Effect of Fluid Viscosity on Asphalthene Deposition Rate during Turbulent Flow in Oil Wells

Abstract

The production and transportation of petroleum fluids will be severely affected by the deposition of suspended particles (i.e. asphaltenes, diamondoids, paraffin/wax, sand, etc.) in petroleum fluid production wells and/or transfer pipelines. Viscosity variations of petroleum fluids is an important phenomenon that could have significant effect on different properties related to petroleum fluids. Therefore, it is important to understand the effect of viscosity variations of petroleum fluids on the deposition rate of suspended particles on the walls of the flowing channel. In this study, the analytical model for the prefouling behavior of suspended particles in production lines is examined in terms of viscosity changes that occur during the production in oil wells/tubings for a typical fluid sample experiencing particle deposition. Calculations of particle deposition rate in oil wells/tubings considering the change in viscosity for this typical oil sample is taken into consideration. The analysis presented in this report shows that rates of particle deposition (during petroleum fluid production) on the walls of the oil well/tubing is slightly affected by the viscosity variations that occur during the production conditions. It is also shown that the assumption of constant viscosity, while deriving the analytical model for the deposition rate of particles on the walls of fluid conduits, is quite a reasonable and valid assumption.