Effects of petroleum resins on asphaltene aggregation and water-in-oil emulsion formation

Asphaltenes from four crude oils were fractionated by precipitation in mixtures of heptane and toluene. Solubility profiles generated in the presence of resins (1:1 mass ratio) indicated the onset of asphaltene precipitation occurred at lower toluene volume fractions (0.1–0.2) than without resins. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was performed on solutions of asphaltene fractions in mixtures of heptane and toluene with added resins to determine aggregate sizes. Water-in-oil emulsions of asphaltene–resin solutions were prepared and separated by a centrifuge method to determine the vol.% water resolved. In general, the addition of resins to asphaltenes reduced the aggregate size by disrupting the π–π and polar bonding interactions between asphaltene monomers. Interaction of resins with asphaltenic aggregates rendered the aggregates less interfacially active and thus reduced emulsion stability. The smallest aggregate sizes observed and the weakest emulsion stability at high resin to asphaltene (R/A) ratios presumably corresponded to asphaltenic monomers or small oligomers strongly interacting with resin molecules. It was often observed that, in the absence of resins, the more polar or higher molecular weight asphaltenes were insoluble in solutions of heptane and toluene. The addition of resins dissolved these insolubles and aggregate size by SANS increased until the solubility limit was reached. This corresponded approximately to the point of maximum emulsion stability. Asphaltene chemistry plays a vital role in dictating emulsion stability. The most polar species typically required significantly higher resin concentrations to disrupt asphaltene interactions and completely destabilize emulsions. Aggregation and film formation are likely driven by polar heteroatom interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, which allow asphaltenes to absorb, consolidate, and form cohesive films at the oil–water interface.     

DPD Molecular Simulations of Asphaltene Adsorption on Hydrophilic Substrates: Effects of Polar Groups and Solubility

Adsorption of asphaltenes onto a polar substrate (e.g., a mineral) was modeled with dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations, using continental asphaltene models. The adsorption mechanisms in 10–20% wt, of asphaltene in toluene/ heptane solutions were studied (well above the solubility limit). The structure in the adsorbed layer was highly sensitive to the presence of polar groups in the alkyl side chains and heteroatom content in the aromatic ring structure. Four types of asphaltene models were used: completely apolar (zero adsorption), apolar chains and polar heteroatoms, polar chains and no heteroatoms, and polar chains and heteroatoms (maximum adsorption). One hundred asphaltene monomers were distributed homogeneously in the solvent initially, in a ～(10 nm)³ domain.

Asphaltene monomers adsorbed irreversibly on the substrate via the polar group in the side chains, resulting in an average perpendicular orientation of the aromatic rings relative to the substrate. More frequent π–π stacking of the aromatic rings occurred for less solubility (more heptane), as in aggregates. With apolar side chains, only the heteroatoms in the aromatic ring structure had affinity to the substrate, but the ring plane did not have any preferred direction.

An important finding is that the aromatic ring assemblies “shielded” the substrate and polar groups that were anchored to the substrate, resulting in an effective non-polar surface layer seen by asphaltenes in the bulk, leading to much lower adsorption probability of the remaining asphaltenes. This “adsorption termination” effect leads to mono-layer formation. Continued adsorption with multilayering and reversible nanoaggregate adsorption occurred when both side chains in the model asphaltene (located on opposite sides of the aromatic sheet) contained polar groups, with a higher probability of exposing further polar groups to the bulk asphaltene. The general conclusion is that the number and position of the polar groups in side chains determine to a large degree the adsorption and aggregation behavior/efficiency of (continental) asphaltenes, in line with experimental evidence. The heteroatoms in the aromatic ring structure plays a more passive role in this context, only by providing organization via more π–π stacking in the adsorbed layer, and in aggregates.     

Characterization of fractionated asphaltenes by UV-vis and NMR self-diffusion spectroscopy

Asphaltenes have been fractionated by liquid/liquid extraction, yielding four subfractions. The characteristics of fractionated asphaltenes were studied with respect to solubility, aromaticity, heteroatom content, and diffusion behavior. It was observed that asphaltenes from the four subfractions showed variations in their tendency to flocculate and also distinct differences in aromaticity. Furthermore, NMR self-diffusion studies showed that the average diffusion coefficients varied for asphaltenes from the different subfractions. The results suggest a variation in average size and stability between asphaltenes, depending on what subfraction they belong to. The subfraction that consisted of asphaltenes with the largest average size and the highest aromaticity was also found to contain the asphaltenes that had the strongest tendency to flocculate.     

