Investigation the impact of additives on the displacement of the onset point of asphaltene precipitation using interfacial tension measurement

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of additives on the displacement of the onset point of asphaltene precipitation in crude oil using the interfacial tension measurement method, based on the examined oil has been taken from Iran reservoirs. The experimental results suggest that the addition of surfactants of dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) and coconut diethanolamide (CDEA) to the oil has triggered the onset of asphaltene precipitation. These findings imply that CDEA has a more effective role in preventing asphaltene precipitation. Also, it was observed that increasing the concentration of the surfactants has led to obtaining greater results. Finally, critical micelle concentration was calculated to be 5000 and 4700 ppm in the cases of CDEA and DBSA, respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Asphaltene precipitation
• interfacial tension measurement
• surfactant

Acknowledgments

Special thanks are made to Dr. Ayatollahi and the staff of the prestigious Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering at Sharif University of Technology who helped us accomplish this research.

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sector.