Asphaltene identification using intermolecular potential energy and nanostructural forces

Heavy organic deposits remediation during petroleum production is a costly process and hamperes oil production operations. Asphaltene Precipitation in wells and reserviors has deterimental effects on the economics of oil production by reducing well production. In this work, the intermolecular potential energy of asphaltene complex has been calculated. Our objective is to observe and determine the surface structure of asphaltene micelles with explorer and discoverer scanning probe microscopes. The focus is to characterize their structure, dynamics, thermodynamics and to establish the relationship between these properties and petroleum fluid behavior. Quantum mechanics basics and statistical thermodynamics are applied to predict the potential energy and intermolecular forces of asphaltene molecules. The functional form of Potential energy and intermolecular forces are evaluted. Calculated data are compared to the proposed models. A dimensionless intermolecular potential energy function and also the forces are proposed. The validity of the results are checked by experimental data. The good agreement between one of the proposed models and the calculations is promising.

Keywords:

Asphaltene , Intermolecular potential energy , Quantum mechanics , AFM