Mitigating Asphaltene Deposition Using Modified Polyvinyl Alcohol and Silica Nanoparticles

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15490
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 31020:Earth resource engineering, Energy sciences-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Nguele Ronald 九州大学, 工学研究院, 助教 (50821401)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: CO2-EOR / Asphaltene / Nanofluid / Poly vinyl alcohol

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It was found that asphaltenes, extracted from dead crude oils develop a stronger affinity with the silica nanofluid film leading to a preferential adsorption. Also, the research showed that the adsorption is proportional with the aromatic core, and inversely proportional to heteroatom contents. It was further highlighted that asphaltene solubility is rather dependent of the size of the aromatic core and the amount of embedded heteroatoms.

Free Research Field

Petroleum Engineering

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

the present research proposed a hybrid production scheme in which the nanofluid should be injected ahead of the carbon dioxide. This approach promotes the adsorption the polar asphaltenes onto the surface of the nanoparticles allowing thereby oil dissolution by CO2.