Analysis of Asphaltene Precipitation Models from Solubility and Thermodynamic-Colloidal Theories

Asphaltenes are known to cause problems related flocculation, precipitation, and plugging, either in the formation, production lines, processing equipment. Different models have been proposed predict thermodynamic conditions under which asphaltenes precipitate over past years. This work analyses performance of various on their capability match literature experimental data precipitated asphaltene mass fractions. Twenty-five different based equation-of-state (EoS), polymer solution, thermodynamic-colloidal theories were identified. The performance/test datasets collected classified according pressure/temperature conditions, CO2, n-C5/n-C7 gas, liquid titrations. Statistical analysis, including residuals, parity plots, average absolute relative deviation (AARD, %), used compare adequacy selected models. Results confirmed need for further model development general applications wide pressure, temperature, composition intervals.