Method of predicting the concentration of asphaltenes using a first precipitant and correlation back to an asphaltene concentration measurement using a second precipitant

• Main Authors: Sieben, Vincent Joseph, Mostowfi, Farshid
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.08.2019
• Subjects: EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PHYSICS; TESTING

A method for determining the asphaltene content of oil includes obtaining an oil sample, determining an optical spectrum of the oil sample and removing asphaltenes from the oil sample by precipitating asphaltenes using a first alkane precipitant. The method also includes determining an optical spectrum of maltenes of the oil sample and subtracting the optical spectrum of the maltenes of the oil sample from the optical spectrum of the oil sample to yield an optical spectrum of asphaltenes of the oil sample. The method further includes using the optical spectrum of asphaltenes of the oil sample to determine asphaltene content of the oil sample using a second alkane precipitant.