Experimental study of the influence of wellbore fluids on the efficiency of reagents for removing asphaltene-resin-paraffin deposits

UDK: 622.276.72(571.16)

DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2026-5-108-115

Key words: asphaltene-resin-paraffin deposits (ARPD), ARPD solvent, wellbore fluid, water cut, solvent efficiency, solubility, infrared spectroscopy, structural-group composition, assessment methodology, result variability, heat maps

Authors: I.A. Guskova (Almetyevsk State Technological University «Petroleum Higher School», RF, Almetyevsk); R.N. Akhmadiev (TATNEFT PJSC, RF, Almetyevsk); T.L. Gaifullin (Almetyevsk State Technological University «Petroleum Higher School», RF, Almetyevsk); I.A. Shepelev (Almetyevsk State Technological University «Petroleum Higher School», RF, Almetyevsk); A.V. Artyukhov (TATNEFT PJSC, RF, Almetyevsk); R.D. Minabutdinov (TATNEFT PJSC, RF, Almetyevsk)

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive experimental study on the influence of wellbore fluids (degassed oil and mineralized water) and asphaltene-resin-paraffin deposit (ARPD) samples on the efficiency of a solvent reagent. In the course of solubility studies, 315 experiments were performed with variations in water cut, solvent/wellbore fluid ratio, and exposure time for ARPD samples taken from nine wells. The solvent efficiency was evaluated using gravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy with calculation of aromaticity, aliphaticity, branching, oxidation, and sulfur content coefficients. It was established that solvent efficiency is not a constant characteristic but critically depends on application conditions. Mixing the solvent with degassed oil has a depressive effect on solvent efficiency due to saturation with high-molecular-weight components and asphaltene aggregation. The hypothesis concerning the significant influence of the individual nature of ARPD samples on result variability was confirmed. Under identical treatment parameters, the range of solvent efficiency can be substantial. Water cut acts as a factor stabilizing the ARPD removal process, reducing the negative effect of mixing with oil and decreasing data scatter. The minimum effective contact time between the solvent and deposits was established. To improve the efficiency of reagents for ARPD removal and increase the success rate of well treatments, an improved methodology is proposed that takes into account the effects of three-component interaction: solvent – wellbore fluid – ARPD.

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