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Effect of Microwave Irradiation On Wax and Asphaltene Content of Heavy Crude Oil
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 79th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2017, Jun 2017, Volume 2017, p.1 - 5
Abstract
This study examines the effect of microwave irradiation on these precipitates. One 150 ml sample of heavy crude oil from a reservoir in the southwest of Iran, with 12.7765 %wt asphaltene and 7.771 %wt wax content, was subjected to microwave irradiation in developed Fischer assay apparatus for time durations of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes. Experimental results show that microwaving for different lengths of time causes changes in wax and asphaltene content. At 15 minutes’ irradiation, the lowest asphaltene content (10.6225 %wt) was observed. The lowest wax content (5.5131 %wt) was found after 10 minutes’ irradiation. These particles, due to their high capacity to absorb microwaves, are severely affected by these waves. The microscopy results of the particle-size analysis (60 %vol. n-heptane) revealed that when irradiation time increased, the range of asphaltene particle sizes decreased. The size range of asphaltene particles in a primary state from 5 μm to 100 μm (54 μm mean particle size) declined after microwave irradiation, and in 30 minutes reached a range of 5 μm to 40 μm (18.5 μm mean particle size). Scanning electron microscopy images of asphaltene particles demonstrate that the microwaves altered the particles’ structure by inducing microcracks.