Asphaltene Deposition during CO2 Flooding in Ultralow Permeability Reservoirs: A Case Study from Changqing Oil Field

Asphaltene deposition is a common phenomenon during CO2 flooding in ultralow permeability reservoirs. The deposited asphaltene occupies the pore volume and decreases permeability, resulting in serious formation damage and pore well productivity. It is urgent to investigate the asphaltene deposition mechanisms, adverse effects, and preventive measures. However, few asphaltene deposition investigations have been systematically conducted by now. In this research, the asphaltene precipitation mechanisms and adverse effects were comprehensively investigated by using experimental and numerical methods. To study the effects of pressure, asphaltene content, and temperature on asphaltene precipitation qualitatively and quantitatively, the microscope visible detection experiment and the PVT cell static experiment were firstly conducted. The adverse effects on porosity and permeability resulted from asphaltene deposition were also studied by the core flooding experiment. Secondly, simulation models of asphaltene precipitation and deposition were developed and validated by experimental data. Finally, a case study from Changqing oil field was presented to analyze the asphaltene deposition characteristic and preventive measures. The experimental results showed that the asphaltene precipitation increases with the increased pressure before reaching the minimum miscible pressure (MMP) and gets the peak value around the MMP, while decreases slowly. The asphaltene precipitation increases with the increased temperature and asphaltene content. The variation trend of adverse effects on porosity and permeability resulted from asphaltene deposition is similar to that of asphaltene precipitation under the influence of pressure, asphaltene content, and temperature. The case study shows that the water-altering-gas (WAG) with high injection rate suffers more serious asphaltene deposition compared with the WAG with low injection rate, for the asphaltene precipitation increases as the increased pressure before reaching the MMP. The CO2 continuous injection with high injection rate is the worst choice, for low sweep efficiency and the most severe formation damage. Thus, the WAG with optimal injection rate was proposed to maintain well productivity and to reduce formation damage resulted from asphaltene deposition during developing ultralow permeability reservoirs.

Automated summary

The study comprehensively investigated the mechanisms and adverse effects of asphaltene precipitation using experimental and numerical methods. Experimental results showed that asphaltene precipitation increases with pressure before reaching the minimum miscible pressure (MMP), peaks around the MMP, and then decreases slowly. The adverse effects on porosity and permeability resulted from asphaltene deposition were similar to the trend of asphaltene precipitation under the influence of pressure, asphaltene content, and temperature.