Effect of n-alkanes on asphaltene structuring in petroleum oils

The interactions between asphaltenes and short- to medium-chain n-alkanes were studied using titration microcalorimetry and inverse chromatography. The exothermic heat effects observed upon mixing of asphaltenes and n-alkanes were interpreted in terms of assembling of the two types of compounds into mixed structures. We show that the energy of the interactions between n-alkanes and the asphaltene hydrocarbon chains is close to the energy of the interactions between the asphaltene chains. We propose that the latter interactions are responsible for the formation of the asphaltene aggregates and are the driving force of the aggregate assembly into higher structures.     

Investigation of Asphaltene Aggregate Size Distribution Under Aggregation and Breakage Phenomena Using Monte Carlo Simulation

In this article, the aggregation and breakage processes are simulated through Monte Carlo method for asphaltene aggregates under shear-induced petroleum mixtures. The simulation results are verified by the aggregate size distributions of two types of asphaltenes having different fractal dimensions extracted from Iranian crude oil types. The obtained aggregate size distributions are affected by shear rate, toluene to heptane ratios and the oil type. The dynamic evolution of asphaltene aggregates shows an ascendant trend with time until they reach a maximum average diameter and then descent to a steady-state size. The asphaltene fractal dimension affects the aggregation process.     

Interaction between asphaltenes and fatty-alkylamine inhibitor in bulk solution

In the present work, the mechanism of interaction between asphaltenes and a commercial fatty-alkylamine inhibitor was investigated by a combination of techniques. The “macro” properties, like the asphaltene precipitation onset and the amount of asphaltenes precipitated, were measured by near-infrared (NIR) and UV-vis spectroscopy, respectively, while the interaction enthalpy between asphaltenes and inhibitor was measured by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Asphaltenes subfractions and derivatives were also used to identify the mechanism.

ITC indicated that only a small fraction (～6%) of asphaltenes interacts strongly with the inhibitor. The proportion of interacting species was found to be higher in irreversibly adsorbed asphaltenes subfraction. These 6% are mostly composed of acidic asphaltenes, as indicated by measurements involving ester asphaltenes. However, the measurement of precipitation onset and amounts precipitated for whole and ester asphaltenes indicated that the acid–base interaction was not the main interaction responsible for the inhibitory action. Other type(s) of interaction is/are responsible for the inhibition properties of the inhibitor, which are not detected by ITC. The nature of other interactions is not known for the moment, but it was shown that irreversibly adsorbed asphaltene fraction contains a higher concentration of the functionality (ies) responsible for the “other” type of interaction.     

Effect of Surfactant on the Growth of Onset Aggregation of Some Egyptian Crude Oils

This work pertains to study the asphaltenes aggregates' settling behavior of crude oil in absence and presence of oil‐soluble surfactants including long‐chain fatty acid in the form of amidation and estrification. First, the onset points as a function of light absorbed asphaltenes aggregates were quantified before and after adding asphaltenes dispersants using ultra violet spectroscopy, and the photograph fractal‐like aggregate structures were quantified using Carl Zeiss Trinocular microscope. Second the shear rates against shear stress induced aggregation were also measured in absence and presence of different concentrations of asphaltenes dispersants using Brookfield digital rheometer model LVDV‐III⁺. The results reviled that the asphaltenes aggregates are found to depend on toluene–heptane ratios. In absence of dispersant the accumulated and aggregates clusters of asphaltenes are formed at heptane: toluene ratio of 50∶50. Whereas, in the presence of dispersant the asphaltenes are solvated at heptane: toluene ratio of 60∶40, followed by appearance of stronger and dots aggregates clusters at a ratio of 70∶30, and finally, a larger aggregates growing at heptane: toluene ratio of 80∶20. The dispersant solvates the asphaltenes and maintains them in solution, while their surface activity remains high. This means that the dispersant apparently functioned well in decreasing the degree of flocculation and precipitation beyond the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of asphaltenes at 0.0027 g/L. Also, the reduction in the viscosity in presence of dispersant suggests that the asphaltenes aggregates are highly porous and very fragile.     

