Asphaltene Deposition in Producing Maya Oil Wells - Comparison of Conventional and Gas Lift-Methods

E. Ramirez-Jaramillo and C. Lira-Galeana*
Mexican Inst. of Petroleum, Mexico City 07730, Mexico
*Corresponding author. E-Mail: [email protected]

In this paper, we use a recently-proposed multiphase flow compositional model (PIPESOLIDS(R)) to study asphaltene deposition phenomena resulting from pressure depleted and gas-lifted wells located at the producing Southwest marine oil region of the Mexican GoM. The model is based on the assumption that asphaltene particles are thermodynamically formed at a given set og P-T-x conditions during the flow, and both molecular diffusion and shear removal are two competing mechanisms that define the radial diffusion and later deposition of asphaltene particles for either turbulent or laminar flow regimes in a well. Predictions of the model are presented for the case of two problematic (plugged) wells where measured P-T-depth production profiles, both with-and-without gas lift are available.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90062©2006 AAPG Hedberg Research Conference, Veracruz, Mexico