Production Performance Modeling Through Integration of Reservoir and Production Network with Asphaltene Deposition

This study proposes the development of a new integrated reservoir-network compositional simulator with asphaltene modeling in production pipelines. Reservoir and network simulators are developed with a fully-implicit formulation, allowing stand-alone runs to analyze specific areas of interest for reservoir and production engineers. The same simulation platform allows to perform tightly-coupled runs to assess mutual interaction between subsurface and surface components. Fluid phase behavior is modeled through phase equilibria calculations, using Peng-Robinson equation of state with volume translation. Rigorous vapor/liquid/liquid-dense equilibria calculations are performed to model asphaltene precipitation in network pipelines using a thermodynamically consistent sequential approach. Asphaltene deposition in the internal pipe walls is estimated through a mechanistic solid transport model. Compositional delumping is performed from reservoir to network fluid descriptions to improve fluid characterization for asphaltene modeling in pipelines. The proposed combination of tight coupling with fully-implicit formulation for oil, gas, water flow in reservoir and network, and sequential approach for solid precipitation and deposition in the pipeline system, provides a robust and flexible methodology for additional applications of solid deposition, e.g. hydrates and waxes. This approach also enables evaluation of inhibitor injection and artificial gas lift installation on asphaltene deposition and production performance. Integrated reservoir-network modeling provides more representative reservoir performance forecasts than conventional stand-alone methods, as it allows to simulate complex interactions between reservoir and surface facilities. Solids precipitation and deposition in networks have a negative impact on production rates, pressure management, and field operations. Flow assurance techniques based on adequate estimates of potentially blocking phases (hydrates, waxes, asphaltenes) are crucial to achieve good production performance. The modeling approach developed in this research allows to forecast asphaltene precipitation and accumulation in pipelines under multiple production conditions, including pressure and temperature gradients, fluid composition, production rates, gas lift, and inhibitor injection

ANALYSIS OF EQUATION OF STATE (EOS) CHARACTERIZATION ON OIL RECOVERY

Background of Study An equation of state (EOS) is an analytical expression relating the pressure P to the temperature T and the volume V. A proper description of this PVT relationship for real hydrocarbon fluids is essential in determining the volumetric and phase behavior of petroleum reservoir fluids and in predicting the performance of surface separation facilities

Modeling and simulation of the centrifugal reactive molecular distillation : development, assessment and application to upgrade high-boiling-point petroleum fractions

Orientador: Maria Regina Wolf MacielTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia QuímicaResumo: O processo de destilação molecular reativa, no qual ocorre o acoplamento de destilação molecular e reação química simultaneamente, pode ser qualificado como um processo híbrido e também como um processo intensificado, dada a configuração do equipamento e as condições operacionais que viabilizam a implementação de alto vácuo (613,15 K foram reportadas nas correntes de destilado atingindo uma conversão do ATR-W 673,15 K+ superior a 64.3%, valores de grau API entre 19 e 21 e massa molar até 200 kg·kmol-1, e (ii) foram observadas alterações significativas nas frações analíticas >613,15 K e >813.15 K nas correntes de resíduo, atingindo uma conversão do ATR-W 673,15 K+ entre 8.0% e 53.1%, valores de grau API aproximadamente iguais a 11,9 e massa molar entre 2570 kg·kmol-1 - 2908 kg·kmol-1Abstract: The reactive molecular distillation process, in which, the molecular distillation process and reactive process occur simultaneously can be characterized like an intensified and hybrid process due to the particular features on the equipment configuration which lead to use higher vacuum (613.15 K analytical fraction were reported in the distillate stream reaching a conversion of the ATR-W 673.15 K+ higher than 64.3%, values of API gravity between 19-21 and molar mass up 200 kg·kmol-1, and (ii) significant changes were found in the >613.15 K and >813.15 K analytical fractions of the residue streams, reaching a conversion of the ATR-W 673.15 K+ between 8.0 and 53.1%, values of API gravity approximately equal to 11.9 and molar mass between 2570 kg·kmol-1 - 2908 kg·kmol-1DoutoradoDesenvolvimento de Processos QuímicosDoutor em Engenharia Químic