Interfacial rheology of petroleum asphaltenes at the oil-water interface

A biconical bob interfacial shear rheometer was used to study the mechanical properties of asphaltenic films adsorbed at the oil-water interface. Solutions of asphaltenes isolated from four crude oils were dissolved in a model oil of heptane and toluene and allowed to adsorb and age in contact with water. Film elasticity (G') values were measured over a period of several days, and yield stresses and film masses were determined at the end of testing. The degree of film consolidation was determined from ratios of G'/film mass and yield stress/G'. Asphaltenes with higher concentrations of heavy metals (Ni, 330-360 ppm; V, 950-1000 ppm), lower aromaticity (H/C, 1.24-1.29), and higher polarity (N, 1.87-1.99) formed films of high elasticity, yield stress, and consolidation. Rapid adsorption kinetics and G' increases were seen when asphaltenes were near their solubility limit in heptane-toluene mixtures (approximately 50% (v/v) toluene). In solvents of greater aromaticity, adsorption kinetics and film masses were reduced at comparable aging times. Poor film forming asphaltenes had yield stress/G' values ((1.01-1.21) x 10(-2)) more than 4-fold lower than those of good film forming asphaltenes. n-heptane asphaltenes fractionated by filtering solutions prepared at low aromaticity (approximately 40% toluene in mixtures of heptane and toluene) possessed higher concentrations of heavy metals and nitrogen and higher aromaticity. The less soluble fractions of good film forming asphaltenes exhibited enhanced adsorption kinetics and higher G' and yield stress values in pure toluene. Replacing the asphaltene solutions with neat heptane-toluene highlighted the ability of films to consolidate and become more elastic over several hours. Adding resins in solution to a partially consolidated film caused a rapid reduction in elasticity followed by gradual but modest consolidation. This study is among the first to directly relate asphaltene chemistry to adsorption kinetics, adsorbed film mechanical properties, and consolidation kinetics.     

Quartz Crystal Microbalance Monitoring of Asphaltene Adsorption/Deposition

Adsorption and deposition of asphaltenes onto differently coated (hydrophilic surfaces: silica, titanium, alumina, and a noncommercial tailor‐made FeO_x) quartz crystals from heptane/toluene (1∶1) and toluene solutions have been studied with the quartz crystal microbalance method with dissipation measurements (QCM‐D). The results show that the adsorbed mass is related to the solubility state of asphaltenes (aromaticity of the solvent), their origin (aggregate size in solution) and very little to the hydrophilicity of the investigated crystal. Adsorption/deposition of asphaltenes depends on their solubility. We found two cases: Either the asphaltenes are solubilized, or the asphaltenes are partly solubilized and partly precipitated. In the former case, asphaltenes are bounded very tightly to the surface and poorly for the latter. The change in solution composition due to decrease in asphaltene solvency causes formation of a variety of asphaltenes species. The results also were compared and discussed in relation to adsorption onto particles, determined with the UV depletion method. The study shows that QCM‐D method is a very useful tool to study the mechanisms and the effects of solvency of asphaltenes. We discuss and compare the different techniques.     

Asphaltene aggregation in organic solvents

Asphaltenic solids formed in the Rangely field in the course of a carbon dioxide flood and heptane insolubles in the oil from the same field were used in this study. Four different solvents were used to dissolve the asphaltenes. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the onset of asphaltene precipitation by heptane titration. When the onset values were plotted versus asphaltene concentrations, distinct break points (called critical aggregation concentrations (CAC) in this paper) were observed. CACs for the field asphaltenes dissolved in toluene, trichloroethylene, tetrahydrofuran, and pyridine occurred at concentrations of 3.0, 3.7, 5.0, and 8.2 g/l, respectively. CACs are observed at similar concentrations as critical micelle concentrations (CMC) for the asphaltenes in the solvents employed and can be interpreted to be the points at which rates of asphaltene aggregations change. CMC values of asphaltenes determined from surface tension measurements (in pyridine and TCE) were slightly higher than the CAC values measured by NIR onset measurements. The CAC for heptane-insoluble asphaltenes in toluene was 3.1 g/l. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and elemental compositions of the two asphaltenes showed that the H/C ratio of the heptane-insoluble asphaltenes was higher and molecular weight (measured by vapor pressure osmometry) was lower.     

