Improving oil recovery with ultrasound: mitigating asphaltene-induced formation damage

Mehdi Razavifar, Timur Yunusov, Aliya Mukhametdinova, Denis Bakulin, Jafar Qajar, Alexey Cheremisin*, Masoud Riazi*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

In the last two decades, ultrasonic wave irradiation has gained increased attention from both environmental and economic perspectives in the oil industry. This study investigates the effects of ultrasonic wave irradiation on the components of crude oil and asphaltene deposition in porous media. A series of various experimental methods, including gas chromatography, microscopic imaging, viscosity and average molecular weight measurements, and core flooding, were conducted before and after ultrasonic treatment. The results showed that ultrasonic treatment reduced the number of asphaltene clusters. Additionally, ultrasonic irradiation reduced the average molecular weight of crude oil by 7%. Ultrasonic treatment also decreased core damage by restoring rock permeability. The permeability of the core decreased dramatically from 131 to 27 mD (about 79%) after the injection of crude oil due to asphaltene deposition. However, after ultrasonic treatment, the permeability of the damaged core improved to 82 mD. The findings of this study are valuable for improved oil recovery projects aimed at reducing formation damage near production wells.[GRAPHICS]
Original languageEnglish
Article number78
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology
Volume15
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2025

Keywords

  • Asphaltene deposition
  • Improved oil recovery
  • Oil composition
  • Oil viscosity
  • Ultrasonic waves

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Improving oil recovery with ultrasound: mitigating asphaltene-induced formation damage'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this