Measurement and control of asphaltene agglomeration in hydrocarbon Liquids
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsGregory M. Jones, Malcolm J. W. Povey, John Campbell
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Abstract
A method is provided for measuring the agglomerative state of asphaltenes in a process flow stream of oil by applying an acoustic signal to the oil, detecting the scattered acoustic energy and using this detected signal to determine the relative particle size distribution of the asphaltene particles in the oil and/or their state of agglomeration. A method for controlling the agglomerative state of the asphaltenes which is based on the acoustic measurement technique is also provided.
Claims20
A method for measuring the agglomerative state of asphaltenes in a process flow stream of oil containing asphaltenes, comprising applying to the oil in the process flow stream a signal of acoustic energy, thereby scattering at least part of the energy;
- detecting the scattered acoustic energy over a selected frequency range;
- resolving the magnitude of the detected scattered acoustic energy at selected frequencies within the selected frequency range;
- and determining the agglomerative state of the asphaltenes.
A method for measuring the agglomerative state of asphaltenes in an oil containing asphaltenes comprising:
- a. removing a sample of the oil, and without diluting said sample;
- b. applying to the oil a signal of acoustic energy, thereby scattering at least part of the energy;
- c. detecting the magnitude of the scattered acoustic energy over a selected frequency range;
- d. resolving the magnitude of the detected scattered acoustic energy at selected increments within the selected frequency range;
- e. deriving from such resolution a distribution of the relative size of asphaltene particles scattering acoustic energy within the selected frequency range;
- f. determining the agglomerative state of the asphaltene particles;
- and
- g. returning the undiluted oil sample.
A method for controlling the agglomeration of asphaltenes in oil which comprises applying a signal of acoustic energy to the oil, thereby scattering at least a part of the energy;
- detecting the scattered energy over a selected frequency range;
- resolving the magnitude of the detected scattered energy at selected increments within the selected frequency range;
- comparing the resolved detected scattered energy with a standard;
- and acting to control the number of particles having a particle size corresponding to the selected incremental frequencies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.