Asphaltenes yield curve measurements on a microfluidic platform.

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Geochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Asphaltene precipitation is a critical issue in crude oil production and transportation.
• Conventional methods for measuring asphaltene yield are time-consuming and resource-intensive.
• Accurate and efficient asphaltene characterization is essential for reservoir management and process optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a microfluidic apparatus for rapid and automated asphaltene yield measurements.
• To compare the performance of the microfluidic method with traditional wet chemistry techniques and existing models.
• To demonstrate the significant reduction in time, solvent consumption, and sample requirements compared to conventional approaches.

Main Methods:

• Integration of optical spectroscopy with a microfluidic fluid handling platform.
• Automated titration with n-alkane to induce asphaltene flocculation and filtration.
• Measurement of oil and de-asphalted oil (maltenes) absorbance to determine asphaltene content.
• Evaluation of asphaltene solubility by varying the titrant-to-oil ratio and measuring fractional precipitation.

Main Results:

• The microfluidic apparatus provides asphaltene yield measurements that show good agreement with conventional methods and models.
• The developed method significantly reduces measurement time from weeks/months to 1 day.
• Consumable usage is drastically cut, with solvent reduced from over 6 L to 0.5 L and crude oil sample from over 100 g to 10 g.

Conclusions:

• The microfluidic apparatus offers a highly efficient and accurate alternative for asphaltene yield measurements.
• This technology enables more frequent and environmentally friendly asphaltene analysis.
• The substantial savings in time and resources facilitate better decision-making in the oil industry.