solubility parameter
difference between the crude oil and the asphaltenes,
reaching a maximum at the bubble-point pressure.
Below the bubble point, asphaltenes are more soluble
again due to evaporation of light crude oil components.
The relative change in asphaltene solubility has been
shown to be highest for light crude oils that are
undersaturated with gas and usually contain only a small
amount of asphaltenes.
This means, somewhat surprisingly, that heavy crudes
usually present fewer problems with asphaltene
aggregation and precipitation, despite their higher
Temperature effect
Temperature has a less pronounced effect on
aggregation than crude oil composition and
pressure, but an increase in temperature
generally affects the aggregation of
asphaltenes by decreasing the solvating
power of the crude oil.
Some authors state that the asphaltene
aggregate size decreases with increasing
temperature, while others state that the
precipitation of asphaltenes increases with
temperature.
stability index
Finally, an asphaltene stability index
developed by Oilphase-Schlumberger
is shown in
Figure 67. The illustration suggests
that, if
(oi ob) > 0.025, system is unstable
(oi ob) < 0.025, system is stable