Modeling of asphaltene deposition in oil reservoirs during primary oil recovery

Asphaltene deposition in oil reservoirs during primary oil recovery and using the enhanced oil recovery methods are complicated and destructive problem with which most of the oil field in worlds has encountered. In this research, the examination of formation damage due to the asphaltene deposition, a four phase black oil model (oil, water, gas, and asphaltene) is developed in combination with proper thermodynamic and deposition models in cylindrical coordinates around a well in a reservoir. Subsequently, this model has been used for examining the effect of well production rate and the initial reservoir permeability on the asphaltene deposition behavior in a typical reservoir during primary production process. The results of model indicate that at a fixed permeability, with increase in the production rate, the amount of asphaltene deposits will increase. However, an increase in the reservoir permeability will decrease the deposition rate because of the existence of further channels for flow. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.