Asphaltene Formation Damage Study

Objective:

An Asphaltene Formation Damage Study determines the skin factor evolution or growth in the near-wellbore region during production of a hydrocarbon fluid. Asphaltene formation damage data are first obtained in the lab from core plugs and/or from well formation damage production history. Then, the formation damage data are used to tune an asphaltene formation damage simulator, like AsphWax's FDModelR. Finally, the skin factor evolution or growth in the near-wellbore region is simulated with the tuned FDModelR. The formation damage or skin evolution rate is utilized to evaluate the need for solvent stimulation chemical treatments using coiled tubing units.

Description

An Asphaltene Formation Damage Study is a continuation of an Asphaltene Phase Behavior Study and it involves a sequence of tests and computer simulation leading to the determination of the skin factor caused by asphaltene-induced formation damage. The flowcharts below give a summary of the steps required to:

• Obtain representative bottom-hole fluid samples

• Perform PARA (Paraffin-Aromatic-Resin-Asphaltene) Analysis, PVT Study, and Flow Assurance Diagnostic Study

• Develop a PVT-tuned PARA EOS fluid characterization

• Simulate the fluid's P-T Diagram

• Tune asphaltene phase behavior model

• Simulate the fluid's ADE

• Estimate core plug asphaltene-induced formation pluggage due to asphaltene flocculation in laboratory tests performed at reservoir conditions

• Tune asphaltene formation damage simulator to the lab data and field data (if any)

• Simulate asphaltene-induced near-well formation damage, e.g., skin factor.