Asphaltene is the most polar component of crude oil and its deposition is a serious problem in petroleum production. Asphaltenes are composed of 10-12 fused benzene rings with aliphatic chains, heteroatoms, and some metals. They are operationally defined as part of crude oil that is insoluble in light alkanes such as heptane and pentane and soluble in aromatic solvents such as toluene and xylene. Asphaltene aggregation is caused either from gas injection, temperature change, or depressurization of the petroleum fluid resulting in slow down in production and operational shutdowns.
展开▼
