Asphaltene deposition effects on reservoir rock wettability and modification strategies

Abstract

Asphaltene deposition, a widespread challenge in the petroleum industry, detrimentally affects oil production, transport, and processing. Our study investigates asphaltene's impact on sandstone and carbonate reservoir rock wettability using ASTM-D6560 extraction and heptol solutions. A significant part of our focus was to examine wettability change due to asphaltene damage and the use of nanoparticles to improve this situation. Qualitatively, advanced techniques reveal altered rock composition, and contact angle measurements, along with zeta potential assessments, highlight significant wettability changes. Quantitatively, asphaltene-infused solutions induce a quantifiable increase in contact angles. Specifically, with gamma alumina nanoparticle addition, contact angles rise from 68° to 87° for sandstone and 110°–142° for carbonate rocks. Temperature variations within our experimental range also induce notable wettability changes. These findings establish a clear link between asphaltene deposition and quantifiable wettability modifications, providing crucial insights for optimizing oil recovery processes and enhancing well performance in the petroleum industry. The study's results suggest that nano-gamma alumina can be an effective solution for improving wettability and mitigating asphaltene deposition issues in carbonate rocks, offering promising prospects for the oil and gas industry.

Keywords

• Asphaltene deposition
• Wettability modification
• Reservoir rock characterization
• Gamma alumina nanomaterials