Asphaltene self-association and water-in-hydrocarbon emulsions

The configuration of asphaltenes on the water-oil interface was evaluated from a combination of molar mass, interfacial tension, drop size distribution, and gravimetric measurements of model emulsions consisting of asphaltenes, toluene, heptane, and water. Molar mass measurements were required because asphaltenes self-associate and the level of self-association varies with asphaltene concentration, the resin content, solvent type, and temperature. Plots of interfacial tension versus the log of asphaltene molar concentration were employed to determine the average interfacial area of asphaltene molecules on the interface. The moles of asphaltenes per area of emulsion interface were determined from the molar mass data as well as drop size distributions and gravimetric measurements of the model emulsions. The results indicate that asphaltenes form monolayers on the interface even at concentrations as high as 40 kg/m(3). As well, large aggregates with molar masses exceeding approximately 10,000 g/mol did not appear to adsorb at the interface. The area occupied by the asphaltenes on the interface was constant indicating that self-associated asphaltenes simply extend further into the continuous phase than nonassociated asphaltenes. The thickness of the monolayer ranged from 2 to 9 nm.     

抚顺烟煤吡啶抽出物ZM2馏份结构表征

本文采用了多种现代结构分析方法(FTIR,~1H-、~(13)C-NMR,FDMS,MS/MS)对抚顺烟煤吡啶抽出物的正庚烷不溶、正庚烷/苯(1∶1)可溶馏份(ZM2馏份)进行了详细的结构解析,得到了其平均分子量、分子量分布及其中30种化合物的分子结构,为研究抚顺烟煤的结构提供了有价值的信息。     

Determining the interaction and characterization of asphaltene in alkylbenzene solvents using nuclear-electron double resonance

This study uses ¹H dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) methods to determine asphaltene aggregates and the interaction between asphaltene extracted from MC800 asphalt and alkylbenzene solvents, as well as elemental analysis for the characterization of asphaltene. The asphaltene sample was characterized using the elemental analysis of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S). The results show that asphaltenes have the highest carbon content. The sulfur and hydrogen contents are nearly the same and nitrogen content is the smallest. The DNP data provided good results for characterizing asphaltene behavior in alkylbenzene solvents.     

Effect of interfacial rheology on model emulsion coalescence I. Interfacial rheology

Interfacial elasticity and "dynamic" surface pressure isotherms were measured for interfaces between a dispersed water phase and a continuous phase of asphaltenes, toluene, and heptane. The interfacial modulus is a function of asphaltene concentration and in all cases reached a maximum at an asphaltene concentration of approximately 1 kg/m(3). The modulus increased significantly as the interface aged and slightly as the heptane content increased to a practical limit of 50 vol%. The modulus was approximately the same at 23 and 60 degrees C. The modulus correlated with the inverse of the initial compressibility determined from surface pressure isotherms. The surface pressure isotherms also indicated that a phase transition occurred as the interface was compressed leading to the formation of low compressibility films. Crumpling was observed upon further compression. The phase transition shifted to a higher film ratio with an increase in heptane content and interface age. Asphaltene concentration and temperature (23 and 60 degrees C) has little effect on the surface pressure isotherms. The surface pressure and elasticity measurements are consistent with the gradual formation of a cross-linked asphaltene network on the interface.     

Separation and characterization of petroleum asphaltene fractions by ESI FT-ICR MS and UV-vis spectrometer

Using heptane, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as eluant, asphaltenes were fractionated into five fractions based on their polarity and solubility. The molecular composition of polar heteroatom species in both asphaltene and its fractions were analyzed by negative-ion electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS). The application of UV-vis spectrometer in characterizing asphaltene composition and measuring asphaltene concentration was discussed. About 11.9 wt% asphaltene components adsorbed permanently on silica gel in the extrography column after excessive elution with various solvents. In negative FT-ICR MS, the mass spectra show that acidic and neutral nitrogen-containing compounds such as N1 and N1S1 mainly existe in the first three less polar fractions, while oxygen-containing compounds such as O2 , O2S, O2S2 , O3 , and O4 show high relative abundance in more polar fractions. These results suggest oxygen-containing compounds have stronger adsorption ability with silica gel. It was observed that the double bond equivalence (DBE) distribution of N1 class species in the fractions shifted to higher values while the carbon number shifted to smaller numbers as polarity of fractions increased. This indicates that acidic and neutral N1 compounds with longer carbon chain and less aromaticity have less polarity compared with those with shorter carbon chain and stronger aromaticity. UV-vis absorbance indicats that fractions containing the most aromatic and most polar asphaltene have better absorbance at long wavelength, while the fractions that consist of least aromatic and least polar asphatlenes show high absorbance at short wavelength.     

