Microscopic details of asphaltenes aggregation onset during waterflooding |
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Authors: | Salah Yaseen GAli Mansoori |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA;2. Departments of Bio- and Chemical Engineering &3. Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA |
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Abstract: | We report detailed microscopic studies of asphaltenes aggregation onset during waterflooding of petroleum reservoirs. To achieve this objective, a series of simulations are performed on asphaltenic-oil miscibilized with water at high pressure and temperature through molecular dynamics. Results of this simulation onset are applicable to asphaltenes behavior in real crude oils. Our simulation results illustrate that the aggregation onset in waterflooding generally follows three sequential steps: (i) Asphaltene-water interaction; (ii) Water bridging; (iii) Face-to-face stacking. Then, asphaltene-water and water-water hydrogen-bonding network surround every aggregate boosting the intensity of aggregation onset. We intend to utilize such understanding of these details in our predictive and preventive measures of arterial blockage in oil reservoirs during waterflooding. |
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Keywords: | aggregation asphaltene heteroatoms hydrogen-bonds molecular dynamics simulation onset of aggregation π–π interaction radial distribution function waterflooding water-bridge |
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