Interfacial Properties of Asphaltenes at the Heptol-Brine Interface

Chuntian Hu; Nicole C. Garcia; Rongzuo Xu; Tran Cao; Andrew Yen; Susan A. Garner; Jose M. Macias; Nikhil Joshi; Ryan L. Hartman

doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b01855

Interfacial Properties of Asphaltenes at the Heptol-Brine Interface

Chuntian Hu, Nicole C. Garcia, Rongzuo Xu, Tran Cao, Andrew Yen, Susan A. Garner, Jose M. Macias, Nikhil Joshi, Ryan L. Hartman

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Water-oil emulsion is inevitable in the production of crude oil. Understanding the role of asphaltenes at the Heptol (mixture of n-heptane and toluene)-brine interface is of significant importance to deal with oil lost and the waste disposal. The effect of asphaltene concentration on the interfacial tension at the Heptol-brine interface at various times and temperatures (25.0-85.0 °C), as well as in the presence or absence of hydrophobic or hydrophilic silica particles, was tested using a Tracker tensiometer. A transparent quartz packed-bed microreactor with in-line analytics was designed to test the emulsion block in porous media. Experimental results show that the presence of asphaltenes and large hydrophobic inorganic particles in Heptol could stabilize the water in oil emulsions. The results could aid in the design of remediation to improve water displacement of crude oil in sandstone reservoirs and enhance the crude oil recovery.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	80-87
Number of pages	8
Journal	Energy and Fuels
Volume	30
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b01855
State	Published - Jan 21 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemical Engineering
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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title = "Interfacial Properties of Asphaltenes at the Heptol-Brine Interface",

abstract = "Water-oil emulsion is inevitable in the production of crude oil. Understanding the role of asphaltenes at the Heptol (mixture of n-heptane and toluene)-brine interface is of significant importance to deal with oil lost and the waste disposal. The effect of asphaltene concentration on the interfacial tension at the Heptol-brine interface at various times and temperatures (25.0-85.0 °C), as well as in the presence or absence of hydrophobic or hydrophilic silica particles, was tested using a Tracker tensiometer. A transparent quartz packed-bed microreactor with in-line analytics was designed to test the emulsion block in porous media. Experimental results show that the presence of asphaltenes and large hydrophobic inorganic particles in Heptol could stabilize the water in oil emulsions. The results could aid in the design of remediation to improve water displacement of crude oil in sandstone reservoirs and enhance the crude oil recovery.",

author = "Chuntian Hu and Garcia, {Nicole C.} and Rongzuo Xu and Tran Cao and Andrew Yen and Garner, {Susan A.} and Macias, {Jose M.} and Nikhil Joshi and Hartman, {Ryan L.}",

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doi = "10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b01855",

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AU - Hu, Chuntian

AU - Garcia, Nicole C.

AU - Xu, Rongzuo

AU - Cao, Tran

AU - Yen, Andrew

AU - Garner, Susan A.

AU - Macias, Jose M.

AU - Joshi, Nikhil

AU - Hartman, Ryan L.

PY - 2016/1/21

Y1 - 2016/1/21

N2 - Water-oil emulsion is inevitable in the production of crude oil. Understanding the role of asphaltenes at the Heptol (mixture of n-heptane and toluene)-brine interface is of significant importance to deal with oil lost and the waste disposal. The effect of asphaltene concentration on the interfacial tension at the Heptol-brine interface at various times and temperatures (25.0-85.0 °C), as well as in the presence or absence of hydrophobic or hydrophilic silica particles, was tested using a Tracker tensiometer. A transparent quartz packed-bed microreactor with in-line analytics was designed to test the emulsion block in porous media. Experimental results show that the presence of asphaltenes and large hydrophobic inorganic particles in Heptol could stabilize the water in oil emulsions. The results could aid in the design of remediation to improve water displacement of crude oil in sandstone reservoirs and enhance the crude oil recovery.

AB - Water-oil emulsion is inevitable in the production of crude oil. Understanding the role of asphaltenes at the Heptol (mixture of n-heptane and toluene)-brine interface is of significant importance to deal with oil lost and the waste disposal. The effect of asphaltene concentration on the interfacial tension at the Heptol-brine interface at various times and temperatures (25.0-85.0 °C), as well as in the presence or absence of hydrophobic or hydrophilic silica particles, was tested using a Tracker tensiometer. A transparent quartz packed-bed microreactor with in-line analytics was designed to test the emulsion block in porous media. Experimental results show that the presence of asphaltenes and large hydrophobic inorganic particles in Heptol could stabilize the water in oil emulsions. The results could aid in the design of remediation to improve water displacement of crude oil in sandstone reservoirs and enhance the crude oil recovery.

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Interfacial Properties of Asphaltenes at the Heptol-Brine Interface

Abstract

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