Changes in asphaltene surface topography with thermal treatment

The impact of thermal cracking reaction on asphaltene structure and morphology has been investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structural and morphological changes at a microscopic level were monitored by comparing the parent asphaltenes from different vacuum residues (VRs) to their corresponding thermally treated asphaltenes, obtained from the by-product pitch after thermal treatment. The SEM analysis indicated that the asphaltene aggregates extracted from atmospheric residues have smooth and rough surfaces with agglomerate particles and bright inclusions. The SEM images of asphaltene aggregates that are extracted from the pitch samples after mild cracking demonstrated cleavage fracture morphology with obvious reduction in inclusions sizes and intensities. The TEM analysis, on the other hand, indicated that the asphaltenes from residual oils have tangled structures, with edges similar to a cauliflower. The tangled structure is mainly credited to the alkyl side-chains that impede the aromatic sheets from stacking. At mild cracking (400 °C), the asphaltene began to exhibit well-ordered layer structures near the edges due to the rupture of the alkyl side-chains. However, the tangled structure has been preserved in the interior of the sample. As the reaction severity increases (415 °C), the stacking of aromatic sheets became more evident even in the sample interior. At the most severe cracking condition (430 °C), an obvious reduction in the cluster diameter has been observed, which mainly resulted from the reduction in the number of aromatic sheets per stack.     

Model molecules mimicking asphaltenes

Asphalthenes are typically defined as the fraction of petroleum insoluble in n-alkanes (typically heptane, but also hexane or pentane) but soluble in toluene. This fraction causes problems of emulsion formation and deposition/precipitation during crude oil production, processing and transport. From the definition it follows that asphaltenes are not a homogeneous fraction but is composed of molecules polydisperse in molecular weight, structure and functionalities. Their complexity makes the understanding of their properties difficult. Proper model molecules with well-defined structures which can resemble the properties of real asphaltenes can help to improve this understanding. Over the last ten years different research groups have proposed different asphaltene model molecules and studied them to determine how well they can mimic the properties of asphaltenes and determine the mechanisms behind the properties of asphaltenes.     

Aqueous block copolymer-surfactant mixtures and their ability in solubilizing chlorinated organic compounds. A thermodynamic and SANS study

Within the topic of surfactant enhanced solubilization of additives sparingly soluble in water, volumetric, solubility, conductivity, and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments on mixtures composed of alpha,omega-dichloroalkane, surfactant, copolymer, and water were carried out at 298 K. The triblock copolymers (ethylene oxide)132(propylene oxide)50(ethylene oxide)132 (F108) and (ethylene oxide)76(propylene oxide)29(ethylene oxide)76 (F68) were chosen to investigate the role of the molecular weight keeping constant the hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio. The selected surfactants are sodium decanoate (NaDec) and decyltrimethylammonium bromide (DeTAB) with comparable hydrophobicity and different charged heads. The alpha,omega-dichloroalkanes were chosen as contaminant prototypes. For the water + surfactant + copolymer mixtures, both the volume and the SANS results straightforwardly evidenced that (1) monomers of NaDec and copolymer unimers generate small mixed aggregates, (2) monomers of DeTAB combined with copolymer unimers do not form aggregates, and (3) unimeric copolymer is solubilized into NaDec and DeTAB micelles. The alpha,omeaga-dichloroalkanes presence induces the F108 aggregation even at very low copolymer composition. The addition of surfactant disintegrates the F108 aggregates and, consequently, the additive is expelled into the aqueous phase. Once F108 is in the unimeric state, it forms copolymer-micelle aggregates which incorporate the oil. In the case of F68 both the volumetric and the SANS data reveal that the additive does not alter the copolymer unimeric state. Moreover, they show that for the aqueous DeTAB-F68 system the additive trapping in both the copolymer-micelle aggregate and the pure micelles takes place being enhanced in the former aggregate in agreement with solubility experiments. For the NaDec-F68 mixtures, an additional solubilization process in the premicellar copolymer-surfactant microstructures occurs. SANS and conductivity data show that the additive incorporation into the mixed and the pure micelles does not essentially influence the structural properties of the aggregates.